Some of the most memorable quests and characters in RPG history stem from the rituals, eccentricities and weird belief systems of a game's factions. From /that/ Dark Brotherhood questline in Oblivion to the competing mining camps from the classic RPG Gothic, factions have always been a wonderful way of pulling us into the nitty-gritty of a game world.
ELEX II developer Piranha Bytes has always had a thing for factions, and in their latest RPG you'll have five to deal with - getting embroiled in their internal conflicts and politics before trying to unite them all against an extraterrestrial threat.
This guide will help you prepare for the factions of ELEX II.
Morkons
Religious fanatics who worship a God of Oblivion and believe that every event is a sign that the endtimes are upon us (you know the type). There are some nuggets of wisdom among their proselytising, and their stoic outlook on death is admirable, but set foot in their underground city of Grotto and you'll see that these guys take things a little bit too far; prisoners starving in cages, arenas where recruits (and you) can do battle against mutated monsters, and a strict hierarchy in which those lower down aren't allowed to address their superiors.
If you feel like the Morkon initiation process is sapping your soul then head down to Gosta's bar to decompress (though you may need to get beaten to within an inch of your life to gain entry).
Berserkers
The name may evoke warpaint and headlong charges into battle with no regard for self-preservation, but don't be fooled. The Berserkers are magic-savvy treehuggers, who have turned the desert wastes of Tavar into a verdant land of rolling hills, farmland and vegetation. They're no pushovers in battle either, as evidenced by the fact that their fortified home city was taken by force from the Outlaw faction.
Oh, and Jax now has a child and somewhat estranged relationship with one of the Berserker leaders. This could be a good thing or just a socially awkward one, depending on how you play it through your choices!
Outlaws
You always know where you stand with the Outlaws. These vagabonds can be found all over Magalan, with many choosing to live under Berserker rule in Tavar after it was taken over. But any true Outlaw committed to the lawless way of life will tell you that the real home of this faction is in Ateris, amidst the gloopy waters and shanty shacks of Crater City.
While there is a social structure in Crater City, it's technically lawless, which means that thievery and fights won't see you chased out of the city with pitchforks. On the other hand, watch your back and your pockets, because newcomers are easy pickings for the vultures living here…
Clerics
No faction came out worse from the events of the first game than the Clerics. The devoutly religious faction lost their home city of Ignadon to the Albs, as well as access to many of the technologies that once made them a formidable force on Magalan.
In ELEX 2, Clerics live in the ruins of an old castle, whose towers and cold stone keeps give it a refreshingly fantasy ambience compared to the other strongholds. Worshipping the God Calaan, Clerics believe that human consumption of Elex is a sin, and that the magic-imbued resource should only be used to power technology and machinery.
With the Clerics struggling to find a place in this reshaped world, will you help them return to their past glory?
Albs
Originally an offshoot of the Clerics, the Albs are the former faction of the game's hero Jax before he abandoned them and united the free people of the world against them. They're technology-heavy, and use Elex to not only gain powers but suppress their emotions, believing this to be the most 'efficient' way of governance and conquest.
At least that's what they used to think in the first game before Jax wiped out their Elex stores. In the sequel, the Albs acknowledge that perhaps a little emotion isn't such a bad thing. However, let's just say that their newly discovered emotions are pretty mixed when Jax shows up on their doorstep, and he'll have a tough time convincing them to listen to him.
Now you know all you need to about the factions, it's time to go out and meet them. You can buy ELEX II now.
Elex II is fully dubbed in Polish.