ELEX review (best rpg ever)

[dfrom975]

First let me say ELEX is not broken…. It's simply hard. It's genius. Smartest RPG I've ever played.

I've been wanting this game since release, Only to be held back by fixing. Come to find out nothing is wrong. I've also held back because of boring beginning, can't fight anything. It's actually exciting



Skyrim quality !!!
It's open world, DO WHAT EVER YOU WANT, quality progression of character, story behind everything, fantastic graphics. Better than meaningful combat, I'll cover that last.


Synapsis to level 7:
You start off with nothing, yes your helpless. You meet a guy named Duras that will lead you to the first town of Berserkers headquarters. Understand, it's one of three factions you can join, later you will have to select a choice, but for now your simply trying to stay alive..... Your plopped in the middle of town with nothing other than eventually talking to the leader.

At first it seems cold, you have no direction. You feel like a wet dog that's been in the rain all night. That's until you start talking to the towns people. Everyone has extremely meaningful stuff to say, complete with lore and often a task for you to do, very engaging and immersive every bit of it. Decide to do his task, walk the town, talk to the main guy... There is no wrong answer (Skyrim).

I was lead to believe the beginning was boring... If you can't fight what's left, a few fetch quest ?.... No No Nooo, it's huge meaningful stuff that builds your reputation and advances you character right from the start ….. Very engaging stuff like criminal activity for you to solve. Or leave town to fight a few bad guys.

Another example that will leave a lasting impression.
For the OutLaws, I met with Rat Man, he told me the shop Keeper wasn't paying her taxes, but she had a huge stash in here basement. I was to sneak in and steal it when she was off guard. Well Rat Man double crossed me and turned me in. I was♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥and went to kill him. He surprisingly talked me out of it, with a deeper plan !.... And Deep it was, I'll not spoil it.... This is what you get in the so called boring beginning.

Sure, your weak as hell. You have almost nothing. You must be tactful in your encounters. Stand their and think first, it helps to bring Duras as a squishy tank to ease the burden..... The combat IS NOT BROAKEN.... You can't button mash. I watched one YouTube that explains the simple problem where people refuse to digest. It's timing, strike and wait, strike and wait, this builds stamina to execute a finisher.... IT'S THAT SIMPLE. It has a DarkSouls feel to it, but not quite so hard. Strike a few times run away or out of arrow range and drink a potion. Shoot a few arrows and re-engage with close combat. Button mashing ?....come on already.

Tips:
Settings>difficulty>close combat focus, set to manual.
Find sunglasses early.

Progression of character:
It's all about molding your character to how you want to play.
ELEX is Genius.... It combines attribute spending with weapon choices, you must spend wisely or you can't equip. spend more points to use better and better stuff.... It's very deep and rewarding. Hard to explain, easy to understand in game, I'll leave it at that.



I was faced with a major question,
Berserkers- Close combat and bows
OutLaws- Guns
Clarics- Plasma weapons
How do I spend attribute and weapon points when I don't know my faction yet ?... After all I don't want to waist precious points until I know my faction.... I asked in steam.... The answer was simple !.... "Visit all Factions early".... Then I realized something outstanding. The first main story had me visiting all three factions.

Revelation !... I was set on a great journey to explore the land and avoid danger. That in it self was an intriguing adventure.

I did several quest for each, then easily decided on Berserker and "I'll equip Bows"... Now I can spend points !
Understand, I haven't joined them yet. I just know my future direction.




Important:
1) ELEX is not broken. I ignored all opinion to decide first hand. What I thought was broken was soon dismissed with practice. EVERYTHING !
2) It's a hard tactful game... More so than any other RPG ever played.
3) IT IS NOT BORING... every YouTube, every review, every walkthrough gives a false impression. Even the great fan's can't generate the real action and fun you will have.

It has to be played to understand !

[nimrock]

Hmmm this video didn`t explain to me how stones thrown by troll could hit me even when during their flight I was able to jump over the troll behind his back using jet pack. R-17 auto tracking stones?

You can make video explaining combat but it doesn`t make it a good or well executed system.

Also melee is just a half of combat. Anyone want to talk about ranged combat?
Enemies simply leaving bunker when they have some cover to chase you everytime you break line of sight? Not being able to go to the ground or take cover or simply crouch? All their "defence tactics" are moving left and right during shooting with very predictable pattern...

[Blue Shark~Vault Boy /CZE/]

And I am not criticizing the game to "hate on it". I want ELEX with a good combat. Because that's something I would buy.

[Bleep Bloop]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย D'amarr from Darshiva:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

PoE is inferior in every aspect that matters. It's biggest flaw is the piss-poor writing which is arguably the most important aspect of a cRPG.

What would be an example of superior writing in BG1? And as a plus, what do you find superior with regard to the story of Jon Irenicus in BG2?

The writing in the BG series is not outstanding to the point where you can demonstrate its value with isolated examples. It simply is satisfying and efficient overall from start to finish. It shines by not having flaws.

On the other hand PoE's writing feels uninspired and has eyebleeding flaws all over the place and this coming from a non-native English speaker.

As for the story, it's apples to oranges. I dont think BG2 should be compared since it acts as a sequel while PoE is a new journey. BG2 would win by default for having a stronger background.

[Capron Denim]

Synopsis, not synapsis

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Hmmm this video didn`t explain to me how stones thrown by troll could hit me even when during their flight I was able to jump over the troll behind his back using jet pack. R-17 auto tracking stones?

Cannot reproduce that. Is it something that has been fixed in Oct 2017 maybe? I've replayed the game recently while waiting for Deadfire Forgotten Sanctum and have fought a multitude of trolls as well as other opponents that used ranged weapons.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1589321600

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

You can make video explaining combat but it doesn`t make it a good or well executed system.

It works well, can be handled by gamers and doesn't require unnatural high skills. What better and more well-executed system would you design?

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Also melee is just a half of combat. Anyone want to talk about ranged combat?

There are similar videos for ranged combat and faction abilities, too.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Enemies simply leaving bunker when they have some cover to chase you everytime you break line of sight? Not being able to go to the ground or take cover or simply crouch? All their "defence tactics" are moving left and right during shooting with very predictable pattern...

Games are made playable with AI behavior like that. If they stayed inside, it would be "Game Over" for you, since they would pick you off easily. Similarly, if the game featured snipers.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

The writing in the BG series is not outstanding to the point where you can demonstrate its value with isolated examples. It simply is satisfying and efficient overall from start to finish.

Free your mind. You should revisit it eventually and take a fresh look at the entire series. There isn't even much "writing" in BG to begin with. Do you even remember the plot in BG1. Or the poor reception of the short Tales of the Sword Coast expansion that has been squeezed into the base game's enhanced edition later?

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

As for the story, it's apples to oranges. I dont think BG2 should be compared since it acts as a sequel while PoE is a new journey. BG2 would win by default for having a stronger background.

It "would win by default"? Hilarious. PoE 2 is a sequel too. The White March 1+2 are two fine expansions for PoE 1.

[nimrock]

Hahahaha... Perfectly reasonable defence of zero Ai.
"If they would be smarter you would be dead". Somehow in many shooters bots enemies can take cover, use snipers, even heavy weapons and you can fight them without instant "game over".

[Bleep Bloop]

"Free your mind. You should revisit it eventually and take a fresh look at the entire series. There isn't even much "writing" in BG to begin with."

I am currently playing BG2 so my memories are fresh as they can be. I never said BG had quantities of writing, I said it had quality. Though you can hardly say that the quantity feels lacking either.

"Do you even remember the plot in BG1."

Yes and it was outstanding.

"Or the poor reception of the short Tales of the Sword Coast expansion that has been squeezed into the base game's enhanced edition later?"

I have played the game at least 10 years after it came out so I am not aware of it's reception. I did enjoy the expension though, aside from the frustratingly narrow corridors of the secret fortress.

"It "would win by default"? Hilarious. PoE 2 is a sequel too."

I was comparing PoE 1, not the entire series.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

I am currently playing BG2 so my memories are fresh as they can be. I never said BG had quantities of writing, I said it had quality.

Give some examples. Come on, I've mentioned some good features of BG2. Why are your hands empty?

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

"Do you even remember the plot in BG1."

Yes and it was outstanding.

Ouch.

[Bleep Bloop]

Didn't I just say that the quality of the writing can NOT be demonstrated by isolated examples?

If you've played the series you should be aware of that.

[Jazman2k]

Best RPG maybe for you. For me? No. There are better RPG games out there. Fanboys like to give 10/10 to every game they like since they cannot see the flaws of the games objectively.

That is why I don't read any user reviews anymore. "OMG GR8T3ST G4M3 EVAR!!! 10/10!!"

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Somehow in many shooters bots enemies can take cover, use snipers, even heavy weapons and you can fight them without instant "game over".

How would you fight them, if you are alone and they are in the majority? It seems you are playing solo shooters that have been dumbed down in some ways, too, as to make them playable by gamers.

As another example, everyone who discovers the red "glowing" land mines in ELEX, realizes that it is a gameplay element that has been balanced as to make the game playable. It would be a trivial job for the devs to hide the mines and make the game almost unplayable.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

Didn't I just say that the quality of the writing can NOT be demonstrated by isolated examples?

If you've played the series you should be aware of that.

BG features a lot of poor writing, nonsensical filler quests and plot holes. That drags down the overall quality rating. In BG1, the original companions are mostly passive and don't feature anything like substantial personal quests and no romances either. For example, you must fetch a magical book for Safana, and then she is done with her content. Absolutely done. Over and out. All that remains of her is a passive thief companion with a single special ability. She doesn't add any worthwhile content, such as seducing stupid guards, so that the party can slip through a backdoor. She doesn't even suggest places where to make loot. What do the other companions (not those from the EE!) add? Not even banter except those silly and immersion-breaking one-line shouts when you click them. In BG2, individual good bits, such as some of the brief companion quests (Anomen, Keldorn, Viconia) or the humor added by Jan Jansen, cannot compensate the non-spectacular content.

Really don't make me bash the BG series. They are nice games (btw, I also liked SOD), because it's a rather complete entertainment package with good replayability - but the series isn't flawless and inferior to PoE in many aspects. PoE, on the other hand, isn't perfect either and isn't superior in all aspects.

[Bleep Bloop]

"BG features a lot of poor writing"

Prove it, give examples.

"nonsensical filler quests and plot holes"

BG's plot is too simple to possibly have a plot hole, you're just making up arguments here. These 'nonsensical filler quests' are called proper side content, they are a plus.

"In BG1, the original companions are mostly passive and don't feature anything like substantial personal quests and no romances either"

Some of them do have personal quests, like Minsc. They also have interesting backgrounds and personalities. Anyway BG is a game centered on the protagonist's journey so the companions perfectly fulfill their purpose. Who the ♥♥♥♥ cares about romances in cRPGs except weirdos anyway? If anything the lack of romance is a major plus.

"What do the other companions (not those from the EE!) add? Not even banter"

Im at chapter 2 and I see plenty of banter. Companions keep interrupting what I do to argue with each other for several lines of dialogue.

"Really don't make me bash the BG series"

Bash it all you want, it can stand on its merits. It shines regardless of whatever flaw you might find in it. BG is superior in every aspect that matters for the genre.

PoE on the other hand remains inferior in every aspect that matters. The extra banter and interactions you might find in companions are worthless when they are built on a broken foundation that is unrevised writing and uninsprired story telling.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

"BG features a lot of poor writing, nonsensical filler quests and plot holes."

Prove it.

Nice try. First you refuse to give examples, then you want me to prove something? You would first need to take off your nostalgia glasses. Given the primary target group of the original games, there is a lot of crap in BG1: Melicamp the talking chicken, Narcillicus Harwilliger Neen, Hentold, Rufie, Vax & Zal, Larry/Darryl/Darryl, Arkushule palm reader, Pallonia, Ted, Werewold Island, sick Samuel, Prism sculptor & Greywolf, Bassilus the murderer, Marek & Lothander, Lushley, Mr.Shade, ...

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

Some of them do have personal quests, like Minsc.

Rescue Dynaheir, or I'll attack you like a mad man and be slain. You've just given an example of poor writing. Thankfully, Minsc is better in SOD and BG2.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Bleep Bloop:

They also have interesting backgrounds and personalities.

Not in BG1. Jaheira & Khalid, for example, are introduced as Gorion's friends. They want you to rush to Nashkel, and they are unfriendly enough as to complain and leave you eventually, if you waste time elsewhere. Once you reach Nashkel, they do what? Their content is done. Poor writing.

[nimrock]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย D'amarr from Darshiva:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Somehow in many shooters bots enemies can take cover, use snipers, even heavy weapons and you can fight them without instant "game over".

How would you fight them, if you are alone and they are in the majority? It seems you are playing solo shooters that have been dumbed down in some ways, too, as to make them playable by gamers.
/quote]
You know what... I know you consider Elex poor combat system awesome but at least stop suggesting I am playing dumbed down shooters.

Damn stupid enemies can`t even crouch!!! Couse PB tried to make something they clearly have no funds for to gave them knee joints! In Farcry you can fight 10-15 men enemies squads all alone (or with bot guns for hire) and try to imagine... they crouch, they go from cover to cover, they sometimes decide for open assault but sometimes, they even can mount to vehicles to ram you down or man heavy machine gun nest. If you hide in closed areas they will grenade you to death. Elex game have no cover system like Division or Mass effect. In most shooters when you goes out of cover you are walking meat and no... walking right and left will not help you much.
Go play some good single player shooters like those I mentioned or Crysis 1/2/3 and you will not be asking stupid question "how would you fight them if you are alone and they are in majority?"
Even forming the question like this clearly shows you have zero idea about shooter games.

Ahh and combat should be challenging. I killed Elex main boss in courple seconds, before even he could summon reinforcements with rapid firing plasma gun. No needed anything... just stood and shoot.
Like I said. You have simplest more stupid excuse I ever heard for bad Ai and lazy combat design: if enemies were smarter you would auto-loose.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

You know what... I know you consider Elex poor combat system awesome

Not my words, not my words. Just refrain from putting words into my mouth.

What I consider "awesome" is the overall entertainment factor of the game.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

but at least stop suggesting I am playing dumbed down shooters.

You do according to your own post.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Ahh and combat should be challenging. I killed Elex main boss in courple seconds, before even he could summon reinforcements with rapid firing plasma gun. No needed anything... just stood and shoot.

You get what you asked for, if you went in there overpowered, probably after gulping tons of Elex potions. You could have chosen to level up less, drink less Elex and go in there much earlier.

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย nimrock:

Like I said. You have simplest more stupid excuse I ever heard for bad Ai and lazy combat design: if enemies were smarter you would auto-loose.

It is the unwelcome truth for you. Face it. Shooter developers deliberately cripple the AI behavior of your opponents as to make the games playable.