Friday's THQ Nordic's 10th Anniversary Showcase announced six new games, but there was also room for open-world RPG Elex II to showcase its story. A sequel to the 2017 action RPG developed by Piranha Bytes, Elex 2 will continue the post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic, which centers around a conflict between the Free People and the cold emotionless Albs. The latter gained their cool disposition by ingesting the titular Elex, a powerful, alien resource causing religious zealotry and mass conflict on planet Magalan.
Elex 2 was just one of several sequels present at THQ Nordic's first publisher stream. A previously leaked Destroy All Humans! 2 remake was officially confirmed and revealed, and it's getting the full current-gen and PC treatment. The publisher also announced a brand-new game, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, an original follow-up to Purple Lamp Studios' Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated. THQ Nordic also appears very interested in continuing older franchises, having also showcased Outcast 2, Jagged Alliance 3, Superpower 3, and MX vs. ATV Legends, all of which rounded out an impressive games lineup.
During THQ Nordic's 10th Anniversary Showcase, Elex 2's story trailer showed off several scenes that set up the game's complicated narrative situation. Protagonist Jax is a doomsayer returning to the civilization after a self-imposed exile. He speaks with several factions, warning them of a coming force equal to the threat he fought in the first game. These conversations intercut with Jax running from one of the creatures he warns about, a glowing skeletal dog that has obviously consumed the Elex that fuels Magalan after it was struck by an asteroid. Elex 2 continues Jax's fight against Elex-powered enemies, but the action might be more front and center than in the first game if the new cinematics are anything to go on.
This story trailer is a sharp contrast from Elex 2's reveal back in June. While it hit the same narrative beats, the first trailer did so with the backing of heavy metal music, and it showcased Jax leading an army against hordes of Elex-powered creatures. This latest footage confirms that Elex 2 will stick to the unique combat aesthetic of the original game, combining magic, firearms, and melee weapons in a fantastical sci-fi landscape. The game is in development for current- and last-gen Xbox and PlayStation consoles and PC, but a release date has still yet to be nailed down.
Developer Piranha Bytes is known for its intricate narratives in the Risen and Gothic games, and that trend seems to be continuing with Elex 2. The new story trailer shown off today by THQ Nordic leaves a much better impression than the rock-heavy initial showing, but it wouldn't be surprising if some of that attitude seeps into the final game.
Source: THQ Nordic/YouTube