This game is more than pretty decent....
The cash shop is not focused on pay to win mechanics, unless you count getting more and more storage space a pay to win mechanic or having your character's cosmetic look kill with a look :P

The skill gem system is and has been pretty creative - you don't "learn" spells. the skill gems are the spells, which you can either buy in-game or are dropped from monsters/mobs...it is also worth noting that these spells level up and can be "reset" with a 20% "quality" increase which increases a certain mod of the skill...usually worth it if that skill gem is your bread and butter

The end-game is massive, the "new" 10-act system also has the diablo II'esque random map generation for each area so no two areas are different....unless you go left usually ;) (left as in the direction from entrance to exit for some maps/areas)

There is a great passive tree which is used to help you plan your character and a sub-class system for when you clear certain labyrinths to further advance your butt-kicking ability

All in all, Path of Exile has been a great game from inception to now (and hopefully further) and I would recommend it for the Action Role-Playing Game lover in your life, if that's not you....

This game is more than pretty decent.... The cash shop is not focused on pay to win mechanics, unless you count getting more and more storage space a pay to win mechanic or having your character's cosmetic look kill with a look :P The skill gem system is and has been pretty creative - you don't "learn" spells. the skill gems are the spells, which you can either buy in-game or are dropped from monsters/mobs...it is also worth noting that these spells level up and can be "reset" with a 20% "quality" increase which increases a certain mod of the skill...usually worth it if that skill gem is your bread and butter The end-game is massive, the "new" 10-act system also has the diablo II'esque random map generation for each area so no two areas are different....unless you go left usually ;) (left as in the direction from entrance to exit for some maps/areas) There is a great passive tree which is used to help you plan your character and a sub-class system for when you clear certain labyrinths to further advance your butt-kicking ability All in all, Path of Exile has been a great game from inception to now (and hopefully further) and I would recommend it for the Action Role-Playing Game lover in your life, if that's not you....