Path of Exile 2
" Immersive action RPG with deep tactical combat and stunning visuals but grind-heavy loot drops "
Path of Exile 2 Review
Path of Exile 2 (PoE2) offers a polished visual upgrade and some innovative gameplay additions, like dodge rolls, that add tactical depth. However, the game is currently mired in contradictions between its stated design philosophy and actual experience. While GGG claims a slower, more deliberate pace, the gameplay remains frenetic with overwhelming effects and punishing mechanics.
Loot scarcity, grinding, and a flawed trading system frustrate players, compounded by a crafting system that feels more like gambling than meaningful experimentation. Defensive stats are imbalanced, favoring energy shield builds and limiting build diversity. Endgame content, including Trials and mapping, is criticized for excessive punishment rather than true challenge, with mechanics that penalize certain playstyles and create tedious progression.
Technical issues further mar the experience, with performance instability, crashes, and an outdated death penalty that demoralizes players. Monetization during early access, including costly stash tabs and loot boxes, has alienated parts of the community. Despite potential and strong foundational elements, PoE2 currently struggles with design missteps, slow development, and a disconnect from player expectations, leaving many veteran and new players disappointed.
Highlights
Players praise PoE2's improved graphics, detailed environments, and atmospheric design, which enhance immersion.
The introduction of new gameplay mechanics like the dodge roll adds tactical variety and depth.
The campaign and boss designs receive some positive notes for polish and engagement, with the core combat and skill interactions showing promise.
Mapping and endgame zones feature creative layouts and challenging encounters appreciated by some players.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on loot scarcity, inefficient and frustrating trading systems, and a crafting mechanic that lacks meaningful control.
Players find the endgame overly punishing, with mechanics that feel unfair rather than skill-testing, including harsh death penalties and trial systems that discourage diverse builds.
Technical issues such as crashes, poor optimization, and server instability severely impact gameplay.
The game’s monetization during early access, including expensive microtransactions and loot boxes, is seen as intrusive and exploitative.
Many feel the developers are ignoring community feedback, resulting in slow content updates and a drifting vision for the game.
Pros
- • The dodge roll mechanic adds meaningful tactical depth to combat encounters.
- • Improved graphics and art design create a visually immersive experience.
- • Campaign and boss fights are polished and engaging for first-time players.
- • Endgame maps feature creative layouts and challenging encounters.
- • Skill interactions and character controls feel responsive and well-designed.
- • The game has potential for deep character builds and theorycrafting.
- • Atmospheric zones and environment design enhance immersion.
Cons
- • Loot scarcity and poor drop rates make progression frustrating and grind-heavy.
- • Trading system is clunky, requiring external websites and premium purchases.
- • Crafting feels like gambling with little player control or meaningful results.
- • Endgame trials and mapping are overly punishing and mechanically confusing.
- • Death penalty with experience loss is demoralizing and outdated.
- • Technical issues include crashes, freezes, lag, and poor optimization.
- • Monetization during early access is intrusive and perceived as exploitative.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation Action RPG from Grinding Gear Games, featuring co-op for up to six players. Path of Exile 2 takes place in the land of Wraeclast, a dark continent populated by unique cultures, ancient secrets, and monstrous dangers. A sinister threat, long thought destroyed, has begun creeping back on the edge of civilisation, driving people mad and sickening the land with Corruption.
Path of Exile 2 features a brand new campaign with six acts, 100 distinct environments, 600 monsters and 100 bosses.
Key Features
Twelve Character Classes
Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, two for every combination of Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence. While each of the class variants focuses on a different playstyle, they're just a starting point. You can combine skills from many classes together to create your ideal character build.
Each of the twelve character classes has its own three Ascendancy specialisations, resulting in a total of 36 Ascendancy Classes to pick between.
New Skill Gem System
Path of Exile 2 features 240 Skill Gems that grant devastating active skills and 200 Support Gems that modify their behaviour. Combine these together to create your perfect build.
This is the next generation of Path of Exile's famous skill system. Support Gems are now socketed directly into Skill Gems, removing many of the frustrations present in the old system while maintaining all the previous depth. It's now possible to six-link every skill your character uses.Dual-specialise your Passive Skill Tree
Path of Exile's iconic Passive Skill Tree has made a return, with 1,500 skills that allow you to completely customise your gameplay experience. It now features Dual Specialisation, the ability to allocate some passive skill points to two different sets of skills. They engage whenever the appropriate weapon or skill type is used. For example, you can have some points allocated to both daggers and traps, or ice and lightning, and as you swap between attacks, the appropriate skill points will apply. This lets you specialise in multiple areas without opportunity cost.
Uncover All-new Items
Path of Exile 2 features 700 equipment base types and every single one has its own unique item you can find. You can augment your arsenal with new weapons such as Spears, Crossbows and Flails, as well as supplementary items like Focuses, Traps and redesigned Sceptres.Encounter Unique Bosses
In Path of Exile 2, every area of the Campaign contains a boss encounter. There's over a hundred bosses to fight as you make your way through the Acts and they all have unique mechanics to learn.
Explore a New Endgame
Completing the campaign is just the beginning. The endgame in Path of Exile 2 includes countless areas in different biomes, powerful crafting, challenging bosses, unique encounters and much more. Unlock new paths and explore further into the world.
As you progress through the endgame, you will gain access to special passive trees that can boost the rewards of your maps and change the way the various endgame mechanics work. These trees will make your maps more rewarding but also more difficult.
Path of Exile 2 introduces sequels to several leagues from Path of Exile. While their mechanics are familiar, the monsters, bosses, rewards and progression are all new.Fair-To-Play. Never Pay-To-Win.
Path of Exile 2 is a separate game to the original Path of Exile. We will continue to offer expansions for both games going forward. They will never be "pay to win". Purchases are shared between the two games.
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation Action RPG from Grinding Gear Games, featuring co-op for up to six players. Set years after the original Path of Exile, you will return to the dark world of Wraeclast and seek to end the corruption that is spreading.