Everyone, E3 has finally arrived. THQ Nordic made the long-awaited announcement today, introducing the long-awaited sequel to a large, ambitious open-world RPG.
That’s right. It’s time for Elex 2.
Elex 2’s launch trailer, which was revealed earlier today, maybe the most videogame-assassin videogame trailer I’ve seen in a minute. You’ve got furious, stubbled men gurning over heavy metal tunes, shooting purple swords and fireballs at a swarm of snarling, faceless creatures. It’s corny as heck, and to be honest? It’s kind of my thing.
The game’s Steam page is far less dramatic, with serene pictures of a sci-fi/fantasy world filled with beautiful cities and lovely forests. It’s been a few years since the last game’s events, and protagonist character Jax must unify the world’s tribes to repel an invading alien force—except this time, he’s got a jetpack.
In his Elex review, Jon Bolding described the original game as a “strange, imperfect RPG we don’t get anymore,” and perhaps with good reason. While the game was highly attractive and ambitious, it never really came together, resulting in an altogether serviceable experience.
“Elex’s problems aren’t so many problems as they are how it falls short of its goals. Its environment and graphic design are excellent, and it’s a game with a broad reach and an eclectic vision—entertaining it’s for the patient—but it ultimately leaves much of the game undeveloped.”
Let’s hope that this time, developer Piranha Bytes is able to pull everything together in a more unified package. That trailer alone is deserving.
