Nine Years On, The Collector’s Edition of ELEX Still Lands Heavier Than Most Sci-Fi RPGs

Magellan was a planet looking to the future. Then the meteor hit. ELEX asks a simple question: what do you do when a rare element falls from the sky and changes everything. The answer, in Piranha Bytes’ new RPG, is not simple at all.

The German developer behind the Gothic series built ELEX as a science-fantasy hybrid, placing mech warfare alongside magic in a post-apocalyptic world. The Collector’s Edition, released for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2017, comes with a premium display box, a mage figurine, a cloth map, a companion drone amulet, an original soundtrack CD, an art book, a “Making Of” DVD and a quick start manual. That package sells a vision of scale, even if the game beneath it struggles to deliver on its own promises.

The Meteor and the Element

The premise is strong. Elex is a rare resource that arrived with the meteor, capable of powering machines, opening the door to magic, or reshaping life into new forms. The survivors of the impact are caught between three camps: those who want to industrialize the element, those who want to harness it for magic, and those who fear both paths will destroy what remains of humanity.

The central conflict is a genuine hook. It asks players to choose a side and live with the consequences. In practice, the game leans heavily on combat and exploration, and the political drama never quite reaches the heights the pitch suggests.

Combat and the Mech System

Combat in ELEX is the heart of the experience. Players can pilot mechs, wield swords, cast spells, or mix both approaches. The mech system is where the game shines brightest. Piloting a giant machine through ruined cities feels distinct, and the weight of each swing lands with some force.

But the swordplay outside the mech lacks the same precision. Enemies often feel cheap, and the game’s difficulty curve is inconsistent. Some fights demand patience, others feel broken. The pacing suffers as a result.

The World of Magellan

Magellan is a vast, ruined landscape. Cities lie in ruins, forests hide secrets, and the open-world design encourages wandering. The game’s art direction is strong, with a palette that shifts between desolation and wonder. The world map is dense with quests, side content and hidden areas.

The problem is that the density does not translate into depth. Many locations feel interchangeable, and the quests that fill them rarely offer fresh ideas. The game’s ambition is visible in the layout, less so in the execution.

The Mage and the Drone

The collector’s edition includes a mage figurine and a companion drone amulet. These are small touches, but they speak to the game’s identity. ELEX wants to be a serious sci-fi RPG with a mystical core, and these items represent that tension visually.

The art book and “Making Of” DVD offer a look behind the scenes. For collectors, the premium box and cloth map are the main draw. The soundtrack CD rounds out a package that respects the source material, even if the final product falls short of greatness.

What Works and What Doesn’t

The strengths of ELEX are easy to list:

• The mech combat is genuinely fun.
• The world is ambitious in scale.
• The premise of Elex as a rare resource is compelling.

The weaknesses are harder to ignore:

• Swordplay outside the mech is weak.
• Quests lack variety.
• Difficulty is inconsistent.

The game never fully commits to either its fantasy or its sci-fi elements. It splits the difference and ends up with a middle ground that doesn’t satisfy anyone fully. The Collector’s Edition adds value for fans, but it doesn’t fix the underlying issues.

The Verdict on ELEX

ELEX is a game with a great idea and a middling execution. The premise of a rare element that can reshape a world is compelling, and the mech combat is a highlight. But the swordplay, the quest design and the pacing let the whole project down.

The Collector’s Edition is a solid purchase for fans of the Gothic series or the genre, offering a premium presentation that matches the ambition of the game’s concept. For newcomers, the standard version offers the same content without the bonus items.

ELEX is a game worth playing for its best moments, but not one that rewards a full investment of time. It is a mixed bag, and it shows.

ELEX · game review · mech combat · Piranha Bytes · RPG