"Elex": a new "Gothic" or rather "Fallout" paired with "Skyrim"?
20.10.2017
Translation: machine translated
"Gothic", the first work by Piranha Bytes, has a very special meaning for me. The surprise hit with a dubious reputation won over numerous gamers in 2001 with its rough charm. Can a modern game in 2017 still evoke the same emotions?
I still remember exactly how I played Gothic for the first time in 2001. Two of my five summer holiday weeks were spent on it. My friends didn't think it was so great. But I had a great time. Due to the limited resources available at the time, the four-person core team at Piranha Bytes was forced to create a role-playing game with a relatively small but densely packed world. And it was precisely this densely packed world that made Gothic so unique at the time. Spiced up with a language that sounds less like fantasy and more like a pub, my sympathies were aroused.
"Elex" tries to build on the success of "Gothic" after the miserable failure of "Gothic 3" and a rather lukewarm "Risen" trilogy. Honestly, my article is probably not objective at all, but my "Gothic feeling" is back.
A colourful mix of "Gothic", "Fallout" and "Horizon Zero Dawn"
The developer Piranha Bytes calls the genre of "Elex" science-fantasy. To me, it feels like a mix of "Gothic", "Fallout" and "Horizon: Zero Dawn". That's not a bad thing, because all of these games are very popular with me. The pure fantasy setting of "Gothic" is now rather worn out. In contrast, the end-time atmosphere paired with the familiar fantasy feels fresh. And I can assure you - everything really does go hand in hand! Horizon: Zero Dawn" has already proven that you can also shoot robots with arrows. In contrast to the latter, however, the enemy selection is more like 50 per cent animal, 30 per cent human and 20 per cent robot.
The "Gothic feeling", also known as the "Ruhrpott charm"
The language in "Elex" is rather rough and packed with sarcastic and cynical comments. This doesn't suit everyone, but sayings like "If you want a drink, ask the bartender. If you want to shag freely, find a jackal" are simply refreshingly different. It is often up to the player whether they want to counterattack or simply obtain information in a straightforward manner. However, laughs are inevitable with counterattacks.
The hero has a name with a past
In contrast to "Gothic" and "Risen", the hero in "Elex" even has a name. He is not often mentioned, but his story makes perfect sense. Another novelty is that the background story is told with flashbacks, which are played at predefined key moments. As we know from the other Piranha Bytes games, however, the hero starts again weakened and without equipment.
Berserker, cleric or outlaw?
As in "Gothic", you don't choose a character class for your hero at the beginning. You gain experience points through battles or quests, which increase your level. Each time you level up, learning points are distributed, which you can exchange for skills from a teacher. Only in the course of the game (20 hours for me) do you decide on a faction, which then also defines the hero's class. Berserkers are more in line with the typical fantasy setting. Clerics, on the other hand, are fanatical monks who pay homage to their modern god with technology. Outlaws are an anarchist bunch who will take anything they can get their hands on and Albs are emotionless cyborgs and therefore the perfect killing machines.
Graphic from yesterday
The graphics are unlikely to win any awards, but in my view they are absolutely fit for purpose. What it lacks in pure texture and model quality, it makes up for in charm and attention to detail. Be it the ruins from "prehistoric times", tin huts in the desert or the high-tech castles in the snowy landscape. As in "Gothic", "Elex" also works a lot in the vertical plane.
Conclusion: Lots of charm, varied and harmonious
I admit, my review is certainly anything but objective. My expectations were not too high, as I have been rather disappointed by Piranha Bytes in the past. What's more, I've played many high-calibre games since "Gothic", such as "Witcher 3", "Fallout 4", "Horizon: Zero Dawn" and "Zelda: Breath of the Wild". Nevertheless, "Elex" holds a very special place in my heart, as it definitely hit my gothic nerve.
Roy Sonderegger
Category Sourcing Manager
roy.sonderegger@digitecgalaxus.chI came into contact with the gaming world early on. Growing up with Gameboy, SNES and Star Wars tapes, Luke, Link and Ark (I still lose my senses from them... #insiderjoke) were my heroes. Later I was influenced by more "western" titles like Baldur's Gate or Gothic, until I finally discovered Halo and Call of Duty. The Duron 700 MHz CPU was given to me as a birthday present, until I wasted it due to lack of knowledge and overclock craze. Meanwhile I have also played on some small to very big stages in Switzerland, because I discovered a second big passion with music.