Path of Exile 2. Early Access impressions

I've often heard that Path of Exile is a game made by "former Blizzard developers who left the studio to create their own Diablo." However, the story of Grinding Gear Games' founding is more akin to that of Last Epoch developers: a few New Zealanders weren’t satisfied with Blizzard’s direction for the Diablo series, so they decided to create their own Diablo-like game with dark corridors and a vast skill tree.

The original Path of Exile was released in 2013, a little over a year after the launch of Diablo 3. Over the past 10 years, the already complex game has been expanded with new gameplay elements and mechanics to the point where, without extensive preparation, it's best not to start playing at all.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that in 2018, GGG announced the development of the next game in the series. Initially, Path of Exile 2 was conceived as a new campaign with seven acts, sharing endgame content with the original. However, over time, the concept evolved, and now Path of Exile 2 is an independent project "reimagining the original and the genre as a whole."

What did we get?

Path of Exile 2 was released in early access a few weeks ago. Access to the game is paid. In addition to the game itself, you will receive 300 coins (equivalent to 30 euros), which can be used in the in-game store. After the release, Path of Exile 2 will be free-to-play, like its predecessor.

Path of Exile features one of the fairest monetization models: everything you can buy with real money is cosmetic for your characters and additional tabs for storage. The 300 coins I received were enough for several additional special tabs for currency and other items. However, the game is perfectly comfortable to play without them.

Currently, there are six character classes in the game, each with their own weapons and abilities: Warrior, Monk, Witch, Mage, Mercenary, and Archer. Of the six acts planned for the final version, only half are currently available. You must first complete the game on normal difficulty, then repeat it on a slightly harder setting, after which access to endgame will open, primarily focused on map clearing for the Atlas.

Even in its current state, Path of Exile 2 offers enough content to immerse yourself in the game for a month or two. The number of bosses, for example, is already impressive—around fifty, with some only available during specific challenges.

One of the key motivations for developing the sequel was Grinding Gear Games' desire to "reboot" the game, reducing accumulated complexity and updating core mechanics. As mentioned earlier, the first Path of Exile accumulated numerous systems that became increasingly difficult for newcomers to understand. Additionally, some foundational elements, such as the need to insert ability gems into gear, have lost their relevance, creating unnecessary difficulties.

It's important to note that I tried playing Path of Exile several times, but each time without success. The game overwhelmed me with its vastness, and it's not just about the passive skill tree, but the sheer amount of everything you need to manage in the game.

Path of Exile 2 simplifies things significantly, though with some "buts."

Skill gems now drop unprocessed: you can choose the desired ability and immediately use it.

Another key addition is the ability to dodge attacks. While Grinding Gear Games didn’t innovate here, as dodging is common in all modern genre projects, it is simply a nod to current trends.

In addition, the pace of the game has changed: it has become more measured and methodical. You dodge boss attacks, take a few hits, and repeat. This feels most apparent at the beginning of the game, but as you progress, you encounter enemies who couldn't care less about this approach: they stun you and kill you in a few seconds.

However, no one stops you from playing in a way that avoids this methodical approach.

For example, I chose to play as a monk, and for the first three acts, I focused on an electric attack build. Each boss battle required concentration and an understanding of their attacks and patterns. After completing the third act, I changed my approach and began using a freezing strike. Now, by pressing just two buttons, I freeze and defeat every boss with little difficulty. The game's difficulty decreased by two to three times, and concepts like special boss attacks became irrelevant.

One of the biggest problems with Path of Exile was the ease with which you could ruin your character: simply distributing passive skill points slightly incorrectly could lead to a restart or unbearable struggles even against ordinary enemies. In the sequel, the respec system has been made more accessible. Now, at any moment, you can fully respec your skills for gold, and at early levels, the "respec" cost is almost negligible.

Overall, the game no longer intimidates players from the first levels. Yes, the passive skill tree is nearly as extensive as in the first part, but it is quite easy to navigate. Everything else is gradually introduced, as it should be, and does not overload the player in the first few hours of gameplay.

Random Odds

One of the main challenges in the game is gear selection for the character. Loot has always been one of the most important aspects in genre games, and the situation in Path of Exile 2 is not ideal.

It’s worth noting that the developers have released a few updates to improve the drop rate of items, but I still haven’t received a single unique piece of gear I could use.

It’s also a bit surprising how much the developers rely on negative effects for gear and skill trees. "Here’s +100 to energy shield, but now you have less health," and my personal favorite, "Higher critical strike chance, but you deal less critical damage."

Creating items doesn’t improve the situation much either: everything depends entirely on randomness. The process works like this. You find or purchase a white item with the desired effect, use a special orb to transform it into a blue item, adding another modifier, then another orb of a different type, and so on until you get an item with the desired effects. The problem is that every time you use one of these orbs, the result is completely unpredictable, making it more like a gambling game.

You can trade or purchase the required item from other players (unless you’re playing in a mode that only allows items you’ve personally found). However, the prices for truly good items are high, and there’s also the aspect of searching for items and interacting with other players.

Boundless Steppes

What most exhausts me in the game are the sizes of some maps, especially in the second and third acts. The maps in Path of Exile 2 are procedurally generated, making them rich in dead ends and requiring constant backtracking because you’ve missed an exit to the next location.

In one of the recent updates, developers added the ability to teleport between waypoints, which slightly improved the situation, but I would love for maps to have a more understandable structure and slightly smaller size. Especially before battles with significant story bosses, where you need to clear several locations filled with regular enemies.

Visually, the game looks fantastic, a significant improvement compared to the first part. The variety of locations is also impressive: alongside familiar catacombs, castles, and deserts, there are more exotic jungles. However, with improved graphics and visual effects, the game also received one minor downside: sometimes it's completely unclear what’s happening on the screen. Given the developers' love for enemies that create hazardous areas or explode upon death, it’s easy to overlook the cause of the next death.

In conclusion

Is Path of Exile 2 worth your attention right now?

The answer to this question depends on your expectations. If you’re an enthusiast and play all games in this genre, then most likely Path of Exile 2 is already installed on your hard drive.

For more casual action/RPG fans, I recommend going through the campaign. The game already offers plenty of content, including endgame features like Atlas and trials. However, I would still wait for the full release, especially since there’s no need to pay for access.

Visually and in terms of basic gameplay, Path of Exile 2 is already one of the best games in the genre, and the improvements to core mechanics have made it more accessible to a wider audience. However, there are still enough balance issues, and interacting with some systems still requires watching YouTube videos for understanding. While the latter point is unlikely to change drastically, we’re still talking about the second part of Path of Exile, and the game is definitely worth trying in the future.