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[ELEX] They Try To Take The Albs in Xacor To Rehab...

Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her|Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
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And they say NO NO NO! :P

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Piranha Bytes (of the Risen and Gothic series) fame made another super-janky German WRPG! Let's talk about it! :)

Also, this game is HARD, even on easy I find myself running from most fights.

Trailers:
Tips for new players:
1. You are weak - avoid fights with enemies that have a skull to the left of their health bar.

2. Equipment is your strength especially starting out.

3. Get the Attribute skill from the Charisma trainer as soon as you can. The benefit does not apply retroactively.

4. Don't tank, time your attacks, watch your stamina, and dodge. It makes a difference.

5. Don't be afraid of experimenting for some enemies light attacks work better and with some heavy. Combo-ing them both can help for certain fights.

6. Get a companion. It can be a little tricky going through their quest you'll need to hide from enemies flee from enemies and make it to your destinations for their quest, fortunately you can avoid fighting.

7. Your Companion is not invincible, but they won't permanently die. When your companion has fallen they will fall more easily the next time, most often in one hit. Switch your companion out (send them to camp) if they die too much, to rest up.

8. Save before conversations. Especially quest conversations.

9. When you get to the domed city avoid "taking sides" if you plan on progressing to a point where you'll save and then branch off to different factions, especially relavent for getting all achievements. BTW there are three possible outcomes.

10. If you're planning to have multiple playthrough(s) stay at neutral cold for as long as possible before you make that branching save file.

11. Some Enemies do respawn, Stores respawn, named NPCs can die and you can't always save them. Rare plants don't respawn, ore veins don't respawn, pockets once picked don't respawn, and items in town don't respawn.

12. Use your jetpack in combat. It's useful and dodges without draining stamina.

13. When using your jetpack in combat for some enemies it's good to hover close to the ground; to trick them into not using their ranged attacks.

14. Aiming with a ranged weapon while using the jetpack puts you in hover mode. (I guess PB played Mass Effect: Andromeda?) :snap: :P

Posts

  • Dr. ChaosDr. Chaos Post nuclear nuisance Registered User regular
    Buggy (crashing spree going on in this story mission atm) and janky as fuck but its been awhile since I had this much fun. The Risen games were nowhere near this addictive.

    Already thinking of a second playthrough.

    Pokemon GO: 7113 6338 6875/ FF14: Buckle Landrunner /Steam Profile
  • Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her| Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
    Thirteen hours in and I just joined the Cleric faction and (finally!) got some decent weapons and armour.
    Now I have a working fancy plasma rifle, wheee! :P

    Socketing gems into your wrist implant/Pip-boy thing is neat.
    I really suck at the numeric keypad hacking mini-game.
    Enemy scaling is all kinds of whacked-out. You can just get overwhelmed and horribly murdered, at any moment.
    Luckily they put quick-saving in the console versions too (I'm on PS4).

    Aaand I'm pretty sure that this companion I picked up at
    the top of this Converter tower (Falk) is an android/synth.
    The way he talks is just like Data from ST:TNG.

  • Dr. ChaosDr. Chaos Post nuclear nuisance Registered User regular
    Decided to take it easy and try to invest in melee abit since I'm spending waaaay too damn much on heavy weapon ammo and hand grenades.

    Worried about stretching my character too thin statwise but at the rate I'm going, not going to ever earn enough for faction armor upgrades.

    Pokemon GO: 7113 6338 6875/ FF14: Buckle Landrunner /Steam Profile
  • tastydonutstastydonuts Registered User regular
    Oh neat, a thread for this game. How do you guys like it so far?

    “I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
  • Dr. ChaosDr. Chaos Post nuclear nuisance Registered User regular
    edited October 2017
    Oh neat, a thread for this game. How do you guys like it so far?
    Far better than I would have expected from my experience with the Risen games.

    Its fricking huge too.

    Dr. Chaos on
    Pokemon GO: 7113 6338 6875/ FF14: Buckle Landrunner /Steam Profile
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    I've no idea what is going on, but I am having fun.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her| Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
    edited October 2017
    Oh neat, a thread for this game. How do you guys like it so far?
    I'm enjoying it, despite the inevitable bugs/jank that come with all of PB's games.

    Does anyone know the code for the locked door inside the Converter in Edan?
    I spent like 1/2 hour trying to hack it, before giving up, and there's a companion quest item in there.

    Zilla360 on
  • SyngyneSyngyne Registered User regular
    “Hey, I need some herbs from the lake above the town.”

    No problem, says I, and make my way up to the picturesque lake by the village, only to have some sort of winged fire-breathing gargoyle thing sweep down and murder all the guards nearby, and then squat in the middle of the herbs I need.

    This game.

    5gsowHm.png
  • AegisAegis Fear My Dance Overshot Toronto, Landed in OttawaRegistered User regular
    That's a proper monkey's paw right there.

    We'll see how long this blog lasts
    Currently DMing: None :(
    Characters
    [5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
  • Dr. ChaosDr. Chaos Post nuclear nuisance Registered User regular
    edited October 2017
    *Finally elligible for captain rank with Outlaws*

    Yes!

    *Need to be five levels higher before I can accept*

    Noooo!

    Dr. Chaos on
    Pokemon GO: 7113 6338 6875/ FF14: Buckle Landrunner /Steam Profile
  • SyngyneSyngyne Registered User regular
    So, I stumbled across a flamethrower. My encounters with skull enemies now goes:

    Them: Rawr!
    Me: SIDDOWN.

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  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    Dr. Chaos wrote: »
    *Finally elligible for captain rank with Outlaws*

    Yes!

    *Need to be five levels higher before I can accept*

    Noooo!

    That's where I am with the Berserkers. Only one level to go now, though. I spent all of level 13 just running around exploring the wilderness and killing skull level critters. Magic is good stuff, and the critter trophy perk at least pays you for the time.

    What you're supposed to do is go to one of the other settlements and churn out quests. It's the fastest way to level up. I'm in Tavar now just doing random quests for the Outlaws (read- killing and humiliating their people for being jerks.)

    I don't hate the combat system. I can see what they were going for with it. It's like the barebones system of Dark Souls with a little rhythm bit. Unfortunately the hitboxes are far too generous for some of the bad guys, but the invincibility frames on the evade and dodge moves are incredibly generous. It also doesn't seem like specialization is a good idea to start. Combining melee, ranged, and magic and swapping as appropriate gets me through most battles without too many problems.

    I am kind of wondering if there is something to leveling up I'm not seeing, because I have a lot of weapons now with prerequisites that would take a LONG time to get just by leveling up. Those two handers are no joke in that department.

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • MouserecoilMouserecoil Registered User regular
    Derrick wrote: »
    ...wondering if there is something to leveling up I'm not seeing...

    he he he

    I feel like this game is a bit of a hot mess, to be honest. I started it on hard, not realising it was going to be the way it was, and spent the first dozen or so hours just running from everything all the time. It just encouraged me to break the game faster (almost kind of like morrowind in that respect, but less relaxed). It's definitely not bad, and I'm pretty sure its design is largely intentional, but it is very silly, I think on purpose.

  • SyngyneSyngyne Registered User regular
    Derrick wrote: »
    I don't hate the combat system. I can see what they were going for with it. It's like the barebones system of Dark Souls with a little rhythm bit. Unfortunately the hitboxes are far too generous for some of the bad guys, but the invincibility frames on the evade and dodge moves are incredibly generous. It also doesn't seem like specialization is a good idea to start. Combining melee, ranged, and magic and swapping as appropriate gets me through most battles without too many problems.

    The endgame solution to combat in this game is the Redeemer. 100 damage + AoE stunlock = ridiculously broken. I killed the final boss with like 4 shots, and before then as long as I hit anywhere near an enemy, nothing ever got near me.

    5gsowHm.png
  • Dr. ChaosDr. Chaos Post nuclear nuisance Registered User regular
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    I really wish the combat in this game wasn't so goddamn clunky. It's like the Achilles Heel of this developer I guess. I just feel that it lets the title down. In many other respects is very good.

    As it is, I can't even really recommend it to my friends without adding the huge caveat that makes the recommendation worthless.

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • tastydonutstastydonuts Registered User regular
    Wow... that one review about the raptor brings back memories of Morrowwind.

    “I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    Ah, I think I see where I went wrong on the leveling curve. I joined the Berserkers and forgot about the main quest. I heard about magic and the whole mystery the game sets up at the beginning was totally forgotten. Heh. So I went back and started doing those, and gained a quick 2 levels. This was sped up considerably because whatever prereqs they were asking for I had already done.

    Hopefully something happens like that with the money curve as well, because the armor I'm looking at is 10,000 credits (just the chest piece). I did just pick up animal trophy 2/3 though, so hopefully that helps. Who knew the market was so strong for claws, legs, and puppy dog tails?

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her| Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    You can occasionally find mine-able veins of Elexit around the map too, so it can be worth upping your mining skill.

    Cigarettes are worth collecting too, especially packs of them, even though they're not worth much individually, there's so many that the value quickly adds up. :)

    Zilla360 on
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    Zilla360 wrote: »
    You can occasionally find mine-able veins of Elexit around the map too, so it can be worth upping your mining skill.

    Cigarettes are worth collecting too, especially packs of them, even though they're not worth much individually, there's so many that the value quickly adds up. :)

    That's a good point. I spend a lot of time exploring, and I got the Good Eatin' Perk (whatever that's actually called), so I'm constantly hunting for raw meat anyway. I could take the perk to find all the teleporters around the map, which would at least point me to where most of the settlements are, but I figure the main quest will point me at most of those anyway.

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • Dr. ChaosDr. Chaos Post nuclear nuisance Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    My elex drink addiction really coming back to bite me in the ass.


    *late game spoilers*
    Was going to stay loyal to the Outlaws and kill the Hybrid/burn down Xacor but the way the story is going with me loading up on enough Elex to OD the entire planet, the only choices its letting me make are ones that are sympathetic to the albs.

    Spent the entire game blowing people up for profit and now the game wants to force me into negotiating because I have a bad elex drinking habit? Come onnn.

    Maybe I should just say fuck it, go from hillbilly desert raider evil to full on Terminator evil and roll with it.

    Dr. Chaos on
    Pokemon GO: 7113 6338 6875/ FF14: Buckle Landrunner /Steam Profile
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    I like all the fun little hidden things and Easter eggs in the game. This was a fun spot.
    ESiuivQ.jpg

    I'm also pretty much ahead of the difficulty curve of the game, at this point. Once I figured out what Elex potions do and how easy they are to make, it all got much simpler. That, and I also figured out how the game works mechanically a little better. The biggest things are that the game really rewards clean inputs, and that the invincibility frames for dodges and backsteps are incredibly useful.

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    Finally got around to beating this one today. 59 hours in total. All in all, I'm very happy with this game. Well worth the full price purchase.

    Non spoiler thoughts-

    Combat goes from really rough at the beginning, to really enjoyable towards the middle. At then end, things are just a little too easy but since the game makes you work to get to that level, it's still pretty satisfying.

    The story is well done and satisfying. Choices matter.

    What I think messes with people in this game (and got me too in the beginning) is that your assumptions of the genre can work against you. One thing is that armor works in a static way against damage. If a monster has 10 armor and you do 9 damage, he's invincible. When you put points into stats, it does sweet fuck all but qualify you for better weapons and perks. Chaining attacks is also really, really important which may not be super intuitive. The game tells you that, but doesn't beat you over the head with it.

    I've watched a few streamers (Like Dansgaming) play it and not realize the reason they couldn't hurt monsters was because their equipment blew ass. What level they were is largely irrelevant. Leveling stats at the mid game is done though Elex potions- not actually leveling. So those weapons that look like they have crazy requirements aren't out of reach.

    Criticism-

    The game doesn't explain itself too well. You basically have to take a hinted whisper as the game screaming at you. Chain attacks. Learn parry timings (two handers can be parried, btw. I've seen a video incorrectly saying you couldn't). Back dash and rolls have a lot of invincibility frames at the beginning of the animation. You will need these for fighting large groups in melee.

    Systems being a little vague + people operating off their assumptions is a bad combination for this game. Combat feels clunky until you realize it's a simplified Dark Souls system. If you do a thing, you're committed to the animation for a while so make sure you do the right thing, at the right time.

    My other big criticism of the game is that there really needs to be another hotbar. There are too many useful abilities to fit on there. (Unless that option exists and I just missed it.)

    General Tips-

    Armor and Weapon upgrades are king. Upgrade your weapons as soon as you can get the stats for the upgraded versions.
    Chain attacks, learn parry timings, and use I-frames on rolls.
    Get Animal Trophy ASAP. 2/3 will solve your money problems. 3/3 will solve your Natural Elex shortage issues.
    Pure ranged and pure melee are doable, but you're better off having each on switch as the situation calls for it.
    Heavy weapons knock down groups of enemies.
    Food is better for healing than potions, and straight buffs to armor and damage (that you can get through food and magic) are incredibly good. Put something good to eat on your hotbar.
    If you're going to use a lot of ranged attacks, get the barter skills ASAP. You'll go through a lot of ammo.
    For Melee, the jetpack attack is very strong. If you're having problems bonking your feet on their head rather than hitting them, try boosting to the side rather than forward or back.

    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her| Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
    Huh. Never thought this game would get a sequel:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg09LJky-bw
    Because Elex 2 is more Gothic 2 than Risen 2 . In concrete terms: It primarily continues the strengths of its predecessor instead of breaking with them. It expands instead of revolutionizing. You get a comparable open world, comparable fights, a comparable narrative style and - you guessed it - comparable open-mouth moments.

    But before you confuse "conservative" with "boring": Elex 2 has cool new ideas, an exciting story starting point, new open world areas - and you can now fly with the jetpack! So don't float, just fly properly. Like Iron Man.

    The rough outline: what is Elex 2?

    The absolutely most important information first: Yes, there is a chainsaw broadsword again in Elex 2, yikes! Elex 2 plays a few years after its predecessor - and what is bad news for the inhabitants of the game world should again please fans. The world of Magalan still doesn't get the hang of leaving its own post-apocalyptic devastation behind. So a mix of dense fantasy forests, weathered skyscrapers and science fiction innovations is waiting for you. Here are the basic facts:

    Story and quests:

    You play again as Ex-Alb Jax, but there will be no save-game import from Elex 1. As in Gothic 2, you lose your skills and can decide again which path your non-nameless hero should take.

    Anyone who has played Elex 1 will know: A new threat hangs over the world. But nobody wants to believe Jax, which is why he fell out with the old factions and went into exile. In Elex 2, he returns from oblivion to convince people of his cause.

    According to Piranha Bytes, none of their games have had as many dialogues and storylines as Elex 2. By the end of the credits you are busy an average of 60 hours, 100 percent natures naturally need significantly longer - and the factions mean that there is always a high replay value.

    There will be more than three factions, but the parties still represent certain character classes or weapon types.

    It is still unclear how many factions are completely new. But we speculate that at least berserkers and outlaws will return.

    The companion system returns: Jax hires familiar and new companions to accompany him through the rugged wilderness. As part of the quest, there should be significantly more decisions and hard consequences. Open world

    Elex 2 offers a new open world that consists partly of old and partly of new regions. The old areas have been changed drastically over the years and by the hearts of the world, but you also travel to completely new areas. So overall like in Gothic 2.

    Your jetpack not only allows you to float, but you can also fly through the landscape like Boba Fett. But only after a few upgrades.

    Children are now a part of the play world.

    The nights in Elex 2 are significantly darker than in the predecessor. But hey, now you've got a flashlight for that.

    Further gameplay adjustments:
    1. Little changes in the classes: You can play as a ranged fighter, magician, thug or a mishmash.
    2. Because you are now more agile in the air, there is also pure air combat against other flying opponents. So Jax can fight gargoyles at a height of 20 meters.
    3. The moral system has been revised: Instead of a cold value for Jax's emotional state, there is now "creation" and "destruction". Whoever kills defenceless sheep, for example, increases the destruction value. This new moral system is closely interlinked with the parliamentary groups - more on this below in the article.
    4. Technically, you can see Elex 2's leap forward, even if you still can't expect the smoothness of a 1,500-person Ubisoft production, for example, in the animation.

  • RiboflavinRiboflavin Registered User regular
    I played Elex awhile back when it was on deep discount. It was fun but had some annoyances slowing it down. Such as I kept finding neat weapons and never had the stats for them when I found them. I hated the stat restrictions. Exploring was fun but the combat was janky. I don't mind dying from my own terrible play but dying because I got stuck on jibble or the camera angle just frustrates me so much.

    I like that there is a sequel but I'm not sure this is a "Buy at Full Price" at least for me. I'll probably wait a year after its out for a sale.

  • FiatilFiatil Registered User regular
    Wow, yeah, that's kind of shocking. I absolutely loved Gothic 2 growing up -- it was unique as hell, a bit eurojank, but incredibly fun.

    It seems like every one of their releases since has just massively dialed up the eurojank without quite having enough of what I loved about Gothic 2 to make it worthwhile. There's a lot more competition in the genre which is probably part of it too. It sounded like Elex was preeetty terrible, but uhh maybe they actually polish this one decently?

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