Path of Exile 2 guarantees to be a dramatically completely different recreation from its predecessor regardless of the preliminary similarities. The adjustments are such that, in the course of the Path of Exile 2 reveal at ExileCon 2023, it was revealed the sequel will now be solely standalone from the primary recreation, opposite to earlier plans. The loot-chasing RPG recreation additionally appears to be like set to unravel lots of the problems with the primary as Grinding Gear Video games makes good alterations for Path of Exile 2, and PCGamesN speaks to recreation director Jonathan Rogers about how these decisions got here to be.
Among the many largest adjustments is the introduction of the dodge roll – the brand new common area bar skill that’s core to Path of Exile 2’s fight. Clearly this may change the way in which you strategy each avoiding enemy assaults and positioning to your personal, however I ask Rogers if there are every other large design variations which have resulted from the addition of the dodge.
“Canceling adjustments an enormous quantity of stuff,” he tells me in a 1-to-1 interview forward of the ExileCon reveal. Because the group demonstrates on-stage, you’ll now be capable to cancel out of virtually each ability at any time utilizing the roll. “In PoE1 we simply didn’t have lengthy solid time expertise, as a result of they simply felt horrible,” Rogers remarks.
“There’s so many delicate elements to creating that really feel proper.” He notes among the different adjustments for PoE2, the place the flexibility to maneuver and retarget whereas channeling and casting expertise means you’ll principally by no means lose management of your character. “You possibly can have an extended solid time ability so long as you don’t really feel such as you’re dropping management – in PoE1 we simply couldn’t do it, and in PoE2 we are able to, so it does unlock the flexibility to do extra with reference to what we are able to design.”
One other large swap revealed elsewhere at ExileCon is a change to Chaos Orbs. One of the vital recognizable objects within the first Path of Exile, Chaos Orbs fully reforge a uncommon merchandise from the bottom up with all-new random modifiers. Nevertheless, which means all objects of 1 sort are equally prone to be randomly reworked into one thing good, which might make it really feel like nothing on an merchandise issues besides its base sort and merchandise stage.
In Path of Exile 2, Chaos Orbs will now reroll only a single mod. PoE2 merchandise designer Hrishikesh Sidhartha explains, “Because of this the merchandise you begin out with issues a complete lot extra. Now, each merchandise may very well be one or two Chaos Orbs from turning into a extremely good merchandise, whereas earlier than these objects have been nonetheless not good in the event that they didn’t have already got the great mods. Now you’ll hopefully use these things to your near-miss rares.”
That’s definitely a really welcome change – over time, the Path of Exile neighborhood has come to some extent the place the frequent consensus is that the very best objects are at all times made by way of crafting, and something wanting a Distinctive that drops from enemies is sort of sure to be nugatory trash. I ask Rogers whether or not there’s a push to return to the times the place your subsequent best-in-slot merchandise may present up wherever.
“I’m undoubtedly wanting it to be the case that individuals really feel like there will likely be good objects on the bottom,” he responds, “individuals don’t actually really feel that manner in PoE1, and I believe that’s a little bit of a travesty. It’s sort of developed over time; individuals did used to truly decide s**t up off the bottom different than simply forex.” He laughs. “In fact, they nonetheless do – it’s simply not the identical as the way it was, and I believe that’s a little bit of a disgrace.”
“The opposite factor that is a little more delicate is that individuals don’t really use Chaos Orbs very a lot any extra,” Rogers remarks. The group has been considering how you can encourage gamers to truly “throw one or two crafting objects at one thing” reasonably than hoarding all of them up for a giant single-item splurge. “I don’t suppose it’ll take many adjustments to make that work,” he says, “however these are the sort of adjustments we couldn’t actually make in PoE1.”
Additionally launched in Path of Exile 2 are Uncut Gems. These new objects are maybe certainly one of PoE2’s most enjoyable additions, dramatically resolving the burden of getting your palms on the Ability Gem you need on the stage you need. Uncut Gems drop on the stage of the world you’re in, however let you select from any ability within the recreation.
I word that some ability decisions are hidden within the menu we’re proven, and Rogers confirms that that is simply to cover the as-yet unannounced gems. “You possibly can decide any ability that the Uncut Gem is leveled as much as,” he explains, with the variety of expertise out there rising because the Uncut Gem’s stage rises as much as a most of 20. “You possibly can decide any ability in your complete recreation, as long as you meet the extent requirement.”
In fact, there are lots extra such adjustments, together with ones introduced previous to this reveal such because the transfer to gem hyperlinks being on the Ability Gems themselves, which suggests you’ll not be gathering probably 1000’s of Chromatic, Jeweller’s, and Fusing Orbs to get your otherwise-perfect chest piece kitted out for the loadout you need.
All of this makes me extraordinarily excited for Path of Exile 2, which arrives in closed beta on June 7, 2024. It feels very very like a recreation that’s being constructed by a group who fastidiously studied their earlier outing, found out what they’d most like to alter if they might begin recent, and are actually delivering on these concepts with good alterations. And if you happen to determine you like the previous manner? The unique Path of Exile will nonetheless be persevering with on for you.
Check out that recreation’s newest growth with the Path of Exile 3.22 league, Trial of the Ancestors, which additionally sees the introduction of the favored Sanctum format to its core endgame. We’ve additionally picked out extra of the very best video games like Diablo to maintain you busy till PoE2 lastly rolls round.