International reviews of Elex II.
| Name | Rating | Description |
| Test by Gamerant | 4.5/5 | "Ultimately, Elex 2 has some small shortcomings like any video game but not where it matters. If players can look past the rough edges, they’ll find an open-world RPG that puts others to shame and a proper sequel that takes everything from the first game and improves upon it tenfold." |
| Gaming Trend-Test | 80% | "To sum it all up, Elex II is a blast, both literally and figuratively. What Piranha Bytes was able to achieve in Elex I they were able to build upon, expanding on a world that lives and breathes independently and because of your character. Aside from those little technical issues, the game is sound. I feel like you could also easily get into playing Elex II without having played the first game." |
| Review Gaming Nexus | 8/10 | "Elex II ignores current game design ethos and rages to its own weird beat. Weird, fun, tough, and unpredictably funny, Elex II is feels like a DIY punk-rock open world game, janky and awesome all at the same time. Steer clear if you insist on perfection in your games, but if you are willing to go for the ride and appreciate the flaws instead of being bothered by them, you'll find a deep and fun adventure unlike anything else on the market." |
| Twinfinite-Review | 4/5 | "This is probably the first game of its kind where I honestly believe I saw at least 90% of the map. ELEX II is one hell of an experience and made swooping around the map to unlock fast travel points and complete the main story feel like an adventure rather than just ticking off boxes. The freedom ELEX II allows through the traversal mechanics is something that I have never encountered before in a game like this but will now always think about going forward." |
| Test by Impulsegamer | 4/5 | "Elex II is an almost overwhelmingly ambitious and content-packed sequel that serves up more lands to explore, more people to interact with, and more choice and consequence to carefully consider. It has unavoidable rough edges in the technical and graphical departments that, for many raised on highly polished triple-AAA titles, won’t be easy to overlook, but in terms of providing freedom and reactivity that makes for truly engaging role-playing opportunities, it is a fun, satisfying package that few titles can measure up to, proving budget isn’t the be-all, end-all for a great RPG experience." |
| Review by Digitally Downloaded | 4/5 | "Even that's ultimately part of the charm of Elex II though, because it was a game made by RPG enthusiasts for RPG enthusiasts, and min-maxing is, ultimately, a big part of this community. Though the game comes across as an impenetrable club members-only experience at times, the creativity and energy behind it is impossible to deny. Frankly, I would rather play something like this, bugs and all, than something overproduced and so safe that it puts me to sleep." |
| Techraptor-Review | 7.5/10 | "ELEX 2 is a game that might not appeal to all, but if you can get past the lower-end graphics and character models, and enjoy games that give you immense freedom to explore, level, and improve your character - ELEX 2 is worth picking up. The game improves upon much of what the first game offered to players while stagnating in others, but there are moments that shine and can overshadow some of the more frustrating ones." |
| Test by Gamespace | 7.5/10 | "Playing ELEX II left me with a strong impression that the game is largely geared towards those who have already spent a lot of time playing games from this studio. If that's you, your take from the game may be different than someone new to the series and you'll likely have a blast, especially if you loved the first game. If you're new to the series, you may want to bone up on YouTube videos about ELEX I before diving into an interesting, multi-faceted world albeit one fraught with performance and graphical issues." |
| The Games Machine-Test | 7.3/10 | "Elex II is your usual Piranha Bytes game. Long, classic in the RPG formula and aesthetically clean, but as always plagued with non optimized combat phases and the trademark issues with anything technical. However, it is still a step forward for the future of the franchise and for Piranha Bytes." |
| Review by COGconnected | 70% | "When Elex came out in 2017, it filled a niche despite its many issues. Elex 2 is bigger and its world is denser, but Piranha Bytes hasn’t really fixed much of what was wrong about the first game. Janky movement and weak combat top the list. Annoying mechanics and glacial progression are right up there, too. Elex 2 has ambition, I’ll give it that. If it pared that ambition with polish, a more coherent narrative, and better pacing, Elex 2 might be a more viable alternative to those other RPGs that are getting so much deserved attention." |
| RPG Fan-Review | 70% | "It’s endearing how hard Piranha Bytes tries with Elex II, but its head and heart are much too big for its body. It takes too long for the combat to become bearable, and the story, while ambitious, doesn’t quite reach the heavens it aims for. If you’re already enamored with Magalan, Elex II offers enough to re-immerse you in that world to make a second visit worthwhile. But everyone else should probably stay home." |
| Test by Hardcore Gamer | 3.5/5 | "Elex II is a uniquely ambitious game made by a developer that already focuses on ambitious games, and Piranha Bytes almost stuck the landing. As a title that focuses on the role-playing part of RPGs, it’s rather smartly put together." |
| Gamepressure-Test | 7.0 | "Once you get past this initial shock, however, you will realize Elex 2 is a solid RPG with a unique story that grows on you over time. Even Jax, however much of a jerk or good guy you make him, will become the hero you want him to be thanks to the game’s customization and morality features. The draw of gaining experience and getting stronger are what will keep you playing and looking forward to the next arc in the story. For that, Elex 2 is an acquired taste that can grow on you if you let it." |
| Review by Playstation Universe | 6.5/10 | "Elex 2 asks a lot of you and only gives so much in return. The game provides several special concepts and attempts, but the team's resources limit their potential the entire way. As long as you know what Elex 2 has in store, you might find something there for you." |
| Game Watcher-Review | 6.5/10 | "While there's plenty to applaud in ELEX II's freeform open-world approach, it comes at something of a cost. Technical issues, inconsistent dialogue quality, and some wonky combat do much to muddy the good that can be found in Piranha Bytes expansive RPG." |
| Test by New Game Network | 60% | "ELEX 2 has a distinctive approach to RPG game design and an engaging story, but while it finally bucks the trend of having technical issues at launch, there's still much work to be done on the quality of combat and presentation." |
| God is a Geek-Test | 5/10 | "While it has a fan base and enough janky charm to satisfy those who enjoy Piranha Bytes brand of sprawling, complex RPGs, releasing Elex 2 right now feels brave at best. 2022 has already seen the coming of several open world behemoths, and Elex II is tottering into the midst of them like a cute little lamb onto a room full of out-of-control combine harvesters. It’s not without its old-school charms, but again I’m left wondering what Piranha Bytes could achieve if they worked within their means instead of always trying to include a bit of everything. Fans will get a kick out of Elex 2, but there’s little here to pull in newcomers or win over anyone who isn’t already a follower." |
| Review by GamingBolt | 5/10 | "There are undeniably some addicting loops to be found beneath the rubble, but not enough to make this a particularly recommendable game in a day and age where so many better iterations of this genre already exist. If this was simply a case of the game catering to a niche crowd and being “more about the journey than the destination” I could roll with that. But with mediocre-at-best combat, vanilla-at-best graphics and some staggeringly bad performance issues eating away at ELEX 2’s already limited appeal, I can’t help but advise those entering this version of Magalan to proceed with caution." |
| IGN-Review | 4/10 | "Jetting around a visually impressive world in a neat, upgradeable jetpack was the most fun I had with it. I never looked forward to the slow and clunky combat or interacting with its too often bizarre or nonsensical script. I like a big, sprawling, crunchy RPG more than most, so I wish I could enjoy these more than I do. But unless they take some notes on where the genre has been headed in the last decade, I might give Elex 3 a pass." |
| Test by ACG | Wait for sale | Video Review |
| Rock Paper Shotgun-Test | - | "Cyberpunk 2077 is the game that sprang to mind while I was mulling over how to approach this review. It’s also a janky, overambitious RPG full of sweary, violent people doing horrible things to each other. The difference is that, by and large, the characters in Cyberpunk are compelling, well-rounded characters with depth and nuance. They’re frequently likeable, even caring, forcing us to deal with the contradictory aspects of human nature. Elex 2 has none of that, it’s just a game filled with deeply unpleasant people." |
