Honestly, most reviews here have explained the strong points of this game to a great extent. I'm just adding this: with the Special Elite Forces mod installed, this game is a pure 5/5. You should install it if you are looking for the best experience!
Piranha Bytes truly went to the next level with this game. This game borrows all the good aspects from the previous PB's games, while creating a completely new setting (because of this, I initially viewed this game with extreme skepticism) and adding a new semi-morality system (it's complicated actually). As mentioned above, a new feature in this game (compared to previous PB titles) is the "cold" system. Essentially it's a theme of "emotion vs cold logic" (NOTE: it's not "evil vs good", although you can be a dick if that's your intention) , during quests you will be able to choose different outcomes which will affect your aligment and will unlock new choices on later quests based on your aligment. The atmosphere is by far the game's best aspect. Elex's world is a mixture of Fallout, post-apocalyptic natural sceneries (you know, those melancholic wallpapers of forests "swallowing" rusted sattelites) and some high-tech cities. Awesome ambient music also further enhances the experience. Finally, you can actually discover a LOT of the game's lore by exploring as there are many old notes,diaries,recordings and knowledgeable people to interact with. Also let's address the elephant in the room: the combat. First things first: it's not polished but it's not bad either (it's actually an improvement over previous PB's games combat). Just remember 3 facts: - some bugs sexist. - it's not designed with button-smashing in mind, you are supposed to wait for an opening in order to strike (dodge/block till the opportunity arises). - use ONLY combos (light attack + heavy attack + Q etc). and you should be fine (you might even enjoy it as I did). A final point I'd like to raise is that Elex's devs had promised that this game will be one-time buy, with full content. And since they kept their promises, by supporting them you are in a way contributing to combating this recent mess about excessive DLCs or predatory microtransactions that's plaguing the video game industry.
Great game. The combat certainly isn't as well designed as Bladur's Gate or Icewind Dales games but it is enjoyable (swinging your own arm as a club = 11/10 would do again). Where this game game shines is its story, game designers should take notes from this game: Philosophical themes: ✓ Unorthodox,fresh plot (no "Big damn hero saves the world" plot): ✓ Interesting story that keeps the player interested : ✓ Unique companions and antagonists with interesting personalities: ✓ Great replayability through different plot choices: ✓ Unique setting: ✓ All in all, if you are a fan of story-focused RPGs you shouldn't pass this title.
PROS of the game: - Unique Diplomacy system (which adds another win option). - High customization of each game rules/mode. - Fast paced games (especially when you add many opponent). - Lan-based option (trust me when I say that it makes the game 10x times more entertaining). - Many classes and hybrid class option. CONS of the game: - Graphics and meh optimization, even though I respect that it's a small developer, it's 2018. - Zombie infection mechanic is obscure and unexplained. SYNOPSIS: Great game and worth for every aRPG fan, it's only noticeable throwback is the optimization. Buy the DLC too if possible, as it adds more mechanics (and a new class).
