Summary
- Dawn of the Hunt update faced fan backlash due to a lack of loot and heavy nerfs, prompting GGG to make hotfixes.
- GGG's slow gameplay approach in PoE 2 needs a death recap screen for players to learn from deaths in endgame Maps.
- Last Epoch's death recap screen may inspire GGG to include a similar feature in PoE 2 to improve player experience.
With Path of Exile 2 launching in early access just last December, there are still many changes and new features that Grinding Gear Games will eventually make or add to its ARPG, especially considering the vocal feedback of the community so far. The big Dawn of the Hunt update didn't sit well with many fans for several reasons, including the lack of loot in Path of Exile 2 and the too many, too heavy nerfs across the board. GGG is reportedly taking action to ensure the game is in its best state, with several hotfixes and changes already having dropped, but one missing feature is crucial if the current vision for the game is to succeed.
There have been several debates online in the past week or so after Path of Exile 2 developers Jonathan Rogers and Mark Roberts discussed the state of the game in an interview led by content creator Zizaran. The most recurring element so far is that there is a dissonance between the vision about the game and its state, which can lead to disappointing outcomes for all parties. GGG seems adamant to keep some aspects of PoE 2 intact, including the slow and methodical gameplay and the relevance of death in the endgame, but if it wants this approach to resonate with fans, a death recap screen is vital.
Path of Exile 2's 'Gambling' Mechanic is Exactly What it Says on The Tin
Path of Exile 2 adds yet another gambling mechanic in Dawn of the Hunt, only this time, its approach is quite different.
Path of Exile 2 Needs Death Recap Screens to Justify One-Portal Maps
Requests for a death recap screen are nothing new for Path of Exile 2 or its predecessor, and even other major action RPGs like Diablo 4 still don't have it. In this particular case, it's a crucial element for the game's approach to dying in endgame Maps, as the whole reason for single-portal Waystones is that GGG wants deaths to be meaningful and potentially even teaching moments. However, without a death recap screen, it's hard to learn anything from a given run, and it can be all the more frustrating for players.
Dawn of the Hunt did make some changes to how punitive death can be in the endgame, with players now being able to respawn and reenter a given Map after they die, depending on the number of modifiers on the Waystones that was used to create the instance. This was not possible before patch 0.2.0, but it doesn't really solve the issue, as fully juiced Waystones in Path of Exile 2 will always only have one portal, meaning that death will prevent players from returning to that instance.
Path of Exile 2 Should 'Steal' Death Screen Recap From Last Epoch
As such, it would only make sense for GGG to finally address the elephant in the room and at least discuss the options for a death recap screen in the game. Recently, a large number of Path of Exile 2 players started migrating over to Last Epoch's Season 2 update in order to test the game now that it's growing ever bigger and making massive changes. Last Epoch does have several features that PoE 2 fans have been vocal about for some time now, including a death recap screen, and GGG should take notes for its next big release if it wants to keep the one-portal philosophy.
Path of Exile 2's builds and endgame can be very complex, so it's natural that the learning curve may be quite steep. Even for veteran players, a death recap screen would go a long way to ensuring that they can truly learn from the experience should their characters die in Maps. This feature can help players at all levels, and it can truly make the ARPG shine brighter by making it a tad more accessible. After all, players can't really improve their builds if their character dies, and they don't fully understand the reason. Fans will have to wait and see if GGG actually pulls this off, but it would be a great quality-of-life addition to the game.
Path of Exile II
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 100%
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Nudity, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Language, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)
- Developer(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
- Publisher(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash, MMORPG
