Summary
It may seem strange to longtimePath of Exileplayers that the sequel plays quite differently compared to the original, but as a standalone game,Path of Exile 2tries to reinvent the loop and become its own ARPG.Path of Exile 2’s player numbers on Steam are a clear sign that GGG is doing things right, even in the face of backlash about nerfs and lack of free respecs or discussions about the game’s difficulty. Still, the difficulty increase from the original, combined with a focus on no-cooldown dodge rolls and many boss fights inPath of Exile 2are all proof that the ARPG is not afraid to show its Soulslike inspiration - however, another mechanic further cements this.
Even before it came out in early access,Path of Exile 2was described as quite difficult, with its own developers dying against bosses in previews and showcases. Difficulty is often associated with Soulslike games due to their punishing nature, and some ofPath of Exile 2’s boss fightsexemplify this concept with small arenas, hard-to-dodge attacks, multiple phases, and more. What drives home the Soulslike aspect ofPath of Exile 2, though, is how it deals with loot and enemies upon death.
Path of Exile 2’s Soulslike Death Experience Explained
A recurrent gameplay feature of Soulslike games is that they often make players lose the equivalent of Souls upon death, return them to the last safe place visited, and make every enemy respawn in the overworld.Path of Exile 2does something similar, as dying in the ARPG means losing out on any potential loot that is already on the ground, which disappears. On top of that, enemies respawn and players are taken back to the last visited checkpoint or Waypoint. This makesPath of Exile 2’s endgameall the riskier compared to its predecessor, as players have to stay alive in order to get any loot that pops up on the screen.
When in Maps, if characters die in Path of Exile, they respawn in their Hideout and have to consume one more portal to go back into the instance. InPath of Exile 2, dying in a Waystonemeans losing the node, which is more punishing.
As such, progressing throughPath of Exile 2’s campaigncan take quite some time, as players have to navigate multiple bosses and some scary Rare monsters, and the checkpoints or Waypoints are often not found frequently. This means that dying can take players back quite a lot, lose them their on-screen loot that wasn’t picked up, and also make the way back anything but smooth since all enemies reappear.
Path of Exile 2’s Soulslike Approach is a Logical Progression After PoE
The fact thatPath of Exile 2is compared to Soulslikes is not a bad thing, as the game is rightfully carving out its own niche within the action RPG genre. Combiningclassic Soulslike elementswith ARPG staples makes GGG’s game stand out in a unique way, as it is arguably more difficult thanPath of Exile, but not in a way that makes it too frustrating or punishing - at least in the campaign.
One of the most recognizable Soulslike aspects in PoE 2 is that players are encouraged to dodge roll to avoid boss attacks and learn their patterns.
In the endgame,Path of Exile 2’s Atlasis where players will spend the most time, and dying in Waystones can be quite problematic because not only players can’t go back into the instance, but they also get an experience penalty. This isn’t something entirely new, asPath of Exileinfamously has a 10% experience loss on death in Merciless difficulty and the endgame, which often is more than a single Map’s worth of XP at high levels. As such,Path of Exile 2’s Soulslike approach to death is a logical progression after the first game.
Path of Exile II
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more. Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression.
