Welcome to the arcade. I am a long-time fan of action RPGs (ARPGs). I’ve played through a lot of popular titles. Finally, Path of Exile 2 is scratching an itch that has long been unmet. The game is far more than just a mindless clicking simulator where you mow down hordes of enemies. Instead, it offers a cerebral experience where every decision and every fight requires thought and preparation.
I’ve been playing Path of Exile 2 for a while now. It has its flaws. However, it also shows tremendous promise. Here’s a deep dive into what I love about the game and where it still needs work.
[The Good] What’s Great About Path of Exile 2?
Challenging Gameplay that Makes You Think
The difficulty of Path of Exile 2 (or this ARPG) is one of its biggest selling points. It’s refreshing to finally encounter a game. I can die occasionally, whether to a normal mob or a boss. The challenge requires more than just mindlessly clicking; it requires a thoughtful approach to combat, builds, and strategy. I find myself analyzing every situation, ensuring I’m properly prepared for each encounter, and learning from each failure. In a genre that often veers toward mindless hack-and-slash action, this level of challenge is a welcome change.
A Game Made by Gamers, for Gamers
Another thing I appreciate about Path of Exile 2 is that it feels genuine. It doesn’t seem like it’s been made for corporate profits. The game seems to have been designed by people who genuinely understand and respect the ARPG genre, and it shows. There’s a clear respect for the hardcore gamer. This respect is something I feel is sorely lacking in many AAA titles today. The focus seems to be on providing depth and satisfaction for players, rather than catering to trends or monetization schemes. For a long time gamer like me, that makes the experience feel more genuine.
Top-Notch Graphics, Animation, and Soundtrack
The technical side of Path of Exile 2 is absolutely stunning. The graphics are gorgeous, and the animations are smooth and satisfying. The soundtrack adds a layer of immersion that draws you deeper into the game’s world. When you’re grinding through hours of gameplay, these elements enhance the experience. They elevate it from just “playing a game” to something much more engaging.
[The Bad] The Challenges: Areas That Could Use Improvement
Crafting and Currency Drop Rate
While I’m definitely enjoying my time with the game, there are a few aspects that still need some refinement. These aren’t deal-breakers, but they’re certainly areas that could use some attention to make the game even better.
The crafting system is now one of the most frustrating aspects of Path of Exile 2. The idea of using in-game currency to improve your items is solid. Low drop rate of crafting materials makes it difficult to follow through on this. The lack of deterministic crafting means that you may get a good mod on an item. There’s no guarantee you will upgrade it again. In comparison, Path of Exile had a better system for this. Currency dropped more often. This gave players more control over their items. The developers are clearly trying to find the balance here. At this time, it can make progression feel slow.
Loot System and Item Progression
The new loot system takes a fresh approach. It prioritizes dropping fewer but more useful items. In theory, it’s a great idea: quality over quantity. The issue, however, is that I’m still using mostly Act 1 items halfway through Act 2. The loot just doesn’t feel meaningful enough, and I’m still stuck with outdated gear. This slows down progression and makes the grind feel unnecessarily long. Sure, the items that do drop are more impactful. However, when they’re rare, it can make gear upgrades feel too infrequent. That stunts the excitement of leveling up.
Gem System Needs More Flexibility
The new gem system is a huge improvement over older ARPG mechanics. However, it still needs tweaking. The system is much more intuitive. It takes away some of the frustration that came with gem management in Path of Exile. There’s one major issue. The drop rates for Uncut Support Gems are painfully low compared to Uncut Skill Gems. This creates a situation where your choices feel nearly permanent, and there’s not enough room for experimentation with builds. Build diversity makes ARPGs so exciting. However, in Path of Exile 2, that freedom feels restricted. This restriction is due to the scarcity of certain gems. This limits creativity and can make players feel stuck with their builds.
Gold and Economy Issues
Gold is now an essential part of the economy in Path of Exile 2. It is used for purchasing items and refunding passive points. While this system has been praised in other ARPGs, the main complaint here is that gold is too scarce. Early in the game, I’m finding it difficult to earn enough gold for basic items. Buying high quality gear is even harder. Buying a random ring requires thousands of gold (while selling a ring to a vendor is 5 gold…). This is a huge grind at the beginning. This is even more of a problem when it comes to refunding skill points. The new passive skill tree is complex. With all the new weapons and skills, the choices you make early on feel more tentative. It’s frustrating to be locked into those decisions without enough resources. Devs can nerf a build in the gigantic skill tree suddenly anytime they want. Especially with no compensation from the build you worked hard to obtain. There is no free refund other than to spend X amount of gold to try something else you have in mind.
Balancing Issues and Prolonged Fights
Perhaps the most significant issue at the moment is the game’s balance. Some of the bosses are downright brutal. I have beaten Act one final boss fight on the first try without a problem using my Monk. However, I can’t ignore that bosses can drag on. The fights last for 15 minutes or more if you don’t make the right moves. Long, challenging battles can be rewarding. The current pace of combat can feel like a grind. This is especially true if you don’t have the appropriate rare gear for your level (as mentioned earlier). I think this balance relies on players having good rare items. Without those items, every fight becomes an uphill battle. Combat pacing can feel off. This issue makes some tougher encounters less enjoyable. They can be more of a chore you go through rather than the excitement they should be.
A Diamond in the Rough
Despite these drawbacks, I’m still incredibly optimistic about the future of Path of Exile 2 (or this ARPG). The game clearly has a lot of potential. It feels like the developers are committed to creating a game for hardcore ARPG fans. There are certainly areas that need improvement. This is especially true when it comes to loot progression, crafting, gold economy, and build flexibility. However, these issues are likely to be addressed over time, especially with Early Access in place to fine-tune these mechanics.
In its current state, Path of Exile 2 may not yet be perfect. However, it is already one of the most promising ARPGs I’ve played in years. With some adjustments and polish, it has the potential to become the best ARPG ever made. I’ll be there every step of the way to see how it evolves. For any hardcore ARPG fan, I still consider it worth checking out now. Experience the raw potential and challenge it offers, even in Early Access.
Aizen Arcade 
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