As Path of Exile 2 rears its head for the primary time in a protracted whereas at ExileCon 2023, it does so in a world the place the action-RPG is extra well-liked than ever. Within the decade since its predecessor launched, these top-down, loot-driven video games have grown to turn out to be a few of the hottest and finest RPG video games. Now, alongside the likes of Diablo 4, Misplaced Ark, and the upcoming Final Epoch, Path of Exile 2 proves that Grinding Gear Video games continues to be pushing the style ahead in thrilling new methods.
GGG exhibits off its new-look sequel in a stay stage demo at ExileCon, its personal official Path of Exile conference in Auckland, New Zealand. PCGamesN was given the possibility to look at this presentation forward of time, and I used to be actually impressed by what I noticed. We’ve seen glimpses of Path of Exile 2 beforehand and it regarded principally like extra of the identical – which isn’t any unhealthy factor, provided that the primary PoE stays maybe one of the best ARPG on the market – however I used to be blown away by the dramatic modifications on present right here.
These variations begin proper on the high – Path of Exile 2 will now be a separate recreation from the primary. For these of you who haven’t been following its growth intently, the unique plan was that PoE2 would launch as an growth to the primary recreation, with gamers in a position to play each campaigns in the identical consumer and a shared endgame.
Now, the 2 video games will likely be solely separate – PoE1 will proceed on, and the pair may have their very own distinctive mechanics, stability, endgames, and leagues. Path of Exile 2 artistic director Jonathan Rogers does affirm, nonetheless, that every one previous and future microtransactions will carry between each video games – new PoE2 cosmetics will even work in PoE1, so long as they match on abilities and gadgets that exist in that recreation.
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“PoE2’s scope has continued to develop and develop,” Rogers says, noting that “over 100 builders” are actually on the PoE2 group, far eclipsing the dimensions of the primary recreation’s present group helmed by his co-founder Chris Wilson. “It’s excess of an growth with a brand new marketing campaign. It’s solely new monsters, abilities, mechanics, courses; every thing you’ll count on from the following era of ARPGs.”
It actually seems prefer it. Our demo takes place within the recreation’s third act, beginning out within the depths of a jungle, the place we’re launched to the primary new character class, the Monk. Rogers explains that “lots of the new abilities we had been making an attempt to design didn’t actually match thematically with the prevailing courses that we have now.”
As such, you’ll now have two selections for every class; as an alternative of being locked into Templar as a Power/Intelligence character, you could be a Druid – a spellcaster with the choice to show right into a bear. Dexterity starters can select to be a spear-wielding Huntress as an alternative of the Ranger, and Dex/Int gamers have a alternative between the previous Shadow and the brand new Monk. As with PoE1, quest rewards are tailor-made to your class and every has its personal Ascendancies (PoE’s subclass equal), however you’ll be able to take your construct wherever as soon as you start.
The Monk affords us a have a look at the overhauled Path of Exile 2 melee fight: the place it was beforehand essentially the most underloved set of abilities within the first recreation, getting bodily right here seems wonderful. Mark’s Monk flips, dashes, and dodges his approach via crowds of enemies in ways in which look extra akin to an motion film than a standard ARPG.
“Virtually each melee talent in PoE2 has some form of motion to it,” Rogers remarks, explaining how most abilities permit gamers a second to redirect them whereas casting with a flick of the mouse, or to show and transfer throughout channeled assaults to remain on the right track. “Typically talking, you by no means lose management of your character in PoE2.”
Additional to this, and core to everything of PoE2’s fight the truth is, is the brand new dodge roll. By urgent area, now you can roll with each character. This isn’t a panic button like Diablo 4’s evade, nonetheless. Rogers notes that “there isn’t a cooldown, no limitation; it even has a little bit of pathfinding so that you don’t get caught on issues.”
The ensuing impact bears nearer resemblance to the likes of Elden Ring or Monster Hunter, though crucially Rogers factors out that “Whenever you dodge roll, you aren’t invulnerable.” Nonetheless, rolling does trigger projectiles and melee strikes to overlook you – so, whereas you’ll have to roll fully out of space results, “anybody swinging a sword or throwing a fireball goes to overlook.”
It’s also possible to use dodge roll to “cancel out of virtually any talent at any time,” one thing else that helps abilities with lengthy forged occasions or channels to really feel rather more viable. It additionally permits for intelligent positioning – in our demonstration, the Monk freezes an enemy with a melee talent, then rolls again to make use of the slow-moving Glacial Cascade, which explodes in a devastating spike at its finish that shatters frozen targets for bonus injury.
A Sorceress joins the sport, and we get to see the brand new caster weapons, which lose their ineffective melee stats for a “built-in, free-to-cast spell.” We’re proven Unleash, which is actually a triple-cast in your subsequent spell, and we additionally see how weapon switching works – to encourage gamers to truly use a number of weapon sorts, now you can set particular person abilities to make use of a selected weapon and have your character swap on the fly, with only a very brief swap delay.
Complementing this additional is a change to passive abilities – now, factors granted from Talent Books (which Rogers tells PCGamesN must be round 20 factors in whole alongside round 100 normal factors) provides you with two units of factors for every of your weapon slots. This implies you’ll be able to talent one weapon down an ice tree, and one other down a lightning tree, permitting for rather more versatile experimentation than the min-maxed singular focus of most present PoE builds.
You’re going to wish all of those instruments, too – Rogers says Path of Exile 2 options “over 100 bosses” via its marketing campaign, every with their very own distinctive mechanics, with not less than one in each space. Watching simply a few these in motion, I’m struck by simply how enjoyable the encounters look – the primary Path of Exile’s boss design was already one of many recreation’s strongest factors, and PoE2 seems to be constructing on this even additional.
To return to an earlier comparability, these boss fights have a look at occasions nearly extra like watching an Elden Ring showdown from a distinct perspective than a standard ARPG encounter. With using the dodge roll and your enhanced skill for actually exact positioning and motion, PoE2’s fight appears to be on one other stage even in comparison with its predecessor – and positively a step up from a lot of Diablo 4’s non-campaign bosses, which may really feel relatively hit-or-miss.
With all that stated, Grinding Gear Video games doesn’t really feel prefer it’s making an attempt to “beat” Diablo 4 at its personal recreation with Path of Exile 2. And why would it not, given how beloved the primary nonetheless stays amongst its devoted fanbase? As a substitute, the group is sticking to its weapons: “We don’t wish to really feel like we’re dumbing the sport down for folks, we wish to ensure that all that depth continues to be there – it’s extra necessary that we don’t lose the viewers that we have now.”
Path of Exile 2 positively looks as if a greater jumping-on level for newcomers, although, and Rogers tells me that he hopes they’ll discover it rather more welcoming out of the gate. “We’re a lot better recreation designers now – the start of the sport is way nicer for brand new gamers to expertise,” he says.
I actually hope that’s the case; whereas it could actually be just a little extra intimidating, Path of Exile has loads to supply even for a extra informal participant who isn’t seeking to dig into each final mechanic and system. PoE2, in the meantime, seems to be pushing the format ahead in some genuinely thrilling methods. Over the course of the demo, my common curiosity quickly blossomed right into a determined have to attempt it for myself.
All of this makes the ultimate information from Rogers sting only a tad. The Path of Exile 2 closed beta will start on Friday June 7, 2024, he confirms. “We’re extremely excited to close the end line,” he says, “however we aren’t fairly there but. We’re decided to not rush this, and ensure we get it proper.” It’s going to be an agonizing 12 months ready, however I’m now firmly of the assumption that it’ll be properly price it.
For now, we’ll should accept the upcoming Path of Exile 3.22 league, then. Alternatively, have a look via one of the best video games like Diablo for much more loot-grinding enjoyable, or browse one of the best free PC video games, the place you’ll discover loads of nice methods to spend your time.