As a dedicated Diablo player, I never expected to be so captivated by Path of Exile 2 (PoE2) ahead of its Early Access release. In just a few weeks, I've tripled my total playtime in the original Path of Exile, racking up an impressive 150 hours in this unfinished sequel!

Transitioning from Diablo, where I've spent thousands of hours across Diablo 2, 3, and 4, I've found it intriguing to dive into PoE2. While the latter has been designed to target a hardcore audience reminiscent of Diablo 2, it’s managed to welcome a vast player base, achieving 350,000-500,000 concurrent players since its launch a few weeks ago.

It’s remarkable how PoE2 channels the essence of Diablo 2, even in 2024. Despite being released thirteen years after the original Path of Exile, it retains the nostalgic feel of Diablo 2, with significant upgrades and modern changes. While the richness of the gameplay is overwhelmingly positive, some aspects feel outdated – for instance, the limited inventory space of only 5-6 gear slots at a time.

The campaign experience in PoE2, although only showcasing half of the planned Acts, was surprisingly enjoyable. The bosses offer a fair challenge, requiring players to learn and adapt, though none presented a brick wall that felt insurmountable. The story? It's nothing ground-breaking, but the captivating locations, unique enemies, and overall gameplay make up for it.

However, the "Cruel" difficulty setting needs reconsideration. As it stands, players must traverse the same campaign twice to reach the endgame. Strangely, many find Cruel easier than the "Normal" mode because players accumulate gear and skills, enabling them to breeze through it. While the challenge shouldn't feel like a chore on the way to endgame, the inclusion of Cruel might be unnecessary, especially since it currently exists due to missing Acts in the game.

One aspect that initially daunts newcomers is the infamous skill tree. While it may appear overwhelming, it's a beautifully intricate system that allows players to create unique builds with a balance of damage and survivability. Unfortunately, there’s a current lack of diversity due to many powerful builds being too similar, a common concern during Early Access when many skills and weapons are still in development.

Endgame mechanics in PoE2 are innovative, featuring a sprawling map of nodes that offer various modifiers and rewards. It presents a refreshing alternative to the traditional rift-stacking seen in Diablo. I found myself getting engrossed in exploring the map, hunting for infamous "citadels" with pinnacle bosses, although I wish they weren’t merely campaign bosses.

However, the endgame currently feels too punishing. There's a painful difference between difficult and punishing, and one misstep can lead to a disastrous chain reaction: from losing progress and Waystones to erasing modifiers and precious XP. Deaths often occur due to seemingly random incidents, which can be infuriating. The high cost of failure certainly puts a damper on a fun exploration.

Despite these quirks and the unfinished nature of the game, I genuinely enjoy Path of Exile 2. I wouldn’t have invested 40 hours a week into it if I didn’t. With each new patch, there's always something exciting to draw me back, and I look forward to digging deeper into the game as we head into the new year.

Stay tuned for thrilling updates in the world of action RPGs and be ready to join me on this epic adventure!