Diablo 4 is currently enjoying some returnees from Path of Exile 2 thanks to the new Season 7. They are now giving their first impressions of both games.
Why are players returning to Diablo 4? Season 7 started on January 21, 2025, in Diablo 4. In the Season of Witchcraft, you learn witchcraft by earning seasonal reputation. This can be accomplished by completing tasks for the “Whispering Tree” and defeating “Headrot” enemies. You receive and enhance powers at a witch circle altar at the “Whispering Tree.”
The powers of the witchcraft are reminiscent of the Witch Doctor from Diablo 3. For example, the Piranhado skill summons a “Piranhado,” a blend of piranha and tornado, that attracts enemies and deals damage to them. With “Vengeful Spirit,” you summon a servant that draws damage to itself while simultaneously dealing shadow damage.
In line with this, there are new seasonal enemies and bounty objectives. Additionally, there are new occult gems that you can socket. Other items like uniques as well as a new reputation system and “Quality of Life” changes were brought by the developers with the update. Season 7 thus offers a good opportunity to re-enter Diablo 4, which players are taking advantage of.
Here you can see the trailer for Season 7 of Diablo 4:
Diablo 4 fits better
What is the feedback from the players? Many gamers who actually play Diablo 4 have switched to the early access release of Path of Exile 2 to give the strong competition from Grinding Gear Games a chance. The epic boss fights have particularly been well received by D4 fans, as they confirm on Reddit.
In the same post by nike121, it also becomes clear what Diablo gamers have missed in Path of Exile 2. The main topic here is the loot. It was initially scarce in PoE2 and had to be adjusted later by the developers. In Diablo 4, however, returnees are thrilled about the loot explosions, which often contain useful items.
Players particularly appreciate that they frequently find small upgrades for their builds independently. In contrast, there is criticism regarding character progression in Path of Exile 2. This relies too much on player trading, which is notoriously a thorn in the side for many players.
User nike121 believes that in Path of Exile 2, you constantly hit a wall and grind for currency for a long time, just to trade it. In contrast, Diablo 4 would also respect the limited time left for him after work and parenting. He says: “A big thank you to Diablo 4 for respecting my limited time!”
How does the community view D4 compared to PoE2? Especially among players with less time to play, the new Season 7 of Diablo 4 is well received. The user Sensitive_Spirit1759, for example, writes on Reddit: “[…] I jumped back in for this season and am having fun. It’s nice to turn my brain off when I have 30 minutes to an hour at the end of the workday after putting my child to bed.”
ZookeeprD shares this sentiment on Reddit: “That goes for me too! I can jump in for 30 minutes and actually play for 30 minutes and feel like I’ve accomplished something. I’m playing a build that I came up with on the go, and I’m still doing well in Torment 1. […]”
User PrimaryAlternative7 points out on Reddit what he now misses in Diablo 4: “It [Editor’s note: Season 7] feels good, the 2 things I urgently wish for now are something like meta-progression, maps, or just something for long-term grinding in the season for us losers without lives. And then a loot filter. I think that would make this game perfect. […]”
It currently seems that Diablo 4 is performing better among players who do not have much time to play. Gamers who have more time are currently leaning more towards Path of Exile 2 because it offers them more grind. However, if you are currently tired of PoE2, you can take a closer look at the new Season 7 of D4 here: Diablo 4 Season 7: All about Release, PTR, and the contents
