Please don't ruin POE2 by trying to appeal to POE1 zoom gamers.

Lets break it down.

You need an end game. The early game will be impacted by the endgame decisions. This is because the skill load out and gameplay needs to lead into the end game.

GGG chose to make the challenge of end game in POE, copious amounts of enemies and particles on the screen at once. Probably in response to efficient gamers developing ways to destroy large amounts of enemies quickly by breaking builds. A build system that was way too big for a single team to understand and develop a game around easily.

For some reason, GGG's solution was to throw more enemies on the screen to make it harder.

I think we both agree this is a bad choice. But as far as AI goes, its easier, because you don't need to develop intricate attack patterns and smart AI for all the enemies in the game. This saves on tons of costs.

But POE 2 seemingly has some tough boss fights.

So - what they can do here is combine the 2 tactics. Require builds to decimate LARGE amounts of enemies quickly to REACH the boss - and then require the same build to destroy the boss.

This doubles the necessary efficiency a build requires to 'be efficient' - which is the name of the ARPG game.

I think they can appeal to both crowds and it seems like they are going this route with the new version of maps. Pick your poison. Want a map with thousands of minions you need to mow through? Your build is great at AOE and survivability? Go for it. Prefer Boss fights? Do that.

I think it would be very important for GGG to acknowledge that they created a system that fits this really well.