Grinding Gear Games (GGG), the developers behind Path of Exile 2, have implemented further emergency changes to address the significant backlash from the community following the Dawn of the Hunt update. This update, which launched earlier this month, introduced the new Huntress class, five new ascension classes (Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich), over one hundred new unique items, and extensive mechanical overhauls. However, the update's heavy nerfs have led to a surge of negative reviews on Steam, dropping the game's rating to 'mostly negative.'
The community's primary grievance centers around the game's slowed pace, which many players feel has turned Path of Exile 2 into a "total slog." Boss fights are excessively long, skills are underpowered, and the game's stability is questionable. One of the most helpful reviews on Steam encapsulates the sentiment: "Every boss fight is incredibly longer than it needs to be. Most of the skills do little to no damage. I understand they said they wanted to slow gameplay down, but I don't think I will even make it more than one week in this league at this point."
Other reviews highlight issues such as the forced combo gameplay, reduced loot drops, and the game's large area sizes paired with slow movement. A player with 5,000 hours in the original Path of Exile expressed disappointment, stating, "I have 5k hours in PoE 1 and it's my favorite game of all time. I love GGG but honestly, I cannot recommend this game to almost anyone as it is now."
In response, GGG has rolled out patch 0.2.0e, scheduled for release on April 11, to address these concerns. The patch notes detail several key changes:
Monster Speed Changes
GGG has addressed player feedback about being overwhelmed by monsters by modifying their behavior across different acts. Changes include removing interrupt events on certain monsters' attacks, adjusting the speed of monsters with Haste Aura modifiers, and reducing the density and life of specific monsters to make encounters more manageable.
Act-Specific Changes
- Act 1: Adjustments to Werewolf Prowlers, Tendril Prowlers, Hungering Stalkers, and other monsters to reduce their aggression and density.
- Act 2: Replacement of Boulder Ants with Risen Maraketh and removal of interrupt events on Faridun.
- Act 3: Modifications to Diretusk Boar, Antlion Charger, and changes to monster composition in various areas to balance encounters.
Boss Changes
Bosses like Viper Napuatzi and Uxmal have seen adjustments to reduce fight length and improve clarity. For instance, the size and amount of Chaos Rains in the Viper Napuatzi fight have been reduced, and Uxmal's movement and attack patterns have been altered.
Player Minion Changes
Minion revive timers have been revised to prevent prolonged downtime, and changes to Bind Spectre and Tame Beast gems allow for better minion management.
Other Player Balance
Additional tweaks include expanding the usability of the Rally support and fixing bugs related to specific skills and ascendancies.
Crafting Changes
New mods have been added to runes for caster weapons, and Renly's abandoned shop now offers a Blank rune for elemental rune crafting.
Performance Improvements
Optimizations have been made to ground foliage to enhance game performance.
Upcoming Changes
GGG has outlined further changes to be deployed post-weekend, including improvements to the charm system, introduction of Stash Tab Affinities for various item categories, and the addition of Atlas Bookmarks for easier navigation.
These updates reflect GGG's commitment to addressing community feedback and improving the overall gameplay experience. The question remains whether these changes will be sufficient to restore player satisfaction and steer Path of Exile 2 back towards a positive reception.
