Some say that the key to creative work, is in knowing how to mix existing things in interesting ways. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in ELEX, an indie action, platform, sword & sorcery, and sci-fi RPG set in a planet which could be our own. This, one of my favorite indie games of all time, is inspired on classics of the genre and if you ask me, has given many AAA titles, including some very well known "GOTYs", a lesson in design. You play commander Jax, a feared leader of a warmonger faction which is known for inducing controlled mutations on themselves, called the Albs; they do this by consuming an addictive substance known as Elex. On select individuals, Elex evolves the human potential beyond the normal limits but at the cost of all human emotions. The Albs are very close to winning their campaign against all the free peoples. However, Jax is betrayed by the Albs without a clear motive... and while he survives execution, he loses his Elex powers. Now that he's weak, in unfriendly territory, discovering emotions for the first time in his life, he has no choice now but to make alliances with his former foes who're also trying to exploit the Elex in their own ways. That is, if he wants to survive, find out what happened, and take revenge. ELEX is the game many AAA RPGs would want to be: a truly interactive open world experience full of adventure, player choice, world changing events, interesting places, very challenging mutant foes, and a wide array of playing styles to complete the game exactly as you want to play it. While the game doesn't feature a character creation process, and you play as commander Jax, it is still your own commander Jax. Want to play as a ruthless kind of character? Your choice. Want to play the impulsive merc, or the selfless hero? Your choice. Do you prefer to wield sword and sorcery? Or futuristic, Elex-fueled weapons and mental powers? Each of the competing factions offer lots of opportunities to return your character to its former glory... because you see, ELEX departs from the tired "Lord of the Rings" fantasy setting, and instead embraces an "everything you need in one place" philosophy. Sci-fi, wizards, punks, dinosaurs... its all here. And surprisingly, despite how freaky this sounds on paper, it works. Not the least, because the factions are very unique and not just in name and dressing etiquette. They talk and feel very differently... for instance, going from one faction city to another feels like playing a completely different game. This is a great accomplishment by the writers which has been lost in modern RPGs. Even better, all quests in Elex can be completed in multiple ways, or in the benefit of different factions. In this sense ELEX is closer to the experience of a "Fallout: New Vegas" than other, much more linear RPGs. Controls get criticism from some ELEX players, but not from me. As in real life, your character swings his melee weapon with momentum, meaning you can't interrupt individual strikes until they either land on the enemy or miss. Its not unlike the Dark Souls series, and I personally enjoy this kind of combat as it is more realistic. Not that you'll be capable of killing many foes at the beginning... do pick your foes wisely, come back to them later, because ELEX is not a walk in the park. You'll have to run away from many battles, as most enemies can devastate your starting character, specially if you fail to mix different tactics and weapons. Luckily you won't be alone. ELEX features a cast of supporting characters which join you one at a time. The companion system reminds me of Bioware games... they have their own quests, they can like you or hate you from decisions you make. Perhaps less inspiration from Bioware games would be more fitting, and more to my liking, but the system works. And you'll have another card in the sleeve: the jetpack, which is quite unique to this game. You can fly with it for limited amounts of time, beyond the reach of your foes, allowing for attacks with ranged weapons in mid air. Not only does the jetpack open a lot of tactical possibilities against very hard foes, changing the entire gameplay flow, but the entire world has been designed for vertical travel from the ground up. The results are visually impressive. Don't expect flat ground here, ELEX is full of tall towers and structures, great heights, uneven terrain. Exploring feels great, at last. The ruins, very much like deserted buildings of present day Earth, are filled with pickable objects of all kinds and give more flavor to the world and its own mythology. ELEX is a very refreshing experience. Yet, there comes a point where most quests are completed, monsters get easy to beat, and there isn't too much left to do. In fact, the game, while very enjoyable, feels a tad short... not so much because of lack of content, more because the content is good enough to feel appetite for a DLC or two. Even so, Piranha Bytes released a very special game as it is... despite its limited funding and playing time, the merits of ELEX are such that I'm tempted to place it among the best action RPGs of late, if not of all time. If only the game was a bit longer.
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