First impressions of Path of Exile 2: there is a new king in the ARPG, review

We tell you about our first contact with the early access of Path of Exile 2, a game that promises to be, if it isn't already, the best representative of ARPGs.

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I’ve been playing Path of Exile 2 for several weeks, enjoying the latest version of the game. That is, I’ve had the chance to experience the game in its first cycle with the new character, the Hunter, and all the content that has been released over the months since its early access launch. And the truth is, the amount of content and the quality it offers is worthy of praise, especially considering it’s not yet the final version of the game.

For all these reasons, and for what I’ll be detailing in these first impressions, I recommend that you jump into it if you like the genre and enjoyed the first part. Yes, it will be free when it officially and definitively arrives on all consoles like its predecessor, but right now it’s a very recommendable game that should be in your libraries.

A hellish gameplay… in every sense

The first thing we have to mention, without a doubt, is that although it’s an early access, the amount of content it offers is impressive. We’re facing a gigantic game, both in terms of its map size (very varied and diverse) and the dozens of activities and missions to complete. To this, we must add a gameplay that greatly resembles the one that is, to this day, the best ARPG in history: Diablo II. A clear inspiration that takes various elements, improves them, and offers an overwhelming result for the player.

The first thing that stands out in this sequel from GGG is its combat, much harder and more tense than any other game in the genre. In the long gaming sessions where I’ve explored its vast world, I’ve died a few times. And it’s not just because it’s difficult or a matter of skill, but because in this title it’s not enough to just mash buttons without rhyme or reason.

Here, the ability to move, know which skills to activate and when, and learn the patterns of enemies, especially the final bosses or more complex ones, is more important. That’s why I’m not surprised that many have compared it to Dark Souls in that aspect, because it’s normal to die over and over until you find the right approach. And that makes the combat much more satisfying, because you don’t win just because you have the most powerful weapon, but because you’ve managed to be better.

In PoE2, we find that the combat itself is much slower and more precise than in the first game or other titles in the sector. Here, it’s not about rushing headfirst into enemies, but rather the opposite; when you’re surrounded, you always look for a way to retreat and find a advantageous position. With this, the team achieves that you have the constant feeling that there’s no easy battle and that death is always lurking. And the enemies will always be very numerous.

A world full of secrets

Another point that has caught our attention in this early access of Path of Exile 2 is, without a doubt, its incredible level design. Not only are they large and labyrinthine, but they’re also full of secrets. Secrets you’ll want to discover, because they not only imply new parts of lore or history, but also rewards worthy of the effort. And some of them will lead you to secondary missions against optional bosses that are among the best in the game.

These bosses add to the 50 final ones already in the game (an incomplete list, since the campaign is not fully included in the early access), so exclusive and high-level loot is guaranteed, with unique options depending on which enemies you defeat.

But a huge world without being well detailed and with gratifying exploration would be nothing. And GGG has achieved both points in PoE2. Secondary dungeons and various challenges await you in each corner of the different maps if you investigate a bit. All this, seasoned with a dark and gloomy design that, once again, reminds us of the beloved Diablo II. The only drawback we can give it is that there are no random events. This is the only point where Diablo IV does things much better, since each visit to each area is always the same, without that level of randomness that the latest Blizzard game offers.

But this doesn’t mean there aren’t points of interest or that everything feels the same. Each map in each area feels unique, with an impressive amount of details and very well constructed.

With all this, in this first contact, we’re left with the feeling that we’ve barely scratched the surface. Not only is it an early access, but it also gives us the impression that its final version will be much more. A very complete and enjoyable game from the start, with a finish worthy of already released games and that doesn’t clash at any moment.

Without a doubt, we’re facing something immense, and seeing how GGG cares for its games post-launch (just look at the amount of support its predecessor has), the ceiling for Path of Exile 2 is infinite.