I have had this game for quite some time on Steam. I find that the overall concept was great and the world with the Mad Max design cool. However, after mindlessly running around for ages, nothing to actually do without spending an inordinate amount of time, and the flawed and horrible rate at which the game runs, I can't recommend the game. It takes ages to actually get going and if there are people that don't mind spending 100+ hours to get going, this might be for them. This game just drives me nuts. It spent ten years in development and has little to show. I'm sorry but with the way this game is, I can't recommend it, even for those that don't mind spending a bit of time learning a game. I'm one of those people but I am not committing a second life to getting going.
This game stands on its own as a pillar of what developers are doing with games these days. Elex is a game that is similar to Skyrim and Gothic in being open world yet the quests are bugged, fail to deliver, and leave you unimpressed. Elex starts off with you crashing and forgetting things while having periodic flashbacks. The graphics, cranked up all the way, look absolutely horrid on the characters while the scenery isn't as bad. For a game released in 2017, I have to wonder where the production time went. Combat is a complete mess. The first few levels you are barely staving off animals in the forest. For a supposed fighter, he can't handle himself at all. It isn't even the characters fault but more the fact that combat is so unforgiving and rediculous you can't accomplish anything. I'm not talking Dark Souls hard where it requires skill, I'm talking about hoping to land a hit with the terrain not getting in the way, the animal not dodging while you continue to flail needlessly unable to stop, and assuming you connect with the hit box, actual damage is done. The conversations in the game are long, drawn out, and seem to ramble on about nothing. I got tired of listening to the first guy you meet talk about useless crap. Backstory is nice but I don't need his whole life's experience about nothing. Additionally, the quests are occasionally bugged and vague. It's nice to have goals but how about something that makes sense and not "go talk to the apprentice that needs a bow but happens to have one on his back"? Elex is the epitome of bad. The controls are bad, the camera is bad, the story could be interesting but is busted, quests are bugged, combat is bad, and the graphics, other than the terrain, are bad. Uninspiring and typical of this developer. From now on, they are on my black list.
Bought purely as a nostalgia item I got sent back to my teenage years when I first booted this up. I recently purchased BG II: EE as the month this review has been posted (December) and have already logged quite a few hours into the game. If there were any bugs as others have mentioned I have yet to come across them but then again, I am also playing on a iMac so I may not run into the same issues. BG II EE takes what the original did and expands upon it by adding more NPCs and widescreen which the original needed a mod for. Gone are the wonky windows 98 graphics controls, everything is set to look great from the beginning and any other changes can be made from the in game menu. For those that haven't played BG2, this is basically the cornerstone of today's open world and ended RPGs. You start in a dungeon and end up in a large world with over 350 some quests to complete (more since ToB and other items have been added in the EE). You can solo but it takes time and effort to go that route but the party dialogue and playing is fantastic. I haven't tried the multiplayer aspect yet as I mainly bought to play single player but if it is anything like the original BG2 then I am sure it will be a blast to play. The overhauls in this game, in my opinion, aren't worth what they are asking for but do add functionality and usability to the game. This isn't to say to not buy the game, but if you have the original I would be skeptical on purchasing this one unless you have the extra cash to throw at something like I did. Bottom line, BG 2: EE is what I wanted from the original. Despite owning the original on GoG I still purchased this one and do not feel as though I wasted my money. The game still plays great, offers challenge unlike most newer RPGs that literally tell you where to go, and has the option to play with others and have a great adventure.
