Pirhana Bytes and Nordic Games, developers of the Gothic series of had announced back in 2015 that they were working on a new IP called Elex. It was shrouded in some mystery until now, and it appears to be an RPG that blends a sci-fi setting with fantasy elements. It’s an interesting, and from where I stand, a welcome one as I can imagine taking down an ogre with lasers or rockets instead of the usual bumbling of hacking at the legs and firing arrows.
As for the format, the developers seem to trying to hit every modern RPG riff, as laid out in the features below, with the inclusion of a jet-pack, because you can’t go wrong with a jet-pack.
Sci-Fi Meets Fantasy: A post-apocalyptic universe that seamlessly blends science-fiction and fantasy elements.
- Reason vs. Emotion: The player himself decides which way to go; there’s no right or wrong.
- 100% Authentic: The game AI takes decisions that make the game action and events perfectly logical.
- Epic Combat System: The complex combat system and total control over the characters enable you to “read” your enemies.
- Jetpack Frenzy: Jetpack makes vertical exploration so much easier and offers a whole new dimension of fresh opportunities.
- RPG True to its Name: The player’s decisions influence the course of the entire game
The developers has this to say:
“We’ve been thinking about the setting for ELEX for almost 10 years, and we finally have the chance to implement our ideas. The mix of sci-fi and fantasy offers an incredible number of opportunities and cool contrasts that we can play around with. The fans of Gothic or Risen will recognise our unique game philosophy and ELEX builds on that solid basis. ELEX will be the most dynamic and realistic RPG sim ever!” Björn Pankratz, Piranha Bytes
Bold claims from the developers, but we’ll have to wait until 2017 to find out if they can achieve such lofty heights. Check out the mood video below to get a look at the environment and atmosphere they’re aiming for,
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