Path of Exile 2 has been making waves on Steam with its big playerbase, but those who dive into the game might notice its endgame doesn’t quite hit the same rewarding note as the first installment. As it stands, the sequel’s endgame feels slower, with a less thrilling payoff compared to the original Path of Exile. On top of that, dying in the game isn’t just a minor setback; it wipes out all your progress, loot, and affixes, which can get pretty frustrating.
Since its early access launch around two months ago, Path of Exile 2 has gained quite the following on Steam. This buzz is unsurprising given how players loved the first game. However, if you’ve toggled between the two, you’ll see they differ quite a bit—especially when it comes to grinding through the endgame. The original game had this exhilarating speed to it, with a process known as “juicing” that let players maximize their farming sessions. Path of Exile 2 attempts something similar but stumbles with a few hiccups it needs to resolve.
Both games share certain mechanics. Take Breach content; it was a hit in the original and is still present in the sequel, along with its thrilling pinnacle fights. But Path of Exile 2 brings a slower, more deliberate pace, especially noticeable during campaign boss encounters. Sadly, this approach spills over into the endgame. If you happen to die, all portals connected to a Waystone are lost along with any acquired loot, affixes, and progress, making it excessively punishing.
Generally, games thrive on their replayability—encouraging players to return again and again. Yet Path of Exile 2’s endgame can sometimes push players away due to its grind-heavy nature. Unlike its predecessor, where dying meant only losing some experience and a portal, in PoE 2, you lose everything, including the painstakingly enhanced Waystone and the efforts put into juicing Maps. You need to clear Towers before using Tablets to enhance maps, but there’s a catch that can make progress feel sluggish and, frankly, a bit of a drag.
Considering this, Path of Exile 2 would benefit from rethinking how penalizing its endgame is. Players don’t mind a challenge, but losing everything after a death can be overly harsh. Recently, the 0.1.1 patch eased the difficulty a tad by allowing more retries during boss fights like the Arbiter of Ash, but more could be done. Grinding Gear Games—the folks behind the series—might want to make juicing maps less cumbersome, akin to the original game. Keeping league mechanics and affixes intact despite death could strike a balance, maintaining challenge without pushing players away.
All in all, while Path of Exile 2 lays down a potential-filled path, it needs to smooth out its punishing twists and turns to fully resonate with players old and new.
