ELEX II

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 46

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ELEX II is an ambitious sequel that manages to retain both the best qualities and worst problems of its predecessor.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 46

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 46

ELEX II is an ambitious sequel that manages to retain both the best qualities and worst problems of its predecessor.

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Critic Reviews for ELEX II

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

46

Reviews

Average Score

100

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5/10

Mick Fraser (God is a Geek)

Elex II is another example of Piranha Bytes aiming far too high. It’s a plodding, often clunky adventure with few bright spots.

February 28, 2022 |

Full Review

Elex II is an ambitious and slightly bonkers open world RPG hampered by badly written and unpleasant characters.

February 28, 2022 |

Full Review

Not Recommended

Caelyn Ellis (Rock, Paper, Shotgun)

8/10

Eric Hauter (Gaming Nexus)

Elex II ignores current game design ethos and rages to its own weird beat. Weird, fun, tough, and unpredictably funny, Elex II is feels like a DIY punk-rock open world game, janky and awesome all at the same time. Steer clear if you insist on perfection in your games, but if you are willing to go for the ride and appreciate the flaws instead of being bothered by them, you’ll find a deep and fun adventure unlike anything else on the market.

February 28, 2022 |

Full Review

Mick Fraser (God is a Geek)

5/10 - (Read Review)

Elex II is another example of Piranha Bytes aiming far too high. It’s a plodding, often clunky adventure with few bright spots.

Caelyn Ellis (Rock, Paper, Shotgun)

Not Recommended - (Read Review)

Elex II is an ambitious and slightly bonkers open world RPG hampered by badly written and unpleasant characters.

Eric Hauter (Gaming Nexus)

8/10 - (Read Review)

**Read all 46 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (46 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
33bits	Euyen Esquefa Pons	80 / 100	02-28-2022	Elex II does not bring anything new to those of us who are already veterans of Piranha Games games. But it doesn’t fall short of any other game in its franchises either. A good story, LOTS of content, decisions, different factions, and a poor combat system define an Elex II that also brings the apocalyptic science fiction setting mixed with a fantasy world. Recommended.	Read review
3DNews	Денис Щенников	7 / 10	03-05-2022	The usual strengths of Piranha Bytes games are downed by archaic mechanics.	Read review
ACG	Jeremy Penter	Not Recommended	02-28-2022	Video Review	Read review
BaziCenter	Milad Taher Nejad	8 / 10	03-07-2022	ELEX II is a good example of being in the right place but at the wrong time. It’s a great action role playing with some killer gameplay mechanisms and quest designs, but it just can’t compete at the moment, and thus not getting the attention it deserves.	Read review
Bazimag	Sina Golabzade	7.5 / 10	02-28-2022	The world building is great and ELEX II manages to fully drive home the notion that avarice can lead to absolute destruction and it is only through co-operation that we can thrive, problem is the gameplay still needs to be way better to be as entertaining as the competition and the visuals and voice acting are just acceptable. Maybe Piranha Bytes needs to scale back a little on their projects because ambition is only celebrated if it pays off or delivers something that hasn’t been experienced before.	Read review
Chalgyr’s Game Room	Pierre-Yves Lanthier	7.8 / 10	03-01-2022	Overall ELEX II is a decent experience and it fixes some of the issues that I had with the original. While not perfect, the sequel does have an easier level of entry and the return to Magalan was an enjoyable one.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Justin White	7.5 / 10	03-01-2022	Despite some weaker elements, everything combines nicely in ELEX II to provide an unpolished journey, but one that I was thankful I experienced. The game is rather unique, with some modern touches and attributes. Yet at the same time, if you played this game without knowing anything about it, you could mistake it for something from over 10 years ago. It has a unique charm, and if you are willing to put up with some janky combat and odd glitches, there is certainly an engaging story to follow with exceptional dialogue and choices that really seem to alter the world around you. ELEX II takes you on a long journey filled with meaningful engagements and a world teeming with character.	Read review
Chicas Gamers	Juanma Luengo	Recommended	02-28-2022	ELEX II contains the best (and the worst) of the previous Piranha Bytes games. It’s deep, fun and the narrative is compelling. Also the weight of the decisions taken during the game change the experience that any player will have with it. But it is also has it flaws, like the poor optimization in PC and the disappointing combat mechanics.	Read review
COGconnected	Mark Steighner	70 / 100	02-28-2022	When Elex came out in 2017, it filled a niche despite its many issues. Elex 2 is bigger and its world is denser, but Piranha Bytes hasn’t really fixed much of what was wrong about the first game. Janky movement and weak combat top the list. Annoying mechanics and glacial progression are right up there, too. Elex 2 has ambition, I’ll give it that. If it pared that ambition with polish, a more coherent narrative, and better pacing, Elex 2 might be a more viable alternative to those other RPGs that are getting so much deserved attention.	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Matt Sainsbury	4 / 5 stars	03-01-2022	Even that’s ultimately part of the charm of Elex II though, because it was a game made by RPG enthusiasts for RPG enthusiasts, and min-maxing is, ultimately, a big part of this community. Though the game comes across as an impenetrable club members-only experience at times, the creativity and energy behind it is impossible to deny. Frankly, I would rather play something like this, bugs and all, than something overproduced and so safe that it puts me to sleep.	Read review
FingerGuns	Miles Thompson	5 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II is a prime example of great potential being suffocated by poor execution. A large world filled with quests, unique factions and interesting lore can only carry you so far when the combat is floaty, the progression is stifling, the graphics bland and its performance breaks so visibly, so often. Instead of slaying raptors with lasers, you’ll be waiting for the game to pop-in the fun while it chugs out another texture it missed.	Read review
Game Rant	Joshua Duckworth	4.5 / 5 stars	02-28-2022	Although Piranha Bytes’ Elex 2 is not without its minor shortcomings, it is the definition of what all open-world RPGs should be.	Read review
Gamefa	آرمان زرمهر	6.5 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex 2 features interesting elements and has a lot of content that can be fun and engaging for fans of the free world role-playing titles, but at the same time it also suffers from numerous structural and technical problems that distance itself from today’s standards of role-playing titles.	Read review
GameGrin	Neil Hetherington	5.5 / 10	02-28-2022	An average RPG spoiled by janky combat and technical issues. I’d only jump into this if there was literally nothing else to play.	Read review
GameMAG	Unknown	5 / 10	03-01-2022	There are lots of problems, and yet Elex II will hold your attention with a tight grip, even after 60 hours of playtime. All thanks to the crazy setting, worldbuilding, and exploration gameplay.	Read review
GamePro	Tim-Philipp Hödl	75 / 100	02-28-2022	Elex 2 is a typical Piranha Bytes game – for better or for worse.	Read review
GameSpace	Brau3er	7.5 / 10	02-28-2022	Playing ELEX II left me with a strong impression that the game is largely geared towards those who have already spent a lot of time playing games from this studio. If that’s you, your take from the game may be different than someone new to the series and you’ll likely have a blast, especially if you loved the first game. If you’re new to the series, you may want to bone up on YouTube videos about ELEX I before diving into an interesting, multi-faceted world albeit one fraught with performance and graphical issues. Chances are things will improve with time and patches so maybe it’s best to wait a while and let the dev team catch up to the game’s potential.	Read review
GameWatcher	Neil Bolt	6.5 / 10	02-28-2022	ELEX II will be an understandably divisive RPG, as is almost a given with Piranha Bytes’ titles. There are performance issues, incoherent conversation options, and some iffy combat. Yet its freedom is genuinely impressive, and its kitchen-sink approach to every aspect of the experience at least makes for an intriguing, if uneven, package.	Read review
Gaming Nexus	Eric Hauter	8 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II ignores current game design ethos and rages to its own weird beat. Weird, fun, tough, and unpredictably funny, Elex II is feels like a DIY punk-rock open world game, janky and awesome all at the same time. Steer clear if you insist on perfection in your games, but if you are willing to go for the ride and appreciate the flaws instead of being bothered by them, you’ll find a deep and fun adventure unlike anything else on the market.	Read review
GamingBolt	John Cantees	5 / 10	02-28-2022	ELEX 2 doesn’t have much going for it outside of some incremental improvements over the first game, limiting its appeal more than it needed to.	Read review
GamingTrend	Cassie Peterson	80 / 100	02-28-2022	To sum it all up, Elex II is a blast, both literally and figuratively. What Piranha Bytes was able to achieve in Elex I they were able to build upon, expanding on a world that lives and breathes independently and because of your character. Aside from those little technical issues, the game is sound. I feel like you could also easily get into playing Elex II without having played the first game. However, if you want to understand all of the references, maybe at least watch a recap video first. Either way, this game holds a lot of promise, especially when you consider all the different routes you can take on your playthrough. Who knows where you’ll end up?	Read review
GBAtemp	Jakub Kowalski	7.3 / 10	03-08-2022	ELEX II is like a weathered veteran donning their armor for one more campaign, ready to show the youngsters some of the old tricks they may have foolishly forgotten. It’s a brand-new game that somehow feels like it has a grey beard	Read review
Generación Xbox	Jose Angel	6.5 / 10	02-28-2022	If you like classic RPGs and are able to make big concessions on the technical side, Elex 2 is a game not to be missed.	Read review
God is a Geek	Mick Fraser	5 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II is another example of Piranha Bytes aiming far too high. It’s a plodding, often clunky adventure with few bright spots.	Read review
GRYOnline.pl	hexx0	8 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex 2 is another proof that “Piranhas” can create excellent open worlds that are pleasant to explore.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Jason Bohn	3.5 / 5 stars	02-28-2022	Elex II is a uniquely ambitious game made by a developer that already focuses on ambitious games, and Piranha Bytes almost stuck the landing.	Read review
Hey Poor Player	Shane Boyle	4.5 / 5 stars	02-28-2022	Elex II presents a world and narrative of immeasurable depth in terms of the freedom you have to play your way and the choices you’re presented with as a player. Couple that with an extremely gratifying sense of progression, and you have a world that begs to be visited for repeat playthroughs. If you can look past the inevitable lack of polish, and archaic presentation issues, do yourself a favor and don’t let this absolute gem pass you by.	Read review
Hynerd.it	Giulio Aterno	6 / 10	03-05-2022	Elex 2 looks exactly like the first, with a campaign almost identical to its predecessor, with very few innovations introduced, but still presenting some improvements in the graphic, technical and stylistic side. It is certainly a game suitable for an audience accustomed to open world with sci-fantasy settings, but which, like its predecessor, will probably not be able to reach a large portion of the public.	Read review
IGN	Leana Hafer	4 / 10	03-04-2022	Most evident in its clunky, annoying combat system, Elex 2 is living in a janky Euro RPG past that its closest peers have nearly all transcended by now.	Read review
IGN Italy	Stefano Castagnola	7.3 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II is not without its flaws and some of them can sometimes be quite jarring, but underneath them all is a nice action RPG that gets more than a few things right and that can provide many, many hours of entertainment.	Read review
IGN Spain	Rafa Del Río	7 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II returns with an acceptable proposal that will delight Piranha Bytes fans but without achieving the qualitative leap it needs to attract the general public.	Read review
Impulsegamer	Nathan Misa	4 / 5 stars	03-01-2022	An ambitious sequel with a beautiful content-packed open-world, complex factions, and interesting choices to role-play your way.	Read review
New Game Network	Alex Varankou	60 / 100	02-28-2022	ELEX 2 has a distinctive approach to RPG game design and an engaging story, but while it finally bucks the trend of having technical issues at launch, there’s still much work to be done on the quality of combat and presentation.	Read review
NoobFeed	Kurtis Seid	75 / 100	02-28-2022	ELEX II is completely for the fans of the first game that want more of the same. It doesn’t change enough to impress those that didn’t already love ELEX, nor is it in a good place for first-timers. Still for those returning, ELEX II will offer lots of action and tough choices.	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Timothy Nunes	6.5 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex 2 asks a lot of you and only gives so much in return. The game provides several special concepts and attempts, but the team’s resources limit their potential the entire way. As long as you know what Elex 2 has in store, you might find something there for you.	Read review
Rectify Gaming	Unknown	7 / 10	03-01-2022	Come for the jetpack, and stay for flawed but truly free form classic style of RPG Elex 2 represents.	Read review
Rock, Paper, Shotgun	Caelyn Ellis	Not Recommended	02-28-2022	Elex II is an ambitious and slightly bonkers open world RPG hampered by badly written and unpleasant characters.	Read review
SECTOR.sk	Ján Kordoš	7.5 / 10	02-28-2022	Returning to the apocalyptic fantasy associated with science fiction offers a new threat that the player must face and he constantly die there.	Read review
Sirus Gaming	Srinivas Naidu	3 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II is a mediocre RPG with a boring story and characters which is greatly ruined by its infuriating bugs and horrible mission design. I personally would not recommend the game in its current state.	Read review
SpazioGames	Gianluca Arena	6.8 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II retains both the best qualities and the worst problems of its predecessor, but it’s overall a better game. Still, it’s hard to recommend it without qualms to anyone who hasn’t played a Piranha Bytes rpg before.	Read review
TechRaptor	Rutledge Daugette	7.5 / 10	02-28-2022	Overall, ELEX 2 is solid experience for fans of the series, as well as gamers who enjoy open-worlds with a lot to offer, with only a few areas where the game falls short.	Read review
The Games Machine	Gabriele Barducci	7.3 / 10	02-28-2022	Elex II is your usual Piranha Bytes game. Long, classic in the RPG formula and aesthetically clean, but as always plagued with non optimized combat phases and the trademark issues with anything technical. However, it is still a step forward for the future of the franchise and for Piranha Bytes.	Read review
TrueGaming	Unknown	6.5 / 10	03-01-2022	Elex 2 has provided a good experience with different categories of peoples and their diverse and overlapping disciplines and tasks, but the surface fighting system and technical problems have made it difficult to move to the category of games that are recommended not to be missed.	Read review
Twinfinite	Cameron Waldrop	4 / 5 stars	02-28-2022	The use of the jetpack meant that the map had to have more to it. There could no longer be somewhere players couldn’t/wouldn’t go. This is probably the first game of its kind where I honestly believe I saw at least 90% of the map. ELEX II is one hell of an experience and made swooping around the map to unlock fast travel points and complete the main story feel like an adventure rather than just ticking off boxes. The freedom ELEX II allows through the traversal mechanics is something that I have never encountered before in a game like this but will now always think about going forward.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Thomas Medina	2.5 / 10	02-28-2022	Games like Elex II, where it seems no effort was put in, and no ambition is shown, are simply unacceptable. This is just the tip of the iceberg too, as I didn’t even mention the least fun jetpack ever, immortal and totally uncustomizable companions, and the choppy framerate. I could go on for days, but ultimately it doesn’t matter, because it can all be summed up succinctly. Don’t play this, get something else. Respect your time, respect your wallet, and respect other games that are simply doing it better.	Read review
WellPlayed	Jordan Garcia	3 / 10	03-01-2022	The saying that everything deserves a second chance should not have applied to Elex. Elex II takes so many steps backwards from an already poor game, it’s astounding. Its writing, optimisation, combat, and game systems all stand as a new benchmark on what to not do.	Read review

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About ELEX II

Game Description / Storyline:

Several years after Jax defeated the Hybrid, a new threat arrives from the sky, unleashing the dangerous powers of dark Elex and endangering all life on the planet. In order to defend the peace on Magalan and the safety of his own family, Jax has to go on a mission to convince the factions to unite against the invaders. Dive into a huge, hand-crafted, completely unique world with multiple factions and diverse environments set in a post-apocalyptic science fantasy universe. Explore the vast world of Magalan with your jetpack, and play through the epic story the way you want.

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