ELEX II is The Sequel to an Underappreciated IP Coming This Spring
Elex II will be the follow-up to the underappreciated Elex from developer Piranha Bytes. The original was set in a strange fantastical wasteland called Magalan in which players will be making a return. This time, Jax will be leading the free people against a new foe called the Skyands. These beings have the power to manipulate the Elex and convert it into dark energy that can decimate all life on the planet. Jax must now bring together all the various factions around Magalan and find a way to bring down this threat once and for all. On top of that, Jax’s son, Dex, has also gone missing in the turmoil, and he also must find out where he is. Tackle this adventure any way you want with a jetpack and explore this peculiar world forged by the mind of the developers. The first game has kind of slipped under the radar for many RPG lovers out there and Elex provides a level of freedom unparalleled to many titles. Elex II will bring back that freedom with enhanced visuals and deeper gameplay, of course.
The jetpack element in Elex II will allow players to traverse the map in a number of creative ways. Mainly, the flying aspect is enough to give this open-world adventure a sense of freshness to it. Almost like the way Anthem did in the very beginning during its launch. Thusly, the entire world of Magalan is an organic entity that reacts in accordance with how gamers play. Essential NPCs will choose whether or not to join Jax’s cause based on his past choices. Additionally, there is even a ‘permadeath’ aspect to characters that can morph the path of the story. Players will need to carefully consider all the possible routes to take during their adventure to obtain the best ending possible. It’s a balancing act, for sure and Elex II will be one of those few games that might pull off what it is promising.
Mad Magalan
Even if Elex II is basically a post-apocalyptic tale with fantastical elements, there is no doubt that it comes with lore that almost reaches the same peak as The Witcher. The first game was definitely “dialogue-heavy” and hopefully the next installment will focus more on environmental narrative to break up the exposition. Elex garnered generally some mixed reviews back when it was released in 2017, yet it has a solid enough fan base to warrant a sequel. Based on what the trailer entailed, everything from the original is getting a complete overhaul. Elex had its share of flaws, sure. However, it also came with some interesting ideas on its own that made the game addicting. Naturally, the core gameplay elements will be making a return. This is especially true with the customization and various ways how to do combat.
Elex II will have a more modern and robust combat system this time around. There will be a dodge feature where Jax can avoid attacks from various angles. Also, he will also be able to bait enemies to walk into traps and ambushes. Of course, the options of using magic and ranged weapons will also be making a comeback. The melee mechanics will also be more in-depth with more added layers on what weapons to use on the fly. The developers are aiming for the overall combat mechanics to be less stagnant and have more of a “free-flow” dynamic to them. A solid visual representation of how this will work is clearly on the most recent trailer, even though it’s a cinematic one. There will be, hopefully, a more focused and smooth feel with fighting on Elex II that will help give it a more updated vibe as opposed to its predecessor.
Bleeding Over
Given that Elex has multiple endings, how is the story implemented into Elex II since there are so many outcomes from the previous adventure? The developers actually did some analytics on this and found out that there was actually a particular ending chosen by ninety percent of the player base. Therefore, that ending is considered “canon” within the world of Elex. Romances will still be a factor and there will be even more characters for Jax to build a relationship with. Much like Mass Effect, players will be able to mold their own adventure and use the world as their own personal sandbox. Elex has its charms for sure and perhaps its ambitions were a little too big for its first go around. The developers grew and evolved since then and they now have a better grasp on how to make Magalan one of the most immersive worlds out there.
The map of Elex II will be fully open and explorable. There won’t be any restrictions, per se. Rather, there will be particular regions where they will have higher Tier enemies, naturally. Enemy and boss encounters are organically interwoven into the system to where Jax can run into them at any time. So, if players come across a boss that seems to be overpowered, they can simply retreat and return to fight another time. There aren’t really “arena” battles with it comes to fighting bosses. They can be out in the open fields, villages, or anywhere else. They have their own routines and players will be posed to accidentally run into them at any time. The map will be vast and rich with things to do, much like what the first game had.
Fantasy Mix
Elex II is a strange mixture of a handful of genres rolled into one. The first installment may have been hit or miss for many gamers out there, but the developers are taking another stab at this world. They knew that there was potential and the world of Magalan is worth re-visiting. Elex II is due to come out on March 1st and there is more and more buzz surrounding this title. Hopefully, the developers will hit all of their goals with this next installment to make this IP shine. Elex II will be available for the PlayStation, Xbox, and PC upon launch.
