I Never Played Path Of Exile, And I Never Will... But I'm Siked For 2

I never played Path of Exile. It always seemed way too complicated, and honestly, I’ve never been that into ARPGs to begin with. But then I gave Diablo IV a shot and ended up enjoying it. Same with Lost Ark — I was all-in during launch month. Those games feel a lot more approachable than PoE ever did. And maybe that’s exactly why I’m actually looking forward to Path of Exile 2 (especially once it officially launches as free-to-play, as it currently costs $30 for Early Access).

PoE2 isn’t exactly a sequel — it’s more like a parallel game. It runs on the same engine, but it’s got revamped systems, modern design, and a cleaner experience overall. You don’t need to know anything about the first game, which is great for people like me who were always curious but too overwhelmed to jump in. It feels like Grinding Gear Games is throwing a rope down for new players — keeping the complexity that longtime fans love, while making it way easier for the rest of us to climb aboard.

Just from watching gameplay footage, the changes are obvious. Combat looks faster, more responsive, and easier to follow. Animations and visuals are a clear step up. Personally, I’m hyped about the dodge rolls and parrying — those little touches add a lot. The boss fights seem more involved too. It kinda gives off Dark Souls vibes, but in ARPG form.

One of the biggest quality-of-life changes though is the skill gem system. In the original, gems had to be slotted into gear, and the whole thing looked like a Tetris nightmare. In PoE2, skills have their own dedicated sockets, which is a godsend for players like me who’d rather not micromanage gear layouts just to cast a spell. Builds are still deep, but they don’t look nearly as fussy.

What I really like is that PoE2 doesn’t seem to demand a college degree in min-maxing. If you want to spend hours theorycrafting and optimizing, you totally can. But if you just want to mow down monsters with a cool weapon and snag loot, that’s on the table too.

So yeah, I skipped PoE, and I probably will never play it. But PoE2? That’s a game I’m actually excited for. It feels like an ARPG that respects your time and doesn’t make you feel dumb for being new. And in a genre that too often expects you to have a spreadsheet pulled up on your second monitor while playing, that’s a welcome change.