Path of Exile 2 - Early Access Impressions

I was at a LAN party a number of years ago and, as often happens at such gatherings, we couldn't decide what to play. After some discussion, someone suggested Path of Exile as it was free-to-play and supposedly reminiscent of Diablo II, which was a firm favourite at previous events. We decided to give it a go, but I remember it was quite difficult to get properly started, and although we played for a few hours, we quickly gave up.

The game was simply too challenging, the learning curve was too steep. That was my first and only encounter with Path of Exile - until now. The game has always existed in the back of my mind as something I should maybe try again, but I never took the plunge. Now that I've gained access to the Path of Exile 2 pre-release, the opportunity is here. It's time to find out if this ARPG that draws so heavily on Diablo can win me over.

Before I jump into the game, I want to mention what this Early Access launch includes. There are five playable classes available - a far cry from the twelve that will supposedly be in the full version. I also had access to just three out of six acts, but those three offer plenty of content. There are many hours of gameplay, and it's clear that this edition is not just a small taster, but a solid part of the overall experience. It's not volume you have to worry about here, that's for sure.

The story in Path of Exile 2 feels rather vague, especially for a newcomer like me. Veterans of the first game might get more out of the introduction here, but my interpretation based on the intro sequence is this: You're part of a group of warriors on a mission, but everything goes wrong when you're attacked by monsters. After an intense battle, an evil figure appears - probably the game's main villain - and wipes out your entire group. You wake up in a city where the story begins to take shape. The town acts as a hub where you can trade and talk to a handful of characters who give you quests and background knowledge about your surroundings. As in Diablo II, the city acts as a base, but the characters are more dynamic and can appear in different places on the map along the way. It's not original as such, and many will probably consider this to be a fairly recognisable central premise, although it naturally invites further narrative exploration of characters and environments.

The tone of the game is consistently bleak. It's clear that the world of Path of Exile 2 is a terrible place to live. Corruption, destruction and monsters ravaging the population create an intense atmosphere that is both fascinating and depressing. The story works mostly as a means to tie the missions together, but it also serves to build an atmosphere that makes the game's many boss battles even more satisfying. If there's one thing that has already succeeded, it's establishing this tone.

If there's one thing Path of Exile 2 doesn't skimp on, it's boss battles. Each map has around four to five bosses to challenge you. Some are tied to the story, while others appear randomly. While not all of them are original, they are always varied as the game's dynamic system changes how the monsters spawn. Here, however, a problem arose for me: At several points I was attacked by enemies near my respawn points, causing me to die over and over again in frustrating fashion. I hope this will be fixed before the game is released in its full version.

Overall, Path of Exile 2 is a difficult game. Death is a constant companion and the game requires both patience and strategy. Every time you feel strong enough to dominate the opposition, the game throws a new area with even tougher enemies at you. On the one hand, this is positive as it gives you a reason to grind resources and loot, which can lead to some exciting power-ups. On the other hand, it can be frustrating to have to repeat areas because you're not strong enough to take on the next challenge. You may look forward to being challenged, but you could argue that it doesn't fit very elegantly with the remaining design elements of the ARPG genre. The challenge in Diablo IV arises from the multiple difficulty levels and the volume of enemies - Path of Exile 2 seems quite different at the time of writing.

The loot system is also worth mentioning. Regular enemies rarely drop usable items, so most of your equipment comes from bosses. This means there's a lot of repetition in the game - you have to fight through hordes of enemies to get to the bosses, only to die and restart with new enemies on the way, and those enemies don't give you the same dopamine rush, as you instinctively know they can't give you gear.

The skill system in Path of Exile 2 is one of the biggest improvements compared to its predecessor. Abilities are no longer only tied to equipment, but also come from skill gems. I played as a mage and focused on lightning-based abilities, making me a sort of living Tesla coil. With the right passive gems, I could enhance my lightning attacks to electrify enemies and do extra damage over time. It's a great feeling to customise your character in this way, and I know the game offers huge amounts of flexibility and buildcrafting to say the least.

The game's Skill Tree is another key part of progression. It's huge and can seem overwhelming at first, but it also offers an impressive degree of freedom. Even though I started as a mage, I could later move into other classes' branches and develop a hybrid build. It's a flexibility that really sets the game apart from others in the genre.

Graphically, Path of Exile 2 is impressive, especially in the detailed environments and dynamic lighting. However, some areas are so dark that it can be difficult to spot enemies. It would be a great help if the game had a feature that marked enemies, as seen in Baldur's Gate III, for example. The sound, on the other hand, is a great strength; the music and creepy sound effects add to the unpleasant and deadly atmosphere.

So, is Path of Exile 2 worth playing in its current form? That depends on who you are. If you're a fan of the genre or want to support the developers, it might be a good idea. But given that the full version will be free-to-play, I don't think it's worth paying around €30 for this Early Access version unless you're very impatient. For most people, it will make more sense to wait for the full game, even if we don't know when it will be ready.

Overall, Path of Exile 2 is a promising sequel that builds on its strengths and offers a deeper and more flexible experience, but has also become more streamlined. There's still room for improvement, but as it stands, it's a game that both frustrates and intrigues. If I had to give a specific score now, I would give it a 7, but due to publisher restrictions, this cannot be considered a review. We'll have to wait and see how the game develops and then we'll come back to it.