Path of Exile 2 Review – A Diamond with Rough Edges

Path of Exile 2 improves upon its predecessor in many ways, offering deep ARPG gameplay with stunning visuals and smart QoL upgrades. However, several frustrating design choices hold it back from greatness.
✅ The Good: Why PoE 2 Shines

• Clearer & Smoother Progression
  The revamped skill tree and leveling system are more intuitive than PoE 1, making builds easier to plan without sacrificing depth.
  Passive skill choices feel more impactful, and early-game pacing is improved.
  
• Graphics & Atmosphere
  The game looks gorgeous, with detailed environments, improved lighting, and a distinct art style that sets it apart from other ARPGs.
  Monster designs and spell effects are visually striking (even if sometimes overwhelming).
  
• QoL Improvements
  Reconnect feature is a game-changer—no more losing progress due to crashes or disconnects.
  Alva’s Currency Exchange shows the potential for a better trade system (now we just need it for everything else).
  
• Endgame Potential
  The core gameplay loop (maps, bosses, loot hunting) remains addictive, and new mechanics add fresh challenges.

❌ The Bad: What Needs Fixing

• Post-Death Effect Overload
  Killing mobs shouldn’t feel like navigating a minefield, yet PoE 2 insists on filling every encounter with delayed explosions, lingering ground effects, and stacking DoTs. In Delirium, this becomes absurd—waiting 20+ seconds after clearing a pack just to avoid death isn’t engaging gameplay; it’s tedious. The visual clutter makes it worse, as effects blend together, leaving players guessing where to stand.
  
• Corridor Hell: Lack of Open Maps
  The endgame map variety is shockingly bad. Out of dozens of maps, only four (Savannah, Oasis, Rustbowl, Steppe) feel truly open. The rest are claustrophobic tunnels or obstacle-filled pseudo-open zones (looking at you, Creek and Blooming Field). Maps like Augury, Decay, Hidden Grotto, Seepage, and Vaal Foundry are outright miserable, forcing players into repetitive, cramped combat.
  
• Ranged Combat Feels Punished
  The game pretends to support ranged builds but constantly forces point-blank engagements. Mobs burrow, teleport, or materialize out of thin air, nullifying the advantage of distance. Shadow creatures, underground ambushes, and off-screen projectiles make ranged play feel like a lie.
  
• Outdated Trade System
  The trade system is stuck in 2013. Alva’s Currency Exchange proves that automated trading works, yet the rest of the economy relies on:
  
  • Mandatory third-party tools (Awakened PoE Trade, trade sites).
    
  • Being online 24/7 to sell items. As a result trade market was crowded with bots and price fixers until game lost 70% online.
    
  • Constantly leaving maps to complete trades.
    
  • It’s a time-wasting relic that favors no-lifers and punishes casual players.
    
  Solution: Expand Alva’s automated trading to all items.
  
• Crafting = Gambling
  The crafting system is a slot machine disguised as depth. Want a top-tier item? Prepare to:
  
  • Spam 100+ bases with Essences.
    
  • Pray for 1 usable result after dozens of attempts.
    
  • Lose everything to an unlucky annul/exalt.
    
  Recombinators help but don’t fix the core issue: crafting is RNG layered on RNG, designed to sink currency, not reward skill.
  
• The Casual Player Trap
  The economy and progression are heavily skewed toward full-time players. A "nerd" farming 10 hours/day will:
  
  • Hoard currency faster.
    
  • Flip items for profit.
    
  • Engage in crafting (because they can afford to lose). Meanwhile, casual players hit a wall—they’ll never save enough for top-tier crafts or meaningful upgrades without treating PoE 2 like a second job. Players with more time dominate the market, leaving casuals struggling to afford upgrades.
    

⭐ Verdict: A Strong Sequel That Needs Polish

Path of Exile 2 improves on the original in many ways, with better progression, visuals, and QoL. However, annoying post-combat effects, map design, and archaic systems hold it back. If the devs address these issues, it could become the best ARPG ever. For now, it’s a must-try for fans but exhausting for casuals.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5) – Great, But Could Be Legendary

Never played a ARPG before but as a former drug addict, this game is way more addicting than heroin. 8.6/10

In this state, I would not recommend the game to anyone! I've played over 500 hours. The game has a lot of problems, but you could close your eyes to them if it weren't for the biggest problem, which is the lack of progress. In the game, you can run through the atlas for 5-6 hours in a row and get nothing, that is, wasted time, and if you take into account the other little things, then the mood to continue playing disappears completely. I was waiting for various patches and thought that developers would start paying attention to these problems, but as it turned out, they don't see them... I'll leave the game until better times, good luck to everyone!