ELEX - Piranha Bytes new RPG

[Prey]

Elex is new open world RPG from Piranha Bytes and Nordic Games series of games...

ELEX is a handcrafted action role-playing experience from the award-winning creators of the Gothic series, set in a brand new post-apocalyptic Science Fantasy universe that puts players into a huge seamless game world full of original characters, mutated creatures, deep moral choices and powerful action.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/411300

Scheduled for release in 2017.

[DjchunKfunK]

Game is out and Eurogamer have a review up.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017- ... lex-review

Sounds very much like a Piranha Bytes game, so you should know whether that is something you will like or not.

[Sly Boots]

Yeah. After playing all the Gothic games - even the shit ones - and the first Risen, I've kind of grown a bit bored of their thing. Didn't buy Risen 2, and although I did get Risen 3 for a couple of quid in the last Steam sale, I've not really put any time into it as yet.

As for Elex, I may end up getting it on the cheap out of curiosity for the setting, but reading some of the user reviews on Steam I doubt that will be anytime soon.

[Paul]

I loved the first two Gothic games back in the day, so I wouldn't mind trying this out at some point. I doubt I'll get around to it any time soon, though.

[Sly Boots]

John Walker tears it a new one for its opening hour:

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/1 ... irst-hour/

[DjchunKfunK]

You lost me at John Walker.

[Sly Boots]

It's not really a question of his usual triggers, the game just sounds like a bit of a hot mess functionally.

[DjchunKfunK]

I had a quick skim of the article and some of the stuff he brings up is him being rather picky.

[Sly Boots]

I had a quick skim of the article and some of the stuff he brings up is him being rather picky.

Fair enough. Stuff like poor writing and voice acting can really hamper your (or I should say my) enjoyment of an RPG, though, Gothic 4 was like that (I know it wasn't them but just using it as an example), there were a few characters that made your eardrums bleed every time they spoke. It wasn't the main reason that game was a bit poor, but it didn't help.

Have been skimming the Steam reviews for a few days since it came out, lots saying the combat mechanics are awful even for a PB game, which would be another worry.

It's a shame PB haven't ever really pushed on as a developer, they released janky but kinda fun despite themselves games over a decade ago, and they're still doing the same now. If you look at the difference between what CDPR (as one example) went from with Witcher 1 all the way through to Witcher 3, it's disappointing that PB's delivery still hasn't managed to match their ambition.

[DjchunKfunK]

Without an increase in budget their games are always going to remain slightly janky and lacking polish unfortunately.

Regarding the CDProjekt comparison I think they started from a higher point, the first Witcher game was already a very solid product and sold really well, they also had GOG bringing in money so they were able to get a bigger budget for Witcher 2. PB have had to plod along with their smaller market share and probably to be fair a less talented team and smaller budget.

[Wrathbone]

I'm teetering on buying this, as I have a soft spot for PB's style of enthusiastic but broken RPGs. Gothic 3 had some genuinely excellent ideas like the revolution system (to my mind, that hasn't been bettered in an RPG to date), but it was also a huge mess of a game. A lot of the quests had some great ingenuity behind them with just enough clarity missing to make them infuriating at times. I still play it every now and then.

Mario's out on Friday so the sensible option would be to give Elex a week or two, but I may just buy it tonight.