Path of Exile versus Blizzard: PoE owns Diablo 3.

I wrote an post in which I expressed my sadness with D3. I essentially outlined that all I longed for out of Diablo 3 was a somewhat expanded version of the last Diablo game. When Diablo 3 declined to meet my wants, I was upset, as if I would never get to be entertained by a title that made me have fun the way I did while engaging with the last Diablo game. If the eponymous Blizzard could fall short in making a addictive ARPG in today’s game market, then it was reasonable to think that it wasn't going to happen ever. I have since played Path of Exile.

The next generation F2P ARPG is now at release. I have been acquainted with this new release ever since I initially realized that Diablo 3 was not engaging. Path of Exile was one of the top hits I saw on Bing when I was searching addictively for any other ARPG that could scratch the need to play a huge RPG that D3 failed to scratch. When I read it was F2P, I almost banished it consummately, deciding that any game develop that wasn’t brave enough to ask for money for its game definitely felt it had produced something terrible. But when I saw they were having an open beta, I felt I would give the title a spin. I am pleased.

Some facts were made aware to me as soon as I logged on to the server. At first it was how clearly this ARPG wants to be the last Diablo game. Second of all was just how much the people enjoying the title enjoyed it for feeling like the last Diablo game. One of the first missions in the game asked me to murder all the NPCs in a zone. Later in the first act I discovered myself in a jail filled with zombies. The checkpoint functions in Path of Exile seem to operate identically to those encountered in D2. The inventory UI looks as like that featured in the last Diablo game. Just as in the last Diablo game, levels are randomly created.

Certainly the most engaging part of my time looking at Path of Exile was just how many fans in the chat channel kept mentioning how this title was more fun than Diablo 3. Almost everyone chatting seemed to be there for the same thing: D3 upset them and they aspired to commit to something the same as to D2.

Not everything is totally the same as Diablo 2. There isn't an active skill tree in Path of Exile. Instead players collect skills as gear named gems and put into other items. There is however a passive sphere grid in Path of Exile. This skill tree is quite intimidating to peruse, as it features thousands of passive skills. Most of these give simple stat bonuses, such as 30 to strength. This system is shocking at first, but once fans get used to it, it has the possibility to add an amazing array of diversity in a ARPG such as this. Fans of PoE can also buy PoE items.

Path of Exile is recently in soft release, and will definitely see a long term open beta before the end of the year. Those who do not want to wait for open beta can play right now.