I am counting down the days: Path of Exile 2’s early access is almost upon us! In two weeks, folks will have the opportunity to delve into the future of Wraeclast for themselves. True, December 6th is the delay date, but I’ll give Grinding Gear Games a pass this round for its slip in clockwork launches; I’d rather avoid post-launch snafus that might interrupt game time! And after listening to what’s in store with POE2 and even experiencing it some for myself, I definitely do not want my impending playtime curtailed! My flames of excitement for this sequel to Path of Exile sequel were fanned at a pre-release early access event in Los Angeles, where GGG kindly chauffeured and hosted us, as I talked with Game Director Jonathan Rogers, learned more about the impending early access, and got my hands on some game time.
What did I learn? Perhaps it’s a bit unique, but keeping true to POE fans, POE2’s early access will not just be a linear slice of the beginning of game. Instead, it’s a meaty serving of content composed of the first three acts and a chunk of endgame. This should appeal to new players and veterans alike! Players will have access to six of the planned 12 classes, plenty of gear and skills, and even a more robust story. I’ve also got details on getting access through supporter packs. Here’s an overview and highlights of what to expect with POE2’s early access.
A story with more substance
While Path of Exile 1 has story, it’s not so easy to find or follow. It’s sprinkled around in conversations and on items. POE2 is reaching further, striving to add more substance as well as making it easier to experience. As Rogers explained it, “I think the storytelling we are doing in Path of Exile 2 is way better than what we’ve done in Path of Exile 1.” This starts with GGG’s first foray into cinematics: The game kicks off with a beautiful opening cinematic that introduces the setting of the game. It’s worth watching! Though no others were previewed, Rogers did say there will be more cinematics throughout the game.
The gist of the storyline is that players need to track down the Seed of Corruption introduced by Count of Ogham, who just thwarted 20 years of freedom from corruption for the temptation of power. Of course, he must also silence any dissenters – namely, you. Undead, monsters, mutations, and madness are all spreading, and you’re wading through all of it.
Make new players, but keep the old
So is the game just for POE elites, or can it accommodate new players? One of my favorite moments came when Rogers revealed that new-to-the-franchise players rated POE2 higher and easier to play than POE veterans! It turns out that the muscle memory and the deep knowledge that POE players have from the original actually hinders them when trying to play POE2, whereas new players with a clean slate were able to grasp the controls more quickly. So if you are a casual POE player, you might find POE2 either easier, more difficult (especially if you get hampered a bit by muscle memory like I did), or a mixture of the two, depending on the system.
Some classes coming to Path of Exile 2 will be familiar to POE players, but others are sufficiently different to seem newer to the old folks. When early access launches, folks can choose between Witch, Sorceress, Monk, Warrior, Ranger, and Mercenary. I’d love to see the breakdown on which classes will be more popular for the new players versus the veterans post-launch.
Why endgame early?
Those who aren’t current POE players may find the idea of endgame being in early access weird. But a large chunk of the game’s fanbase is focused nearly exclusively on endgame, and GGG is very cognizant of this. Rogers shared that big portion of players are hardcore, spending 99% of their time in endgame after racing through the campaign. After all, those players have run through the story acts countless times with each new league. And think about it: There’s 25 hours in story versus hundreds of hours in endgame. Obviously, endgame is important to focus on.
Because of this, Rogers explained that without some form of endgame, the game would tank. Those who want endgame as their game have it to test without having to wade through the entire game to possibly be disappointed. Of course, just as the campaign has only three of the six acts, the early access will have only seven of the possible endgame systems to explore, each with its own pinnacle endgame encounter.
There’s so much that can be said about the new endgame Altas, from it being a topographical map that players explore to having nodes become inaccessible once you die. (yup, that means you can never access that spot or gain its rewards if you cannot find an open path to it!) The Atlas is all about cleansing the corruption from the land and gathering resources. Monster packs are random, and the maps themselves are varied beyond what players will experience in the zones throughout the game. There are special encounters too, as well as places to claim a hideout.
Early access is Cruel
One thing GGG shared that will happen in early access is a second difficulty setting called called Cruel. If you wondered how characters would level up to endgame levels before entering the Atlas, this is it. In Cruel difficulty, players will repeat the campaign with all the monsters and bosses leveled up (but spewing out new rewards). This will take folks to around level 65, right where the endgame begins. However, this cruelty will be short-lived: Once the remaining three acts are added into the game, Cruel will be removed, and players will progress straight through all six acts to get to endgame.
Chiming in on changes
There are definitely a plethora of changes in POE2; it’s no wonder POE players stumble some! Here’s a quick rundown of some of these changes shared during the presentation and interview with Rogers.
- Currency items are streamlined, with fewer ones used in upgrading gear but more numerous as drops. “One of the things we think is really important is to make these options available to use as you play,” Rogers said. “All the items that add mods are much more common than they were in Path of Exile 1 so that you can use them through your campaign playthrough.” Besides finding them as drops more frequently, players can also disenchant and salvage unwanted items for more. POE2 also has sockets in some items that can have runes that add more mods.
- Gold can be used at the merchants (who have better items available as you level up) or to respec your passive tree. Note that as you level, the respecs will cost more and more. POE2 will also have a currency exchange, so folks can exchange currencies with other players for a gold fee.
Ascension trials are different. They are still intense tests, but there will be a wide variety of them, and players can pick and choose which ones to attempt according the their own playstyles in order to gain the points needed to ascend. Each trial is associated with one of the major cultures of Wraeclast. In early access, the Trial of Chaos and the Trial of Sehhemas will be available, but others will come with launch.- The blank slate aspect of uncut gems is simply awesome. No more hoarding a bajillion different gems; the uncut ones stack until you select their properties. Couple this with the new skill interface that is divorced from gear (and lets you socket up to five supports on each skill independent of other skills), and you have a more intuitive and smoother system without so much hassle.
- Traveling merchants can be found throughout the world, as well as one apparently retired guy just relaxing who will give you a sweet piece of awesome equipment – for free! Who’s with me on finding this dude?!
- Vendor recipes are no longer a thing; instead, there will be things like special benches unlocked as players progress in game.
Hideout homelessness
My biggest disappointment so far was learning that the player housing-esque feature of hideouts is now gated behind endgame. They will be available only via the Atlas. I look forward to having my place to decorate, but I won’t be able to until I reach an appropriate spot I can clear and claim. At least once the hideout is opened, it is available to all characters, but still. I guess GGG just found a way to actually get me to participate in endgame!
Getting access
So you want to play? Getting into early access is not the same as playing the game upon launch. Like POE, POE2 will be free-to-play, but it is not free-to-access-early. Access is acquired through supporter packs. However, Rogers was quick to note that players are getting more than game access with this purchase. The lowest pack at $30 gives players $30 of coins to use in game. Upper packs filled with more coins and even tangible treasures are also available. Rogers did confirm that anyone who has already spent $500 on supporter packs during their POE lifetime will get in for free, so there’s a nice perk for you hardcores.
What if your world changed every three months? What would you do differently? Path of Exile does, and MOP’s MJ Guthrie explores and experiences each new incarnation in Wandering Wraeclast. Join us biweekly for a look into each new challenge league and world expansion — and see whether MJ can finally reach the end of one world before it ends!
