Elex

Andy

Andy

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Sep 11, 2013
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Eurojank goodness.




Hype:

Elex, from the makers of Gothic and Risen, might be a disaster

What even is this game?

"I’ve seen it twice now, and I still can’t make heads or tails of it."

[After detailing the complex lore and factions], "But it could just as easily be a series of fetch quests. I have no idea."

"So far, the game demos I’ve experienced have proven to be very uneven. There have been crashes and glitches, including a pretty distracting one related to breast physics. The difficulty curve is also all over the place.

"Bugs aside, the voice acting and the animation of the non-player characters is painfully bad. Likewise, the dialogue system appears to be paper thin."

"My experience so far has not filled me with confidence."

https://www.polygon.com/2017/6/1/15720686/piranha-bytes-elex-e3-preview-gothic-risen
 
From what I've seen, this game looks liked it could be a pile of hot steaming crap. However that didn't stop Two Worlds from selling or getting a sequel that strangely sold well.
 
I feel like getting it, just to see how bad it is. Sometimes if you know a game will stink, you can enjoy it. I enjoyed Two Worlds, in spite or maybe because of how bad it was. That didn't really work for me with Mass Effect, but maybe it would work on this level of crapitude. Although I am also thinking, "No, it will just be a waste of time."

91gV3EmO9%2BL._AC_SL1500_.jpg



I thought it was going to be a $40 game, but no; it's listed as $60 at amazon.
 
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Andy said:
I feel like getting it, just to see how bad it is. Sometimes if you know a game will stink, you can enjoy it. I enjoyed Two Worlds, in spite or maybe because of how bad it was. That didn't really work for me with Mass Effect, but maybe it would work on this level of crapitude. Although I am also thinking, "No, it will just be a waste of time."

91gV3EmO9%2BL._AC_SL1500_.jpg



I thought it was going to be a $40 game, but no; it's listed as $60 at amazon.
Click to expand...
Man, that's some Japanese level of over-design XD
 
Andy said:
Eurojank goodness.




Hype:

Elex, from the makers of Gothic and Risen, might be a disaster

What even is this game?

"I’ve seen it twice now, and I still can’t make heads or tails of it."

[After detailing the complex lore and factions], "But it could just as easily be a series of fetch quests. I have no idea."

"So far, the game demos I’ve experienced have proven to be very uneven. There have been crashes and glitches, including a pretty distracting one related to breast physics. The difficulty curve is also all over the place.

"Bugs aside, the voice acting and the animation of the non-player characters is painfully bad. Likewise, the dialogue system appears to be paper thin."

"My experience so far has not filled me with confidence."

https://www.polygon.com/2017/6/1/15720686/piranha-bytes-elex-e3-preview-gothic-risen
Click to expand...

That is some BAAD voice acting! It seems the budget should be modest enough to afford better than Bob from accounting. Why bother having all these rote fantasy names, if you just speak them with zero inflection to make them seem natural or exotic? I really hate hearing the forced tough-guy voice....
 
This looks like a game I'd pay no more than $40 to play and probably enjoy it for what it is. $60 is a hard sell though.
 
I think they saw decreased sales from Risen and are trying to jump aboard the sci-fi train. Mass Effect meets Risen.

I don't rent games anymore, but if I did, I'd give it a rent and see. I'm curious. I liked Risen 1, but that was back when I wasn't as picky as I am now. I had a lot of tolerance for low-budget RPGs. I couldn't handle Risen 2 a few years later though. It seemed incredibly boring.

I hear they have a team of 27 people.
 
After playing so many bad games on 360/PS3 and going back and playing bad NES games i've realized i take a guilty pleasure in them. So even if it sucks, i might give it a try.
 
Andy You've got to take one for the team. We bit the bullet on Andromeda but at least this one you'll have an inkling going in that its going to be terrible. Ygrin:
 
wshowers said:
Andy You've got to take one for the team. We bit the bullet on Andromeda but at least this one you'll have an inkling going in that its going to be terrible. Ygrin:
Click to expand...

I don't know, man, $60 -- that's a lot to pay for a game I know will be pretty rough. But there is some perverse part of me that wants to do it. Problem is, Frozen Wilds is 3 weeks later, and it's hard to jump from one RPG to another. Maybe I should wait for the GOTY edition.
 
From a German preview video

Negatives

- It pretty much looks bad. Animation is pretty bad, some textures are bland and sometimes you have clipping as shown in the video. They haven't found major or gamebreaking bugs.

- Fighting is bad. As you can see in the Videos, fighting is not really fun. You have a standard combo of 5 in which only the last strike really does damage. At least you have a lot of weapons to choose from.

- Controls are bad.


Positives

- The World. The world is huuuge, bigger than any other PB game and Gothic 3 was pretty huge. It has a lot of variety and is pretty much a mix of cyberpunk and fantasy. Works really really well.

- Quests. The Quests are amazing. Biggest pro Factor of this Game is you have to take decisions. Basically in every quest you have a decision to take. Having a lot of groups, doing a quest in a certain way benefits one but harms another.

This video describes 2 Scenarios:
1. By snitching on a guy and telling the "government" he has a fake ID, then they basically manipulate his thoughts with mind control. By snitching him, you later have the possibility to learn mind control.
2. You have to find a bow and you can decide if you give it to the apprentice ( who gives you money ) or the teacher, who gives you nothing, but lends you a hand later in the game with a big fight. Of course you can win the fight without him, but a lot later in the game thus making the loot less useful.

- The Game is Huge. You can play up to 80 hours in your first playthrough and you have a lot of replay value just by the fact that you take so many decisions that are game changing.

- The Atmosphere is amazing. You can easily "loose yourself" in the game which according to them, hasn't happened in a long time and was also a strong point of the gothic series.
 
Okay, now they're just f*cking with me. German Gamepro said it had "the best RPG-world since Morrowind." Say what now? I know that's not true. I know it's hyperbole from a German magazine, and German sites tend to view PB games more positively. But it's a comment hard to ignore. Morrowind was my favorite RPG, because the world was so interesting to explore.

They also say that if you can get through the first 3 hours of jank, "you‘ll experience one of the best RPGs of the last years." Oh come on. Pull the other one.

Have I lost my mind? I'm actually considering getting this game.

ACG's review comes out Monday. He seems to do pretty good reviews, so I'm looking forward to his take.

I expect the game will average in the mid to upper 60's, maybe 70 if it's lucky. The visuals, combat, movement, and voice acting are just too lousy/janky for it to score any higher, in an age of Witcher, Horizon, etc. But there's something that's calling me here. The lure of the jank. No, j/k, it's stuff like the world, the old-style RPG trappings you don't get anymore, the amount of choice you have in approaching quests, the verticality, and maybe the fun of laughing at the jank. I don't know.
 
Welp, looks like you're taking one for the team. Tell us how it plays out. Me personally, I've been led astray too many times by Piranha Bytes games to even give this a second look without user reviews.
 
wshowers said:
Welp, looks like you're taking one for the team. Tell us how it plays out. Me personally, I've been led astray too many times by Piranha Bytes games to even give this a second look without user reviews.
Click to expand...

There seems to be some adjustment process required to enjoy these games. It goes like this: "I accept that this game was made by Piranha Bytes. All PB games have lousy combat, poor controls, bad animations, and bad dialog. This game will have that, too." The people that make adjustment seem to accept that this is just what you get, with a PB game. They focus on stuff like world exploration and the quests, which they think PB excel at.

I don't think I'm in that camp. I found Risen 2 very dull, and I couldn't get past the first hour of Risen 3. I did like Risen, but that was years ago.

I'm not sold yet. I've got other things to play. It seems ridiculous to spend $60 on a game that I know will be full of jank. I don't know. I'm in a perverse mood. It'll probably pass.
 
Andy said:
There seems to be some adjustment process required to enjoy these games. ....
Click to expand...

Like, here's an example from the GAF thread:

"Terrible generic visuals, iffy framerate, 3 gens ago textures, dodgy voice acting, atrocious combat animations/feel and plenty of jank. I cannot wait."

:laugh:
 
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Andy said:
Eurojank goodness.




Hype:

Elex, from the makers of Gothic and Risen, might be a disaster

What even is this game?

"I’ve seen it twice now, and I still can’t make heads or tails of it."

[After detailing the complex lore and factions], "But it could just as easily be a series of fetch quests. I have no idea."

"So far, the game demos I’ve experienced have proven to be very uneven. There have been crashes and glitches, including a pretty distracting one related to breast physics. The difficulty curve is also all over the place.

"Bugs aside, the voice acting and the animation of the non-player characters is painfully bad. Likewise, the dialogue system appears to be paper thin."

"My experience so far has not filled me with confidence."

https://www.polygon.com/2017/6/1/15720686/piranha-bytes-elex-e3-preview-gothic-risen
Click to expand...

Game looks terrible. You can already tell that by the trailer.... and trailers make the game looks as good as possible.

The setting is weird. It's part sci-fi, part modern day, there's robots, jet packs and dinosaurs. It's like they threw everything into an action RPG and hope it melds together.
 
It's an odd game, that's for sure.
 
wshowers said:
Andy You've got to take one for the team. We bit the bullet on Andromeda but at least this one you'll have an inkling going in that its going to be terrible. Ygrin:
Click to expand...
Ya Andy. You gotta!

During the TXB days I remember ripping Two Worlds as piece of shyt..... "looks like my in-laws"

Were you one the gamers who thought TW was decent?

If yes, then Elex doesn't should be a step up!
 
Intellivision said:
Ya Andy. You gotta!

During the TXB days I remember ripping Two Worlds as piece of shyt..... "looks like my in-laws"

Were you one the gamers who thought TW was decent?

If yes, then Elex doesn't should be a step up!
Click to expand...

Yes, I enjoyed TW! Knowing it would be a piece of s*** going in helped.
 
ACG's review:

"I loved many parts of the game and the open ended quests have to be one of them. I could have done a video just about those. And the world is fantastic to explore. But jezuz the AI even all patched up is insanely bad. Like next level poor and sadly the game pushes companions and their stories. Also some bugs with quests, incredibly horrid voice acting, collision detection, and other little issues.

If you are a PB fan you might be ok with it. But if your a PB fan you are probably in one of 2 groups. Those who buy day one, and those who love later after patches.

For me the issues put me in the latter."



2:35 - good comments about the world

Sounds pretty rough overall, though.
 
Andy said:
Like, here's an example from the GAF thread:

"Terrible generic visuals, iffy framerate, 3 gens ago textures, dodgy voice acting, atrocious combat animations/feel and plenty of jank. I cannot wait."

:laugh:
Click to expand...


Looking at it... they might use that for a box cover quote.
 
Got my copy. Had to drive 20 min x 2 to get it, because the local Gamestop were all pre-orders.

Jank, here I come.

I had buyer's remorse for about two seconds, then just said, "f*ck it."
 
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Andy said:
Got my copy. Had to drive 20 min x 2 to get it, because the local Gamestop were all pre-orders.

Jank, here I come.

I had buyer's remorse for about two seconds, then just said, "f*ck it."
Click to expand...

I KNEW you wouldn't be able to resist the call.
 
2 hrs in, still enjoying it.

World is fun to explore. I keep getting myself killed.
 
Tempted to join you Andy. Honestly this sort of game reminds me of one my favourite games last gen in Sacred 2, it was janky and the voice acting was atrocious and combat was not great but the world was huge, charming and very interesting. This seems in that mold but just a lot of closer up instead of isometric. I think I might try this or another eurojank game because I bloody loved Sacred 2 and nothing has scratched that itch since.
 
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timmy-boy said:
Tempted to join you Andy. Honestly this sort of game reminds me of one my favourite games last gen in Sacred 2, it was janky and the voice acting was atrocious and combat was not great but the world was huge, charming and very interesting. This seems in that mold but just a lot of closer up instead of isometric. I think I might try this or another eurojank game because I bloody loved Sacred 2 and nothing has scratched that itch since.
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I liked Sacred 2, too. Quests were MMO-like; the quests are better here.

Exploration is the main draw.

It's hard for me to know whether to recommend it. It is very janky. It's a huge world made by a small team, and it shows both their ambition and their limitations. I'm still not far enough in to know whether I like it.

If you like anything by Piranha Bytes (e.g., Gothic, Risen), you'd like this one.

Metacritic is 74 on PC, 59 on PS4.
 
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