For what it's worth, here are my thoughts about 0.2.0
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Okay, I'm back.
I spent a good part of my summer vacation playing PoE1, and while I did enjoy it (hot take: PoE1 is still good) POE2 does feel better by comparison. I'm not even talking about WASD (I'll be a click-to-move dinosaur to the end, I'm afraid), I'm just talking about the generally impactful feel of gameplay. PoE1 felt familiar, and that was nice, but after reminding myself what it feels like to play a game where things happen too fast to even see, the more measured pace of PoE2 absolutely feels game-changing. At least, it's all feeling that way in the campaign, which I'm still working through. Still in act 3, I was able to down the Queen of Filth on my first try with the "new" monk, and it was a totally fun fight rather than a grind. I need to find some more damage in order to tackle the Molten Vault and the Trial of Chaos, but I think the boss balance in the current patch seems to be fixed compared to the start of 0.2.x, which turns the big set-piece boss fights into high points again. On to the Temple of Kopec... Stay sane, exiles!
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I'm writing to share some observations and constructive feedback regarding several core aspects of the game. My aim is to contribute to a better experience for everyone, as I believe in the potential of this title.
The Endgame Experience One of the most significant areas for potential improvement lies within the endgame content. Currently, there appears to be a notable absence of compelling long-term objectives and a clear, rewarding progression loop once the main campaign is completed. This can lead to a sense of aimlessness, where the effort invested in grinding and overcoming challenges does not consistently translate into meaningful rewards or sustained player motivation. A robust endgame is crucial for player retention and fostering a vibrant community. Weapon Diversity and Balance Another point of concern is the current state of weapon diversity and balance. It seems that a single weapon type or specific build overwhelmingly dominates the meta, rendering many other options less viable or even obsolete. This imbalance significantly limits strategic choice and discourages experimentation with different playstyles, ultimately narrowing the scope of gameplay. Enhancing the viability of a wider array of weapons would greatly enrich the combat experience and encourage more diverse character builds. Loot Acquisition and Player Agency The current system for acquiring valuable loot feels heavily skewed towards a reliance on 'Magic Find' statistics and pure random chance (RNG), rather than rewarding player skill or the successful completion of challenging content. This can lead to frustrating experiences where significant effort in clearing the hardest available content yields little more than 'vendor trash,' making truly valuable drops feel like an extreme rarity. A system that more directly rewards player skill and strategic engagement would foster a more satisfying and less arbitrary progression. Difficulty Scaling and Combat Design Regarding difficulty, the primary method of increasing challenge appears to be through inflating enemy health pools, effectively turning them into 'bullet sponges.' While increasing enemy resilience is a valid design choice, when it becomes the sole or predominant method, it can make combat feel protracted, tedious, and less about strategic engagement or skillful execution. Boss fights, in particular, can feel more like a test of endurance than a true challenge of player ability. Exploring alternative methods of difficulty scaling, such as more complex enemy mechanics, varied attack patterns, or environmental hazards, could lead to a more dynamic and engaging combat experience. Itemization and Unique Items The overall quality and utility of dropped items, especially unique items, warrant a closer look. A significant portion of loot acquired often feels underwhelming or immediately discardable. Furthermore, many unique items, which should ideally offer exciting and build-defining possibilities, currently feel either too niche in their application or simply underpowered compared to other options. This diminishes the excitement of finding rare gear and limits the potential for creative and powerful character builds. Trade System Usability One of the most frequently discussed points of friction is the current trade system. The absence of a built-in, convenient auction house or similar centralized marketplace forces players to rely on external, third-party websites and cumbersome in-game interactions. This includes the necessity for both players to be online simultaneously, physically travel to each other's locations, and form a party merely to complete a basic transaction. This process is slow, clunky, and feels antithetical to a smooth user experience, often resembling a 'shady alleyway deal' rather than a seamless economic interaction. Streamlining this fundamental aspect of the game would significantly improve player satisfaction and foster a healthier in-game economy. Market Stability and Transparency Flowing from the trade system's design, the in-game market itself is often chaotic. Without a reliable, transparent mechanism for listing and valuing items, prices can be highly volatile, and it becomes exceedingly difficult for players to accurately gauge the worth of their goods or ensure they are getting a fair deal. This lack of market clarity can lead to feelings of being 'ripped off' and undermines the potential for a thriving player-driven economy. Crafting System and Investment Finally, the crafting system, while offering the promise of powerful custom items, currently feels more akin to gambling than a reliable method of progression. Players often find themselves burning through significant amounts of currency and resources in a highly randomized process that frequently yields useless results. This high-risk, often low-reward scenario can be incredibly frustrating and feels hostile to player time and investment. Introducing more predictability, deterministic outcomes, or alternative crafting paths could make this system far more engaging and rewarding. |
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Thanks for the post, @kaxorrodoid0! I truly wasn't expecting anyone to comment on this thread, it was just for me to document my own thoughts as I play through, but I appreciate you taking the time.
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I haven't spent a lot of time in the end game yet in 0.2.x, so I can't comment there beyond noting that the game is only half-done, and the end game is going to change a lot before full release.
Same applies for weapons: each class is getting a signature weapon, and we're still missing half the classes, so most of the game's base weapons are still coming, and I expect that all of them are going to get adjusted before PoE2 exits early access. Ditto for itemization in general, and for unique items: most of it's still coming, so I'll wait until we have more of it in place. Their most recent unique additions and changes feel like they're moving the right direction, so we just need more of them now, which will come as development continues. Armour still needs a rework, of course. Item progression does need work; I'd like to see more constraints on the affixes that can roll on items, so that fewer items can roll with affixes that are well behind the leveling curve, or that have no synergy with each other. Crafting still needs work, too, for sure; the current version of the recombinator just doesn't feel like it's worth engaging with at all. I don't enjoy trading in ARPGs, in general, but I'll agree that the current system is archaic and improvements to the trade experience should be a priority. Thankfully, it is: Jonathan talked about exactly this in the last interview I saw with him (with Talkative Tri, I think?) so I'm just hoping that they also improve the SSF experience at the same time. I would have agreed with your take on damage-sponge enemies when 0.2 launched (in fact, I did say that act bosses in the campaign all have about 10% too much health), but I think GGG have made adjustments since then and the balance feels a lot better now. Again, not saying anything end game bosses here, since I'm not deep into the end game yet, but I do think GGG are zeroing in on a balance that feels pretty good in general. Stay sane, exiles!
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