Feedback on Path of Exile 2: TO: Grinding Gear Games

First, I would like to extend my congratulations to the team for delivering a truly impressive game. Considering the challenges you’ve likely faced, it’s clear that a lot of effort has gone into crafting this polished early release. The foundation of the game is solid, with high replayability and enjoyable mechanics.

In this post, I would like to offer some respectful suggestions for potential improvements, which may help guide future updates:

Map Exploration & Objective Markers
The map size is well-designed, but players may feel penalized for missing certain segments or avoiding them due to concerns over lack of return. Introducing map markers for objective locations could help players avoid missing critical areas and encourage more exploration, including dead-end zones. This change would also require adjustments to the loot table, ensuring that these additional exploration areas offer valuable rewards, which would incentivize players to explore further without the fear of missing out. Some players have mentioned that loot drops can feel sparse or slow, so balancing the loot progression alongside this change could be beneficial.

Melee Combat and Collision Issues
The collision mechanics for melee characters have raised some concerns. While the collision system adds realism, finding a middle ground that addresses these complaints is crucial. A refinement to the melee collision system could help balance the gameplay and enhance the overall experience for melee players.

Crafting Currency & Implementation
Currency for crafting feels limited, causing some anxiety about missing out on valuable crafting opportunities. I suggest incorporating more currency into the loot tables or adjusting drop rates to alleviate this concern. This would allow players to engage more freely in crafting without the constant worry of depleting their resources.

Waypoint Activation Range
Currently, waypoints often require players to be very close before activating, which can lead to missed objectives. For instance, I walked past a waypoint and it didn’t activate, which caused me to backtrack. It would be helpful to increase the activation range for waypoints, ensuring players can more easily track their progress without missing key locations.

Skill and Difficulty Balancing
While the skills currently feel engaging, some may benefit from fine-tuning. Making certain abilities more powerful or expanding their area of effect could enhance their effectiveness. Additionally, while the game’s difficulty is challenging, it may be worth considering the introduction of multiple difficulty levels. A "Ruthless" mode could cater to hardcore players, while an easier setting would allow newcomers to enjoy the game at their own pace. Furthermore, a slight reduction in the base difficulty could help make the experience more accessible to a wider audience.

Targeting Immobilized Enemies on Controller
On controller, targeting immobilized enemies, especially when using specific abilities (like frag shots after freezing), can be frustrating. I’ve encountered issues where the target becomes untargetable despite being frozen, making it challenging to follow up with attacks. It would be helpful if immobilized enemies could remain targetable to improve the experience for controller users.

Evasion vs Armor & Energy Shield
Finally, the evasion stat seems underwhelming compared to armor and energy shields, especially for dexterity-based characters. A reevaluation of how evasion works in comparison to other defensive stats could help balance the gameplay and provide more viable options for dexterity-focused builds.

Zooming out and observation
Currently it is hard to see certain attacks from off screen mobs that are one hit mechanics. Something to remedy this as an OPTION would be helpful such as a zoom out function like on some boss fights.