Genre Change Too Much For Me

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egervari#7076 wrote:

Your argument that PoE2 is "made for a DIFFERENT public" misses the bigger picture. As a sequel in a long-running franchise, PoE2 carries an expectation to build on what made the original successful, not to alienate its core audience—or even the broader ARPG audience. If GGG wanted to create something fundamentally different, moving into a completely new genre, then launching a new franchise would have made far more sense than presenting this as the next chapter in Path of Exile’s legacy.

I’m not asking for PoE2 to be a clone of PoE1. I actually appreciate many of the improvements in PoE2, like the revamped systems for gems, sockets, and progression, which address weaknesses in PoE1. My feedback is focused on aspects of the game—like the overly punishing boss mechanics and reliance on dodge rolls—that feel disconnected from the spirit of the genre. These changes aren’t just different; they’re jarring for players who have supported this franchise for nearly a decade and expect it to stay true to its roots.

Trying to dismiss feedback by saying "PoE1 already exists" is unhelpful and toxic. A sequel should naturally evolve the series while respecting what made its predecessors resonate with players. As for gatekeeping, trying to dismiss feedback as “destroying the great thing PoE2 is” is exactly that. Feedback isn’t about tearing the game down—it’s about making it better for a broader audience. Nobody’s asking for PoE2 to regress; we’re asking for a version of the game that respects the diversity of the community it’s meant to serve.

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You're operating under the assumption that GGG is working towards raising their market share and making more money as their primary goal, rather than making a game they want to play, and think other people might also want to play.

Your feedback is not really being dismissed, it's being pointed out that your feedback is actually you asking for PoE1 with updated graphics and improved accessibility for systems. That is not what PoE2 was supposed to be. It is a new game. You asking for the PoE franchise to act like many other major gaming franchises that simply copy paste with new graphics and a new story every time is what is wrong with the gaming industry.

So yes, you will get people telling you to leave PoE2 alone, so that we don't have another D4 problem. D4 was going to be very, very different before the backlash blizzard received about the pacing and the difficulty. You can see what sort of generic, boring slop that turned out to be.

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kubizek#9034 wrote:

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You're operating under the assumption that GGG is working towards raising their market share and making more money as their primary goal, rather than making a game they want to play, and think other people might also want to play.

Your feedback is not really being dismissed, it's being pointed out that your feedback is actually you asking for PoE1 with updated graphics and improved accessibility for systems. That is not what PoE2 was supposed to be. It is a new game. You asking for the PoE franchise to act like many other major gaming franchises that simply copy paste with new graphics and a new story every time is what is wrong with the gaming industry.

So yes, you will get people telling you to leave PoE2 alone, so that we don't have another D4 problem. D4 was going to be very, very different before the backlash blizzard received about the pacing and the difficulty. You can see what sort of generic, boring slop that turned out to be.

+1!

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egervari#7076 wrote:

I’ve spent about 7 hours with Path of Exile 2, and while I was beyond excited to dive in, I’ve ultimately come away disappointed. The game is undeniably high quality—the graphics are stunning, the atmosphere is incredible, and the revamped systems like gear, sockets, skill trees, and gems are fantastic improvements over PoE1. However, for me, the actual gameplay loop is where it all falls apart.

First, let’s talk difficulty. Path of Exile 2 feels like it’s trying to be a Souls-like game, and that’s just not what I—or many others—play ARPGs for. Boss fights are punishing, requiring perfect dodge rolls and flawless mechanics to avoid being one-shot. Even when I managed to beat a tough boss, I didn’t feel any sense of accomplishment or satisfaction. Instead, I felt frustrated and hollow because that’s just not why I play these types of games. I’m here for exploration, character building, loot, and experimenting with mechanics—not being forced to “git gud” at dodging in the campaign.

Another issue is the pacing. The campaign feels slow and tedious, with spongy enemies that take too long to kill and huge gaps between meaningful progression. Combine that with underwhelming loot drops (scrolls and gold from a boss fight? Really?), and it just feels like a grind with very little reward. The need to dodge constantly as a fragile sorcerer only exacerbates this, especially when using a controller, where auto-aiming can fail if you’re too far from a target. It’s a frustrating, clunky experience.

What makes it worse is the contradiction between the game’s accessibility goals and its difficulty. GGG clearly worked hard to make systems like skill gems and sockets more approachable, which is great, but then they made the gameplay brutally difficult, even in Act 1. It’s a confusing design choice that feels like it’s pushing away new players while alienating casual fans of PoE1 who loved the flexibility and approachability of its campaign.

Ultimately, Path of Exile 2 feels like it’s trying to cater to the hardcore “no mistakes allowed” crowd while leaving behind those of us who play ARPGs to relax and experiment. If you love games like Dark Souls and thrive on high mechanical difficulty, you might love this. But if you’re like me and value planning, strategy, and loot over moment-to-moment gameplay, this might not be the game for you.

I’m stepping away for now. Maybe GGG will address the feedback they’re getting and rebalance the game before launch, but as it stands, Path of Exile 2 doesn’t respect the reasons I fell in love with ARPGs—and that’s a huge disappointment.