His Majesty
Banned
Me neither, I'm going for a 1/10. At least AJ is consistent in his hatred of anything PB related haha.
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Elex |OT| Gothic 5: Risen From Jank
- Thread starter Moff
- Start date
Me neither, I'm going for a 1/10. At least AJ is consistent in his hatred of anything PB related haha.
You know, I was just thinking about this. It's interesting to me that Elex doesn't have an encumbrance system yet the economy seems to be very balanced. I'm well into the game and there are still so many things that I could spend my money on. I imagine it has to do with the fact that the more expensive items like weapons and armor are finite and hand placed and the strongest enemies do not respawn so a person cannot break the economy too easily.
MosquitoSmasher
Member
Joe is going to run this game into the ground in his review. I remember his reaction to Risen 3 and its combat system. It would surprise me if he actually likes it. Personally I find it a good thing that you can die so much in the beginning, it makes sense too. Why should only weak enemies be roaming around the game world? Challenge is good. I've always dug this about PB games.
I didn't play Risen 3 but what did the patch actually do? Speaking of which, I'd rather have them bringing a patch for One X asap. Really want to see what they can do for this game.
Moff
Member
Sure, but I think metacritic is still fairly important.
I definitely feel sorry for Piranha Bytes by now.
Risen 2 was bad, but they improved it immensely with Risen 3, and it got worse reviews. Now with Elex they make one of their very best games, Elex is basically what Gothic 3 was supposed to be, and it gets even worse reviews. I really hope word or mouth will at least give them some financial success.
Maybe they really should add a story mode with scaling enemies or something like that. I really hope they don't ruin the games balance because of those reviews.
I'm not using a DS4, but it is working flawlessly with a DS3.
The game really has its grips in me now. I just stumbled around at night, avoiding large enemies that surely kill me in one hit and found a random shipwreck on a beach. Nothing special, but the mist, lighting and music made this a special moment for me. Its been ages that i had so much fun exploring a gameworld.
MosquitoSmasher
Member
Risen 3 was actually better than 2? Well damn, I actually had quite a bit of fun with 2 on 360. I can't speak for the reviewers but I have tons more fun with a game like this compared to Dragen Age Inquisition or Mass Effect Andromeda.
I understand complaints about some mechanics having aged badly, although for me it's really fine so far but why the insanely low ratings? It just seems overly extreme to me and not deserving at all. If IGN and GameSpot are constantly dying because they keep encountering stronger enemies maybe it's time they just follow the story some more, become stronger, find better armor and weapons. I wouldn't even call it a con but more a pro.
But I think by now PB is used to this and yet they keep making these huge games. They have a loyal fan base and it probably is enough for them. At least I hope so because I want to see PB stay around.
Yeah, hopefully word of mouth is doing good things for them despite some reviewers giving it a beating. Game has problems and I'm sure I'll find more as I go along but on a 4/10 level, I just can't see it.
This is easily the best thing I've played from them. Really want to see this become a success for PB, they took their jank up a notch.
boredJonathan
Member
Well it is 5th on Steam's global top sellers list, and like 12th on the US based Top Sellers. I don't think it's doing too bad. At least I hope it's not.
Semi offtopic:
Never finished Risen 3 caus the split islands made it feel way too easy at the start of each island, because they had to account for the player doing them in any order.
Now i found this
https://www.nexusmods.com/risen3/mods/6/?
Anyone with experience on a modded Risen 3? Might go back after Elex if its any good
Never finished Risen 3 caus the split islands made it feel way too easy at the start of each island, because they had to account for the player doing them in any order.
Now i found this
https://www.nexusmods.com/risen3/mods/6/?
Anyone with experience on a modded Risen 3? Might go back after Elex if its any good
Corleth the Fey
Member
I actually quite like Joe and his crew and if he feels he needs to review Elex and take a shit on it - well if that how he feels about the game then fair-play to him. We have to let critic's have their say, whether we agree with them or not. To be honest - I don't see him reviewing it as he doesn't seem to have the time any more to review everything. What with his movie and TV reviews too. We might get a Quick Look type of affair from him at best.
As for critics hating on Elex - well not all reviewers. The Eurogamer review was very well written and balanced, as was Karak's ACG review. Even Giantbomb's quick look was fair too - they certainly noticed the strong parts of Elex and commented on them. Even though Elex was trying it's best to put them off by bugging the hell out!
I kinda feel that Elex is doing okay and that it will be enough of a success for PB. They are only a small team and they do have their own engine - I don't expect Elex cost mega bucks. They've kept going for this long with their games coasting. I expect they budgeted for that.
Elex is a strange, but beautiful beast. Backwards, but very much looking forward at the same time. No one make games like PB. The mainstream reviewers only see the old fashioned combat mechanics and jank that most games had once upon a time. They completely miss the beautifully constructed worlds and systems that no other games have even got close to. The jank may have been eradicated from modern game productions, but in the effort to control it - the soul and life is squeezed out of the rest of it.
LCKellow1994
Neo Member
I love how there are so many solutions to quests.
When looking for Kral, suspected of stealing elex from the mana shrine, I spoke to him and felt bad that his brother had mutated. I decided to let him keep the elex, but upon returning found I could betray him. I like that I could kill him, convince him, buy the elex, let him go and spare/betray him. ]
MosquitoSmasher
Member
Well said man and true. Karak was very fair and Eurogamer did a good job too. I might check out GB about it as well. It's good to see that some of these reviewers do get it and while they cover the bad stuff they also praise the good stuff.
I've never been a big fan of giving a number in reviews, but a 4 is just crazy. At least give it a 6.5 or a 7. A 4 is what I'd consider just a damn bad game. It really isn't.
I've never been a big fan of giving a number in reviews, but a 4 is just crazy. At least give it a 6.5 or a 7. A 4 is what I'd consider just a damn bad game. It really isn't.
For 30 dollars I would easily give it a 6 or 7 thats a ymmv pricepoint. For 60 dollars on consoles 4 is fair. Its easy for PB fans to look past the shortcomings because they know how rich and deep the world can be yet their expectations are lowered for things that a lot of gamers expect from a game that price.
So about 8 hours in i found a building and as i entered there was a green mist and my life drained fast and i died - what is this and is there a skill i can learn to prevent it? i managed to get a badass sounding sword down there but i saw lots of other things lying around and want it all!!
There's anti-toxin you can take which reduces the damage taken from poison. It should be some lying around in the building if it's the same I went into. After that I just ran back and forth taking some stuff a little bit at the time. Just heal between runs. There's some good stuff in there.
texhnolyze
Banned
It's actually doing better than The Evil Within 2.
According to Steamspy Elex has 54k owners so far in 3 days, while Evil Within 2 had 34k at the same duration. The latter is now sitting at 74k owners after more than a week.
Im lv 14 and I still dont have armor above the ones you can buy. I think I was lv 9 before I started to feel like I was actually progressing my character lol. I would advise everyone to focus on STR, DEX and CON first, even if you plan to go magic user or w/e later on and require a lot of INT. You will always need a decent melee weapon and you need the stats req fulfilled if you dont wanna run around with the starter axe more than half of the game.
Humdinger
Gold Member
That was a good read. I especially like the way he described Elex's early game:
"You will die a lot."
"It becomes a very enjoyable ride where every gain (a non-runt creature killed, new pants found, new recipe acquired, new level gained) is a small but meaningful victory in a very cruel and indifferent world.
"Skyrim it's not. Forget about killing dragons. The only bird you can kill at this point is a mutated chicken (which will f*** you up faster than you can say Dovahkiin if you aren't quick enough), so if you like challenging combat and slow progression, this game is for you."
D
Deleted member 471617
Unconfirmed Member
I actually like scored reviews but the problem is that there's no consistency plus to be perfectly honest, I don't even think that the majority of reviewers finish the game's story campaign plus never tell you what difficulty they played on, HUD options, etc.
As for me, I have my own personal 0-10 rating scale. A 4/10 on my scale is below average. I have played and completed a few 6/10 games this generation which I put as above average. A 7 is good, 8 is great, 9 is excellent and 10 is a classic. I score games in half point increments so some games can get a 7.5/8.5/etc. and those are usually for the games that I think is better than the lower whole number but not at the level to hit the higher whole number.
As for Elex, if I end up playing it, it won't be until next year. The main reason games like Elex, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 and so many others get bad reviews and scores is because there's always better games to play and at $60, do you really want to spend that on what will be an average or so game?
I enjoyed my 68 hours in SGW3 but personally scored it a 6.5/10 as it's slightly better than above average but not good enough to hit a 7/10. If I could go back and skip the game completely, I would.
Plus with Elex, it's out at a bad time. TEW2, Shadow of War (which I eliminated off my list for reasons that have nothing to do with the micro-transactions) South Park 2, Wolf 2, SMO and ACO are simply just better overall games. So when you have a high quality amount of games in a short period of time being released and you come across an average/above average game for $60, which one are going to choose?
When you have The Witcher 3's, Horizon's and Bloodbornes of the gaming world available to you, why would you play a clearly inferior game? This is how I think reviewers look at it because I think that a lot of gamers (including myself) look at it this way too.
I also look at a game like Elex in the same way I now look at SGW3. Why create such a massive open world (or three maps as is the case in SGW3)? Why not condense it (or make it only one map) and work on other aspects of the game that need the most work?
I'm still keeping an eye on Elex come Black Friday and beyond depending on the price tag but at the same time, as much as im keeping an eye on it, I can just as easily take my eyes off of it due to other games that are just simply better overall.
I'm not sure what faction you're working with but explore around a bit more, there's likely armor that is available to you that you may not be aware of. Still, armor upgrades are quite slow going but they are significant and meaningful when you get them.
Assassins Creed Origins isn't even out yet, how in the world can you say its a better game? You haven't even played Elex, how can you possibly pretend to make grand sweeping statements about these games you've never played. LOL
Shadow of War is clearly inferior to Elex to me. I enjoyed it for a time but the constant respawning enemies, the atrocious story, the complete mockery of Tolkien lore, it's not even close. Shadow of War is one of the most monotonous games I've played and combine that with disgusting loot crate BS and it's an easy win for Elex.
A lot of those games you list have better presentation values, that does not = better game. Elex does things that none of those games do, it provides an experience that is different it provides one of the best open worlds on the market with cities that feel lived in, beautiful environments, choice and consequence that actually changes the game in a way that none of the games you've listed that I've played managed to accomplish. Witcher 3 has very good choice and consequence but Elex takes it a lot further.
texhnolyze
Banned
But better is completely objective. In all of the games you mentioned, none has better RPG and progression system than Elex. There are things that Elex do better than most RPGs out there. The problem with these reviews are, they did't acknowledge them and only focused on polish and production value. I played Shadow of War for more than 30 hours, but I more enjoyed the 4 hours I've spent in Elex. Immensely. SoW is like most AAA games out there, big but shallow. Elex is the total opposite of that.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
So apparently the patch was released on GOG but not Steam? Sigh...
This genuinely made me laugh as I didn't enjoy Horizon very much at all, so much so I ended up giving up on it and trading it in. I'm actually enjoying Elex far far more so different strokes and all that.
Moff
Member
No. Gog finally got the day 1 patch.
I'm making some good progress. I can actually kill things now with my Strength up to 30 and with Duras having my back. I was able to finish quite a few quests now.
The way it's going I'll have the Attribute skill by level 13. Not ideal but whatever.
Minor annoyance: Whenever I start the game the video settings reset to 24 FPS lock and I have no idea why.
The way it's going I'll have the Attribute skill by level 13. Not ideal but whatever.
Minor annoyance: Whenever I start the game the video settings reset to 24 FPS lock and I have no idea why.
JustSomeone
Member
Because it's not "clearly inferior" in everyone's eyes?
The narrative that there is some common consensus that dictates which games are "good" and which are just "average""bad" needs to die.
Personally I'm more interested in Elex than any other game coming out this month, no matter how many 4's it gets or how many 10's SMO gets.
Of course,it may end up as average game in my eyes,but it's not "clearly inferior" at all.
you wanted to say subjective I guess
Sentenza
Gold Member
Yep.
An old problem with the gaming press, by the way.
Which I guess is the reason I always get weird looks or baffled reactions when I say that, all things considered, I typically enjoyed my time with even the worst Piranha Bytes games far more than my time spent playing "classics" like Oblivion or Skyrim.
And that's despise being very critical of what PB keeps getting wrong.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
Oh really? ok. It's still blowing my mind why PB made some very questionable design decisions like not showing any numbers for stats. How did they leave out such a critical thing is beyond me...
Confidence Man
Member
Am I dumb or is there no way to see how much HP or stamina you actually have? Or experience for that matter? Not sure if the skill that gives extra HP on level-up is worth it or not since there doesn't seem to be any way to tell how much extra you get.
Stiler
Member
Sigh, yet another western review site that slams the game because it's "too hard" and combat is too tough,
https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/el...20a5&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
I mean, I can understand a few points off for bugs and other things, but it seems like IGN/Gamespot and such are slamming the game because it's an rpg and you can't go out and one-hit everything at level one...
https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/el...20a5&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
I mean, I can understand a few points off for bugs and other things, but it seems like IGN/Gamespot and such are slamming the game because it's an rpg and you can't go out and one-hit everything at level one...
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
You're not dumb, PB got dumb for some reason and didn't include any way to see any of the above.
texhnolyze
Banned
Where can I buy dried meats? Or perhaps the recipe?
I need 2 more for a quest and I can only cook fried ones.
I need 2 more for a quest and I can only cook fried ones.
Humdinger
Gold Member
If you mean the actual numbers, I don't know. But XP is under the tab where you allocate your upgrade points (Str, Con, etc.) -- kind of weird.
Humdinger
Gold Member
He doesn't seem to understand how the combat works.
I agree that the game is unusually difficult. I kind of like that. I'm used to feeling like a badass. I like the part in RPGs where you are weak and just trying to get by. This game does a lot of that.
PepsimanVsJoe
Member
I can't understand the Gamespot review, I just can't.
Elex deserves far better, at least IMO.
Elex deserves far better, at least IMO.
Knuckle Sandwich
Member
I really, really love exploring this world. Whoever thought of putting the jetpack in is my hero. Fuck that Elder Scrolls style "climbing" mountains shit.
Moff
Member
it was kind of a natural evolution I think, Risen 1 already had a small levitation spell and Risen 3 had a pretty powerful flying spell. And their games have always been exploration heavy, so I guess the jetpack just came in naturally.
still, it's awesome and a great addition to their core philosophy.
texhnolyze
Banned
After understanding how the combat works (all thanks to the tutorial video), I'm starting to love it. It seems that maintaining the full combat bar as long as possible is better than using it for special move. The damage boost gained from full bar is huge. It also requires you to be more aggresive but still careful.
Vlodril
Member
The game does a terribly job at teaching you the combat that's for sure. Or the options it has. I only starting to be able to kill things (some anyway) after i put the aim on manual instead of automatic which snapped me to a creature and i couldnt move freely so i could heal.
There are some really strange decisions and the ui is not very informative in general. The lack of explanation on numbers (you get more dmg from some skill but how much? who knows) or the lack of numbers whatsoever (is there a way to see how much xp you need or you only get the bar?).
Did a mistake going north for Duras quest because the south of the city is much more newbie friendly. Still finished that so now with the companion hopefully things will be better.
Was funny i decided to re-duel the guy at the door for not paying me for the beer when i got him and he was nah bro thats all on you
. Still managed to win (thankfully again combat is much better for me removing the auto locking for melee).
There are some really strange decisions and the ui is not very informative in general. The lack of explanation on numbers (you get more dmg from some skill but how much? who knows) or the lack of numbers whatsoever (is there a way to see how much xp you need or you only get the bar?).
Did a mistake going north for Duras quest because the south of the city is much more newbie friendly. Still finished that so now with the companion hopefully things will be better.
Was funny i decided to re-duel the guy at the door for not paying me for the beer when i got him and he was nah bro thats all on you
. Still managed to win (thankfully again combat is much better for me removing the auto locking for melee).I just bought it on GOG and I leaky like the exploration that PB keeps rocking since Gothic 1. I don't know however, why they won't return to Risen 1's combat system as I find it way faster, responsive and a bit more skillful. Even Risen 2 and 3's weren't that sluggish. But of course all of them look kind of ridiculous witht the dodge roll compared to Risen 1.
I don't mind the difficulty, however. PB's games (before the awful Risen 3 balancing) was always about testing your (character) limits. There were areas you weren't supposed to visit. This is still an RPG and not an action adventure. And even if you were strong enough to beat one enemy easily, fighting two or even three at the time could completely turn the tides against you.
My buddy and I are playing PB's games since their very first release of Gothic 1 and we are still excited about their games. All of them have this special "PB charm" you won't find in RPGs made by a team with the size of PB.
I don't mind the difficulty, however. PB's games (before the awful Risen 3 balancing) was always about testing your (character) limits. There were areas you weren't supposed to visit. This is still an RPG and not an action adventure. And even if you were strong enough to beat one enemy easily, fighting two or even three at the time could completely turn the tides against you.
My buddy and I are playing PB's games since their very first release of Gothic 1 and we are still excited about their games. All of them have this special "PB charm" you won't find in RPGs made by a team with the size of PB.