The action RPG Path of Exile has developed over the years from a Diablo clone into one of the most played hack ‘n’ slashes. Many fans compare this development to that of the online game Warframe: from underdog to king of the genre. What’s the truth behind it?
The better Diablo?
What is Path of Exile? Grinding Gear Games released an online action RPG called Path of Exile in 2013. It was intended as a kind of more complex Diablo. Group play is at the forefront, without PoE being an MMORPG.
- You meet other players in hubs like towns or outposts, whom you can interact with and invite to your party of up to 6 members.
- Together you fight hordes of monsters in the wilderness and complete quests.
- The quest for loot is just as important in PoE as it is in Diablo.
What sets PoE apart from Diablo 3? Path of Exile is significantly more complex. Just the skill system is incredibly profound. You can enhance your hero in a multitude of ways, which can be daunting for casual players.
PoE does not rely on a comic-style graphics; it is much harder and not quite as “polished” as Diablo 3. There are rough edges that players have to deal with. PoE does not play as “smoothly” as Diablo 3.
Tons of Content
What do players celebrate about PoE? Path of Exile has continued to evolve over the years. Currently, there are ten acts available that tell an epic story and provide tons of content. The community jokingly explains that you can only truly play Path of Exile full-time because it is so extensive.
Additionally, the action RPG offers endgame content that many other online games can only dream of.
- This includes the maps. These are procedurally generated areas where you fight monsters from the acts, which provide greater challenges each time.
- The Delve system offers you a procedurally generated mine where you must face greater dangers the further you descend. However, you will receive increasingly valuable rewards.
- You can develop your hero in different directions according to class if you take on the dangerous challenge of a labyrinth filled with traps and monsters.
- With the tons of possibilities and items, every character is unique.
- You can design your hideout and use it as a “Guild Headquarters”.
- The Challenge Leagues ensure a steady stream of fresh content.
Moreover, it should be mentioned that Path of Exile is not a game the developers intend to stop working on in the foreseeable future to focus on a sequel. It is planned as a long-term project and will continuously be supplied with new content. Players find in PoE a sort of second home.
How has Path of Exile developed over the years? When Path of Exile was announced, feedback from the community played a crucial role. This led to a large community that continually provides suggestions for improvements. These suggestions are implemented as best as possible, which players can experience in the new acts and other gameplay adjustments.
In September 2014, about a year after release, the action RPG already had around 7 million players. The team did not rest on its laurels but released expansion after expansion with new content such as the Ascendancy classes, the Labyrinth, new items, more acts, and more.
In May of last year, it became known that the Chinese company Tencent invested a significant sum in the developer studio Grinding Gear Games. Players feared that this could change Path of Exile. However, this has not happened so far.
Warfame versus Path of Exile
That’s why there was a long debate about PoE: Path of Exile has often been compared to Diablo 3. Which is the better action RPG and why? Those who were disappointed with Diablo 3 because it targeted more casual players claimed that PoE is the true successor to Diablo 2.
By now, the debate has cooled somewhat. Path of Exile has developed into something of its own, a game that no longer needs to be compared with the Diablo series.
Why are Warframe and Path of Exile compared? At first glance, it seems a bit odd that a game that is basically more home in the shooter/action area is compared to a hack ‘n’ slash RPG. However, both games have undergone a similar development.
- Both started off rather inconspicuously and targeted a niche of hardcore players who enjoy grinding. However, regular expansions for both titles led to them gaining more followers.
- Furthermore, both games are compared with major representatives of their respective genres: Path of Exile with Diablo 3 and Warframe with Destiny. However, by now both titles have been able to grow beyond this comparison and become something unique. Both games also utilize the free-to-play model and regularly receive major expansions.
- Both Path of Exile and Warframe are games that have broken out of their niche status and have achieved tremendous success.
A really good action RPG
How well Path of Exile is received: The game’s reviews on Steam are classified as 83% “Very Positive”. According to Steamcharts, about 21,000 players play the hack ‘n’ slash on average, peaking at around 53,000 – and that’s only on Steam. There is also a separate launcher, and PoE can even be played on the Xbox One. A PS4 version is planned for March.
Overall opinions are mostly positive, but especially those who are not into particularly complex games have a harder time with PoE.
What about the microtransactions? The microtransactions in Path of Exile are somewhat divisive within the community. Some find them fair, while others consider the prices for items and packages too high. In the shop, you mainly buy cosmetic items and inventory expansions. However, mystery boxes, which are loot boxes, have been introduced, and they haven’t been received as well. The microtransactions do not offer pay-to-win elements.
Path of Exile has achieved the same as Warframe and has transformed from a niche title into a significant success.
