E3 has finally landed, everyone. Today, THQ Nordic made the call everyone's been waiting for, announcing the long-awaited sequel to a big, ambitious open world RPG.
That's right. It's time for Elex 2.
Revealed earlier today, Elex 2's debut may be the most videogame-ass videogame trailer I've seen in a minute. You've got angry, stubbled blokes gurning over heavy metal riffs, hurling purple swords and fireballs at a horde of snarling, faceless monsters. It's cheesy as hell, and honestly? I kinda love it.
The game's Steam page is decidedly less explosive, showing us calm screenshots of a sci-fi/fantasy world littered with quaint towns and lush forests. It's been a few years since the events of the last game, and lead character Jax has to unite the factions of the world to fend off an invading alien force—except this time, he's got a jetpack.
Jon Bolding called the first game the kind of "weird, flawed RPG we don't get anymore" in his Elex review, and maybe that's for good reason. While it was extremely stylish and ambitious, the game itself never really came together, leading to an entirely serviceable experience.
"Elex’s flaws don’t really come from the bugs, but from how it falls short of its ambitions. Its world and visual design are top tier, and it’s a game with a wide scope and an eclectic vision—it's fun for the forgiving—but that ultimately leaves much of the game underdeveloped."
Here's hoping this time round, developer Piranha Bytes can bring everything together in a more cohesive package. That trailer alone deserves it.
