Over the years, Path of Exile has become a solid action role-playing game, as developer Grinding Gear Games has done everything it could to listen to players’ feedback and improve their game as much as possible. Its sequel, Path of Exile 2, seems to be going in a similar direction, addressing the remaining issues that couldn’t be addressed in the now-dated original to provide players with a hardcore action role-playing game experience that could potentially rival that of the more popular Diablo series.
During Gamescom 2024, I had the chance to try out the first 30 minutes or so of Path of Exile 2, as well as attend a presentation that showcased some more advanced mechanics and new features, such as a new crossbow weapon type, complete with multiple ammo types that almost turns the experience in a top-down shooter. The mechanical complexity seen in the original was in full show during the presentation, including the extensive skill customization options the series is known for, which, for someone with only passing knowledge of the original, felt almost overwhelming. Still, I definitely appreciated how much control players are given over their characters, and I can’t wait to delve deeper into these complex systems.
Things went considerably better with the Path of Exile 2 hands-on demo, which, as mentioned above, starts right from the beginning of the game. After picking the Warrior as my class, I made my way through a creepy location featuring a lot of different enemies, with contextual tutorials popping out every time a new mechanic was introduced, which I found to be a very welcome addition that should help newcomers understand the basics of the game and the genre as a whole. Before long, I learned the first few skills of the class, which provided a better look at what the Warrior is good at doing: smashing, breaking, and stunning enemies. Eventually, I fought a powerful boss called The Devourer, a worm-like enemy with a varied moveset that forced me to stay on my toes to avoid getting poisoned. Even with a limited skillset available, it was clear how skills synergize well with one another, and with the massive customization options granted by the game, I can see it featuring tons of viable combos and builds. After a lot of dodging and a lot of smashing, I was able to defeat The Devourer and his minions, feeling rather satisfied and hungering to experience more.
30 minutes or so is a very short time for a game like Path of Exile 2, but my hands-on session definitely left a very good impression. Thankfully, fans of the series won’t have to wait much longer to get their first taste of this epic experience, as the game will launch in Early Access on November 15th, featuring 30 hours of content that will be expanded over time.
