Path of Exile 2 has long been teased as being different from its predecessor, and one aspect of it is the hybrid Soullight. The long-awaited sequel has entered early access and is already a success. Over the course of six months, the content is incomplete and there are some issues that need to be resolved, but it's still promising.

One of the other largest differences from the first game is how skills have changed. These gems are no longer limited to armor sockets, instead getting their own inventory page that can fit up to nine. Each skill can also have up to five support gems equipped to dramatically alter the stats and mechanics of each. Combining this with the increased flexibility between classes, PoE 2 has created a game with endless build potential.

Path Of Exile 2 Works As A Soulslite

A Bold New Step

PoE 2 retains most of the ARPG mechanics and even improves upon them, but there is one area where the game differs. Combat feels more like a Souls-like game fused with an ARPG. Challenging bosses present a real test to players, often requiring both skill and patience to defeat them.

This has largely worked for the game, adding a new layer of thinking, positioning, and boss creativity. This may deviate from the standard "spin-to-win" idea of ​​an ARPG, but it is a bold step in a new direction that could pay off in dividends and confirm PoE 2 as the Diablo killer.

How Path Of Exile 2 Has Changed

Step Wisely Exile

These combat changes affected the game in a variety of ways. The first thing many experienced players will notice is the reduction in regular enemies. This is compensated for by regular enemies having more health and more abilities that require movement. If you stop and try to scrape it off, you're more likely to die than survive. While changes like this may seem off-putting at first, they make sense when you consider how powerful your characters will be in PoE 2.

The boss is where you have the most influence. Path of Exile always had big, creative bosses, but the sequel's bosses feel like a whole new level. The ability occurs frequently, if not consistently, and many can result in an instakill. Some battles also have unknown rules that can take up to an hour. In this regard, it is important to follow boss patterns and have appropriate movement/evasion abilities. This unforgiving style probably made PoE 2's bosses more memorable and replayable than its competitors.

The Drawbacks Of Path Of Exile 2's New Combat

A Tad Overtuned

While these changes have been a net positive so far, they have not been without pushback. The most common criticisms are the difficulty of the boss fights and the departure from the genre. The latter point is somewhat understandable coming from a genre where the entire goal is to wipe out hordes of enemies with ease. The counterargument to this, however, is that innovation is never a bad thing, especially when it's even more prominent in a genre that has been felt to be lacking in recent years.

Boss difficulty was rather fair. This ranges from fights where you barely have time to deal damage to fights that make even Path of Exile 2's best solo class seem completely unfair. It wouldn't be surprising if some of these infamous boss fights received some sort of nerf, such as a reduction in boss health, damage from the boss, or the number of small fry enemies. However, a delicate balance must be found to avoid completely trivializing these well-crafted battles.

Fortunately, some changes have already been made or will be implemented depending on player feedback. A classic example of this is the evasion mechanism, which is an important and useful evasion tool. The problem was that I often got stuck in hordes of enemies and couldn't escape. Grinding Gear Games has already commented on this, saying that they will be adjusting the number of dodges to make it easier to escape from groups, but not to the point where it becomes a free escape button.

Overall, this Soullight change is likely to stick around, considering that a good portion of the game already feels tuned to it. It's also possible that players can become even stronger as more/complete games become available, so the difficulty doesn't feel as punishing. Either way, if done correctly, such a bold change could help a highly anticipated game like PoE 2 stand out even more in a crowded market. Path of Exile 2's new Soulsrite sensation may not be for everyone, but it ultimately works well and should be a good change in the long run.