Path Of Exile 2: Brutal Intro

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Post on Nov 22, 2024

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Path of Exile 2: Brutal Intro - A Veteran's Bloody First Impressions

Okay, so Path of Exile 2. Huge hype, right? I've been playing PoE since, like, forever. I mean, forever. Remember when it was all clunky and the graphics were…well, let's just say they've improved. So, naturally, I dove headfirst into the beta. I thought I was prepared. Boy, was I wrong.

The Tutorial: A Bloodbath in Wraeclast

The tutorial? Forget a gentle introduction. It's a baptism by fire – or, more accurately, a baptism by everything that can kill you in Wraeclast. Seriously, I died more times in the first hour than I care to admit. I felt like a complete noob again, despite my thousands of hours in the original PoE. This isn't your grandma's ARPG tutorial, people. They throw you in the deep end and expect you to swim. And if you can't, well, you're dead.

It's brutal, yeah, but in a good way? Maybe? It's certainly effective at setting the tone. This new storyline is intense, and the way it unfolds really makes you care about the characters, even though you just met them. There was this one part where you're basically trapped with this group of NPC's and things go really sideways, really quickly. That was... intense.

New Skills, Old Problems (Mostly)

The new skill system is…interesting. There are so many options. Initially, it felt overwhelming. I spent a good chunk of time just messing around, experimenting with builds and discovering different ways to murder my enemies. I love that the skill trees are more intuitive than the previous iteration. This alone is a huge boost to new players. Less time spent figuring stuff out, more time spent, well, slaughtering things!

But the learning curve? It's still a cliff. I'm used to the PoE grind, but even I found myself struggling to get a handle on the new mechanics. I accidentally respecced my character about five times before I finally settled on something I could work with. It was frustrating, but I also feel that's part of the charm. It's this huge world you have to figure out.

Graphics and Performance: A Mixed Bag

Visually, PoE2 is a massive upgrade. Seriously, they went all out. But I also noticed some performance issues. My rig is pretty decent, but there were times when things got a little choppy. I'm hoping they'll iron out those kinks before the full release. And honestly, I don't care too much about the graphics - as long as it's not like the first PoE graphics!

Tips for Surviving the Brutal Intro:

• Don't be afraid to respec: Seriously, it's part of the game. Experiment!
• Pay attention to item affixes: Those little details matter more than you'd think.
• Read skill descriptions carefully: They're not always as intuitive as they could be.
• Join a community: PoE players are super helpful (mostly).
• Take your time: Don't rush. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

All in all, the Path of Exile 2 beta was a tough but rewarding experience. It's still the same old PoE we love to hate (and love), with shiny new graphics, a huge amount of new content, and even more ways to die spectacularly. Prepare yourself. You're gonna need it. Bring some friends, you'll probably need them too!