After spending a few days playing the new game, it’s hard to even go back to Diablo IV, where I have more than 400 hours on PC and PS5.While the current Blizzard game is fun, I enjoyed my experience with Path of Exile 2 more, as it was more challenging and improved on key aspects of the original game.
New plot and lots of content
The story of Path of Exiles 2 takes place 20 years after the events of its predecessor, and players are tasked with finding the Seed of Corruption to put an end to the Earl of Ogham’s plans, wich could destroy the Wraeclast region.
During this huge journey, which takes several dozen hours to complete, there are a large number of locations with different biomes to explore, full of different enemies and many campaign and optional missions. Not to mention the NPCs you can interact with and talk to, to learn more about them and the main story.
At the start of Early Access, there are six classes available, including Monk, Warrior, Ranger, Mercenary, Witch and Sorceress, each of which has two Ascension classes, which are part of the endgame progression.
Although not ready yet, Path of exile 2 already has a campaign, which upon completion unlocks the Cruel difficulty mode, where enemies become stronger and drop better items. According to the developer, this difficulty will be removed when the full game is released, replacing it with additional actions.
Along with the campaign and additional difficulty, there is also the endgame, which gives you many new activities to enjoy.
Cutting-edge graphics and gameplay improvements
As a game aimed at the current generation, Path of Exile 2 has much better visuals than those seen in the previous game. Textures, lighting, shadows, special effects and so on are much more realistic, but without losing the dark atmosphere of the franchise, reminiscent of those seen in Diablo I and II.
Despite the improved graphics, I found the game light, which led me to believe that it was playable even on more modest PCs. On my GeForce RTX 4070, I had no trouble running it at 4K and 60 fps+ using NVIDIA DLSS. I was even able to play it at 1440p and 60 fps without relying on any kind of upscaling.And all this with graphics settings at maximum.
Other things that attract attention are the changes in the gameplay compared to the predecessor. The bartering system with NPCs has been replaced with a more conventional system, which uses gold to buy and sell items, making it easier to make purchases with merchants.
Despite this change, the exchange system is still present in the game to some extent, with you being able to discard or recycle equipment to get certain materials. The more valuable the item, the greater the reward for doing so.
In addition, skills are now not entirely dependent on being equipped on weapons and armor to be used. weapons still have increased abilities, but the rest, both active and support, are obtained through gems found in the game and placed on an exclusive panel. All you have to do is find a gem and assign it an ability. The player can use all items within the panel, regardless of their equipment.
This is a huge change that, in my opinion, made the dynamics of the game much better, making it easier to find and combine new active skills in combat, allowing everyone to play their style to diversify. In fact, it is still possible to use skills from classes other than your character.
Another change that attracts positive attention is that you can now redeem your passive points more easily. There is a certain feature in Act 1 that takes care of this task for you, after you are rescued, charge a certain amount of gold to each point you want to redistribute, this is, in my opinion, the main use of gold in the game .
The same person also identifies all their items in the inventory, eliminating the reliance on identification scrolls for this task.
In addition,the navigation on fast travel maps has become much better,and each area has more detail about the level of enemies and the challenges associated with them.
Passive skill
Beating bosses and high challenge
Path of Exile 2 has several bosses to face during its campaign, and some of these battles are extremely difficult and memorable. Many of these encounters will cause your character to die a few times until you succeed in winning,or even convince you to quit the confrontation for now,try again after you have new skills and equipment to balance.
This is what I really liked and it goes entirely against Diablo IV, which is too easy most of the time, and you have to progress to the endgame to get some kind of challenge.
In Path of Exile 2, even groups of common monsters can defeat you if you’re not careful. In the case of rare enemies, whose names appear in yellow, some of them are even like sub-bosses, they are so strong.
The strange thing about this difficulty change is that the original Path of Exile,at least in my personal experience,was relatively easy for the first half of the campaign,until its difficulty increased.The second game is immediately difficult and gradually becomes more challenging.
Considerations
Although still in progress, Path of Exile 2 today contains more content than most current games in their full versions. Moreover, the changes it has made compared to its predecessor have made the experience even better and more addictive. All of this serves to try and justify to players the price Grind Gear Games is charging anyone who wants to start playing now, before the final version arrives, which will be free.
Is it worth it? I say yes. However, it is crucial to remember that it is almost always the result of playing a game before it is ready in unexpected situations. For example,in one of the updates,I lost my main weapon and some of my skills disappeared,which left me very frustrated. But that’s part of playing a game in Early Access.
That said, I can’t wait for what the future holds for the game as it is updated until the full version is released, as the result, so far, is quite satisfactory.
Path of Exile 2 is playable in advance on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
What are the key differences between Path of Exile 2 and its predecessor?
Time.news Editor: Welcome to Time.news! Today, we have a special guest, [Expert’s Name], an expert in gaming and a longtime fan of the isometric action RPG genre. We’re diving into the engaging world of Path of Exile 2,which has recently captured the attention of gamers worldwide. Thanks for joining us, [Expert’s Name]!
[Expert’s Name]: Thank you for having me! I’m excited to discuss Path of Exile 2—there’s so much to unpack.
Time.news Editor: Let’s start with the storyline. The game takes place 20 years after the original.How does this expanded narrative contribute to the player experience?
[Expert’s Name]: Absolutely, the narrative depth is a significant draw for players. The plot centers around the quest to uncover the Seed of Corruption to thwart the Earl of Ogham’s destructive plans.This sets up a rich backdrop,enabling players to immerse themselves in the lore of Wraeclast while engaging with a host of new locations and characters. The extensive campaign filled with both main and side quests offers dozens of hours of gameplay, making it well worth the investment of time.
Time.news Editor: That sounds compelling! Speaking of gameplay,Path of Exile 2 is noted for its challenging mechanics compared to other RPGs like Diablo IV. Can you elaborate on what makes it feel more rewarding?
[Expert’s Name]: Certainly! The challenge comes from the intricacies of enemy encounters and the diverse skill sets available. While Diablo IV offers a polished experience, Path of Exile 2 encourages players to think strategically about their builds and adaptability in combat. This is enhanced further with the introduction of endgame content and additional difficulty modes, allowing for variances in gameplay that keep seasoned veterans engaged.
Time.news Editor: The graphics received significant upgrades in this installment.How do these improvements enhance the overall experience, especially for players on different hardware?
[Expert’s Name]: The graphical enhancements are striking! Path of Exile 2 boasts cutting-edge visuals—richer textures, improved lighting, and atmospheric effects that maintain the franchise’s dark aesthetic. Remarkably, it runs smoothly even on modest systems. My experience with a GeForce RTX 4070 at max settings was seamless, achieving 4K resolution with high frame rates. This accessibility broadens the player base, inviting more gamers to experience what the game has to offer.
Time.news Editor: It’s impressive to hear how thay balanced visuals with playability. Now, one of the notable gameplay changes is the new skill system.How does this impact character customization and combat strategies?
[expert’s Name]: This is a game-changer! The new system allows skills to be equipped thru gems,autonomous of the weapons being used,which considerably diversifies combat strategies. Players can creatively mix and match abilities across different classes, enabling tailored play styles. The ability to redistribute passive points more easily also encourages experimentation and fine-tuning of builds, appealing to players who enjoy mastering complex systems.
Time.news Editor: Those changes sound very user-friendly! before we wrap up, let’s talk about the endgame. How does Path of exile 2 keep players engaged after completing the main campaign?
[Expert’s Name]: The endgame is packed with new activities, offering various challenges and rewards that maintain player interest.The implementation of modes like the Cruel difficulty, which promises tougher foes and superior loot, adds depth and replayability. furthermore, the option to unlock new content and delve into diverse mechanics ensures that players have plenty to pursue after the campaign wraps up.
Time.news Editor: Fantastic insights, [Expert’s Name]! It’s clear Path of Exile 2 has a lot to offer both new and returning players. Thanks again for sharing your expertise with us.
[Expert’s Name]: It’s been my pleasure! I’m eager to see how the community responds as more people dive into the game. Here’s to an exciting new chapter in Wraeclast!
Time.news Editor: Thank you, everyone, for joining us at Time.news. Stay tuned for more in-depth discussions and insights into the latest in gaming!