When I started this Path of Exile review, the game looked like just another dungeon-based game. It has the traditional, for the genre aesthetic – a dark and grim environment full of enemies. As an old gamer who used to spend countless hours in Diablo 2, I find the initial areas with ruins and dark forests quite familiar.
For me, the controls felt intuitive, and I liked the combats very much. I got hooked up on killing monsters and collecting loot instantly. While all of this sounds like just another Diablo copy, don’t get fooled. There is a lot of complexity that will add hundreds of hours to your entertainment.
Overview
Path of Exile is an action RPG (ARPG) created by Grinding Gear Games. It operates using the free-to-play model, where you can use additional money for some of the features. The original release was way back in 2013 for PC, and later, it got ported for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and even macOS. The game’s story happens on the continent of Wraeclast, a ruined continent full of many old gods. The player is in the role of an exile, surviving and unraveling the mysteries of the island.
In the beginning, you are faced with the decision about your character class – Marauder, Duelist, Ranger, Shadow, Witch, Templar, or Scion. It sounds simple, but it is not. The game is really complex, and it will take you at least 2-3 times until you finally create a well-balanced character.
Exactly this complexity and incredible depth sets Path of Exile from the rest of the ARPGs on the marker. The skill system is quite amazing, and it is based around a massive skill tree, skill gems that provide abilities and can be super important later on, and specialized subclasses for every archetype. The customization options that you, as a player, can use for your character are so specific that you can really create a unique hero.
Inside the game, you will also find a robust crafting system, a player-driven economy, and plenty of endgame content like challenges, maps, leagues, unique boss fights, and more. At first, you may think that the game is old and that there is nothing more to discover, but you will be wrong. Grinding Gear Games releases updates often, keeping the game fresh and engaging for the community.
Graphics and Art Style
The game’s atmosphere is dark and has a gothic style, which is ideal for the story. All around, you will see detailed elements of the environment, such as ancient ruins from old civilizations, overgrown vegetation, and, of course, dangerous creatures. The characters’ models look good, although they are far less hyper-realistic compared to some of the latest AAA games.
The game designers have used light and color palettes that further enhance the overall visual experience. By seeing this world filled with shadow and muted tones, I could better transport myself in the dreaded world of Path of Exile. The sound design also helps to create a complete environmental feeling, with sound effects that complement the overall action of the world of Wraeclast.
Story and Narrative
So, the narrative of Path of Exile turns around the player’s character, an exile thrown away on the continent of Wraeclast for its crimes. As the character explores the world, it will discover many interesting tropes, far more than just “good vs. evil” stories.
The story consists of 10 acts, and each of them has its distinct settings, characters, and challenges. While you can go directly through the main storyline of Path of Exile, you can also find many environmental stories scattered around the world map. You will discover the history of Wraeclast through different artifacts, ruins, cryptic messages, and the inhabitants. In contrast to many new ARPGs, this game really dives deeper into constructing a full world and not just an empty shell for mindless grinds.
Player Base
Ok, the story and the world are great, but the main question is, are there still enough players? You might doubt it, but even more than a decade after its initial release, you will find a massive and very dedicated player base. There are millions of players all around the world, with a very active community. Thanks to the big following, the following aspects of the game are thriving:
- Trade economy. In this online game, the economy is based on bartering, an exchange between the players. As a player, you can buy or sell different items using some of the in-game currencies and be a part of a dynamic marketplace. The prices fluctuate based on the supply and demand of the market.
- Community resources. There is more than a decade of game knowledge that the Path of Exile community has shared on different websites. You can find wikis, forums, videos on YouTube, guides, build examples, item databases, and much more. After my initial try alone, I quickly understood that I had totally messed up my character. This made me start again and follow one of the build guides I found earlier, and finally, I got to the endgame with a decent hero.
- Social interaction. Path of Exile gives you multiple ways to engage with the other players. You can be part of guilds, join public chat channels, team up for big challenges, and more.
New Player Experience
I know what you are thinking. If the game is already more than a decade old, is it too late to start playing it? It is a reasonable assumption, but you are in luck. Yes, you can start playing today, and you can even benefit from the massive user-generated knowledge base. You can find guides and tips all around the internet. Yes, the game is a bit hard, but it is perfect for most of the ARPG fans. For me, it was a bit confusing to understand the skill tree at the beginning. I learned mostly by trial and error, and I needed to start the game from the beginning just to create a decent character for the endgame. It took some extra time, but for me, it was quite enjoyable.
Combat System
The essence of the Path of Exile is its combat system. It is very fast-paced and packed with a lot of action. You can use many active skills thanks to the skill gems that you put into your gear. You will have a wide array of attacks and spells to use against enemies, and you will also have great defensive abilities. The fights are very visual. The effects are very good, and they are not overwhelming like in some other similar games. You can still see the action and understand the surroundings, even if you are using a cool-looking attack.
Later on, as the game progresses, the movements and positioning are crucial for survival. The enemies hit hard, and you can easily die if you are not careful.
Some people criticized the game, saying that in the early stage, the focus is on clearing massive hordes of weak enemies, and that could be a bit boring. I think this is expected for a grinding game, and it didn’t bother me.
Life Skills
The game does not have the traditional life skills that you can find on other MMOs. It offers a crafting system that allows players to use different crafting orbs and materials to modify and enhance gear, adding sockets for add-ons and creating unique items.
You will need to master the crafting system if you want to truly maximize your character’s potential. You can tailor your gear to your specific build needs to get maximum results in the game. Some players spend a lot of time crafting specific types of items or providing crafting services to others.
Challenges
Path of Exile is a game full of challenges. The grinding really pushes you to your limits, testing your skills, adaptability, and game knowledge. There are several types of challenges that you will face in the game:
- Building your character. It is actually very hard to build an effective character. The skill tree is massive and, at first, really overwhelming. There are many stats, skills, and ascendancy classes that are crucial for success. It is really easy to mess it up at first.
- Gear optimization. It is simply not enough to just acquire a powerful gear in Path of Exile. You should learn how to craft efficiently to enhance it and optimize it for your specific build.
- Endgame content. For this kind of game, the endgame is the true beginning. You can find many compelling high-level maps, be part of leagues with unique modifiers, and face countless impressive bosses. There is no end to this experience, and it requires you to learn strategies and deeply understand the game to understand.
- Learning curve. This game has a steep learning curve, so many new players quit and never learn the true beauty of mastering a hard game. You need to be patient, have a willingness to experiment, and be eager to obtain new knowledge.
Pay-to-Win Concerns
I want to calm you down. This game is not Pay-to-win. It is a free-to-play game, and it does have some paid options, but they are mostly cosmetic. That is the best approach to get funding for the game and not ruin the game mechanics.
The only non-cosmetic items that you can buy to help you in the game are the additional stash tabs. They don’t provide any combat advantage, but if you are planning to spend many hours in the endgame, you should really consider purchasing them.
Improvements over time
The game is not dead, even though Path of Exile 2 is just around the corner. The game developers are improving it constantly by adding expansions, leagues, and regular updates. Some of the updates add new mechanics, improve already existing content, rebalance characters, and address some of the players’ feedback.
- Expansion content. There have been plenty of expansions over the years, adding new acts to the main story, adding new character classes, and enhancing the endgame content with features like Atlas of Worlds.
- League mechanics. There are temporary game modes that introduce unique challenges, modifiers, and rewards. Sometimes, it looks like the game developers use them to test new ideas. It is often that after a successful test, the new content is introduced to the core game in a future update.
- Quality-of-life-improvement. Most of the quality-of-life improvement comes directly from the players’ feedback. The game developers. Over the years, many balance issues problems with mechanics and user interface have been addressed.
Conclusion
Path of Exile is a true ARPG that can still compete for players’ attention. Even in the world of massive AAA titles, this game still holds its ground with regular updates and amazing gameplay.
What makes Path of Exile distinct is that its challenges are both very hard and very rewarding if you succeed. The game demands your attention and willingness to learn but also brings you an incredible feeling of accomplishment.
This is not a casual game where you can spend just a few hours now and then. It requires all your attention and devotion. It is deep, complex, and endless. Path of Exile has stood the test of time and has risen to the level of the so-beloved Diablo 2 of the past. I can strongly recommend you try it out, even if you have just learned about it today.