Path of Exile

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2202 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,641 out of 2202
  2. Mixed: 258 out of 2202
  3. Negative: 303 out of 2202

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  1. ryanone142
    Jun 14, 2023
    10
    I have 10k hours in this game and love it. Best game I have played in 5 years. Played D4 for a couple weeks and it shows, the gap on how much better this game is large. Cant wait for next season.
  2. 7chease
    Jun 16, 2023
    10
    The best arpg out there. Has a mode for all sorts of prefered play styles
    Solo
    Group
    Hardcore
    Ladder
    Item scarcity
  3. NLForkNL
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    Absolute beauty this one. Not even Metacritic can silence me here. Get wrecked.
  4. Nevez
    Aug 10, 2023
    10
    + Replayable
    + Constant learning
    + Free
    + Passionate devs

    - Toxic community
    - Some nerfs may feel unwarranted at times
    - May be too complicated for new players.
  5. IPAITH
    Jul 9, 2023
    10
    Without a doubt the absolute pinnacle of ARPG genre.
    Complex character builds & crafting systems, can spend hours upon hours just planning your character and what gearing you should be aiming for.
    High character power cap, you can min-max until you're deleting whole screens of mobs and feel like a literal god. Huge and working economy. You build your wealth and spend it on the gear you    Without a doubt the absolute pinnacle of ARPG genre.
    Complex character builds & crafting systems, can spend hours upon hours just planning your character and what gearing you should be aiming for.
    High character power cap, you can min-max until you're deleting whole screens of mobs and feel like a literal god.
    Huge and working economy. You build your wealth and spend it on the gear you need. Dropped an awesome item you don't need for yourself? Go sell it, you just got rich, congratz.
    Incredible music.

    These devs release content every 3 months. Completely free.    … Expand
  6. Luciela
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    It's a fragmentary but beautiful story. Full of rich content. Fluent gameplay. An excellent crafting system. You can feel yourself getting stronger and making progress. Although it is not included in the in-game system, there is a trade system. Regardless of the system, there is an excellent internal trade structure. Almost every item in the game can be traded. It has a wide variety ofIt's a fragmentary but beautiful story. Full of rich content. Fluent gameplay. An excellent crafting system. You can feel yourself getting stronger and making progress. Although it is not included in the in-game system, there is a trade system. Regardless of the system, there is an excellent internal trade structure. Almost every item in the game can be traded. It has a wide variety of builds. Yes, there are meta builds in this game, but there are also builds that you can be strong independent of meta builds. The game gives you that opportunity. You don't have to play all of the content. The game has given you an atlas tree, and thanks to it, you can eliminate the content you don't like and increase the rewarding of the ones you like. The game becomes much more enjoyable. Endgame is very good. The missing part of the game is that the game engine is old and the graphics are insufficient today. But a big expansion is coming soon. It's called Path of Exile 2, but it's actually a big expansion. The game engine was recoded and the graphics were renewed. This expansion will offer us a more fluid and optimized gameplay. With this expansion, the gem skill system will become independent of items. In this way, the variety of items that we can reach in the early game will be enriched. We will also be able to reach more gem skills. In this way, we will be able to navigate the maps fluently with more than one skill. What a game. The ARPG Legend. We can call it the souls game of isometric ARPGs. It's not for everyone.… Expand
  7. DartPancake
    Jul 21, 2023
    10
    PoE took Diablo 2 as a base and became a new standard of the genre. Not everything is great - handling of character can be better. But it is best almost at everything else - a lot of interesting mechanics, build and skill diversity, huge potential of customizing your character (passive tree, jewels, skill gems and skill support gems), trade and economics, great crafting system.

    In PoE    PoE took Diablo 2 as a base and became a new standard of the genre. Not everything is great - handling of character can be better. But it is best almost at everything else - a lot of interesting mechanics, build and skill diversity, huge potential of customizing your character (passive tree, jewels, skill gems and skill support gems), trade and economics, great crafting system.

    In PoE you can do everything you want - you just need to learn how

    About Free to Play - I prefer PoE over Diablo model of monetisation. With equal money that you pay for Diablo you can buy here everything you need a few times. In reality you need around 30-40$ for tabs and you're very comfy, without them it's ok to play as well - I played at least first 500 hours without them. In Diablo I quit 70$ game after 300 hours. Also I personally like what PoE designers can do with shop skins. And skins for skills are just too tier. You can play the same build for years but feel it different just by buying other skins.

    PoE have one of the best development teams. They release a lot of content very often and with minimum bugs. Maybe GGG managers and designers make wrong decisions some time, but overall they hear players most of the time and doing good job at supporting one of the biggest and complex games of RPG genre.

    PoE may confuse you sometimes, but I think that it's better when it's not easy to master the game. I prefer to learn something new after 1000 hours of the game. Good job, GGG. Just listen to your players a little bit more and all will be great    … Expand
  8. ForstenRAY
    Jul 22, 2023
    10
    The best sandbox for the hardcore gamer. There are plenty of opportunities to do something interesting. Of course, I would like to see more opportunities to play content on long-forgotten and nerfed builds, but that's what we have.
  9. quintincford
    Jul 23, 2023
    10
    The best game that has ever been created, Chris Wilson made a literal masterpiece and he will be remembered as the god of arpg genre. 10/10
  10. skyincow
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Best ARPG ever made on earth, and most complete / deep game you can find on the universe. If you have time to lost, Exile yourself in the biggest journey u've ever had
  11. Kalandra
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Its just the best game in its genre. So much content, so interesting to create your own build and path.
  12. rodericrinehart
    Aug 7, 2017
    9
    Obviously, this is an ARPG for fans of Diablo III, Torchlight II, and many others. But it is FREE (legit F2P), and equals Diablo 3 in quality in almost every way. Huge community, playerbase, and continued support makes you feel good about playing it. It was a lot of fun, and I'm sure I will return to it again, and again.
  13. Dangles
    Nov 5, 2013
    9
    A much deeper, more balanced ARPG compared to Diablo III and certainly a better spiritual successor to Diablo II. The vibe is dark and griity much like D2 and the skill tree is vast and intertwining across every class. Currency is now dealt in useful items, eliminating player generated markets (such as the SoJ) and no god awful auction houses.

    Best of all, it's F2P and not P2W    A much deeper, more balanced ARPG compared to Diablo III and certainly a better spiritual successor to Diablo II. The vibe is dark and griity much like D2 and the skill tree is vast and intertwining across every class. Currency is now dealt in useful items, eliminating player generated markets (such as the SoJ) and no god awful auction houses.

    Best of all, it's F2P and not P2W (micro-transactions only give you cosmetics and stash tabs). Definitely worth your time if you feel jaded by the disappointment of D3.    … Expand
  14. Ozimandeus
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    I love this little game. It brings much to the genre and really rewards the player. It lacks an Epic feel to most encounters that Diablo 3 delivers and the story is rather poor and cliched. But it plays well and the skill tree is very impressive indeed. Value for money is off the scale.. Get it.
  15. SquishyEye
    Feb 13, 2014
    9
    This game is what Diablo 3 should have been like. I played Diablo 1 when it first came out and for the next several years if anyone asked me what my favourite game was - I would have answered without hesitation - "Diablo". And then the sequels came out, neither one of which could compare to the original. Path of Exile takes what was great about the original Diablo and actually uses it,This game is what Diablo 3 should have been like. I played Diablo 1 when it first came out and for the next several years if anyone asked me what my favourite game was - I would have answered without hesitation - "Diablo". And then the sequels came out, neither one of which could compare to the original. Path of Exile takes what was great about the original Diablo and actually uses it, unlike its sequels, while at the same time adding cool new features.
    It's a pretty short game, experienced players can go from start to finish on the first difficulty level in 2-4 hours. That is a bonus in these types of games because it contributes to replayability - you can easily try out different character builds while not wasting 10 hours going through the game. Some other games try to solve this by letting you completely re-spec your character, and well - those games I will not be replaying, since there is no motivation to do so. And remember - in this type of game the gameplay IS mostly character customization, since there isn't exactly an amazing story or skill and precision-required combat like in action-adventure or fps games. It's all about the combination of abilities you pick and your inventory.
    The best aspect of this game is, of course, the skills and abilities. This is where Diablo 3 failed, and Path Of Exile very much succeeded. Giant passive abilities tree, every class has access to every other class' skills. Some people complain that the freedom is illusionary and you're still stuck within your class boundaries if you want to make a playable character - and that's not true. If you're playing casually and are not trying to make a hardcore character to last all 3 difficulty levels - you can make viable builds of all kinds and still have fun. Combining skills with other skills is an amazing feature too, and is something I really wish I saw more of in other games. I'm still finding new fun combinations using skills I've overlooked in the past, (spell totem + spark + multiple projectiles + fork = you got your own mini boss from one of the areas!).
    At a first glance this game appears to have the same "trash" problem as Diablo - useless (non magic) items all over the ground that you'll never bother picking up. Except this issue has actually been addressed in Path of Exile. There are skills that let you use up non-magical weapon and armor items lying on the ground to create a companion, who actually inherits the properties of those items (for example, if one of those items had energy shield - the companion will have it too). And these items can also be converted to magical if one so desires, for example in case of an optimal socket configuration (which sometimes is impossible to find).
    Music and art assets are good too. I read in someone's review that "music was crap" and honestly have no idea what they are talking about. (they probably don't either).
    Unlike any other game of this genre, Path of Exile also has end-game content: once you reach a certain level you start finding "maps" that give you access to stand-alone high-level areas.
    The one thing I would not praise is the story, but then again this is not the right genre to expect a great story from, (that's what Bioware RPG's are for).
    Although of course, if you're one of those people who will hate on this game just because it's a Diablo clone and/or doesn't have a Blizzard stamp on it - then don't bother playing it, because no matter how good the quality of the game is you'll blindly hate it anyway.    … Expand
  16. Krehlmar
    Oct 23, 2013
    9
    There's some people complaining about the economy in PoE. Let me tell you why they are wrong in short and simple terms.

    Diablo 3 (yes, ofcourse it has to be mentioned) had the Auction House, problem with this was if you didn't play for a week or two all your stuff usually fell in price drastically making you useless. Having to stay up at night or set alarms to try and win auctions. PoE    There's some people complaining about the economy in PoE. Let me tell you why they are wrong in short and simple terms.

    Diablo 3 (yes, ofcourse it has to be mentioned) had the Auction House, problem with this was if you didn't play for a week or two all your stuff usually fell in price drastically making you useless. Having to stay up at night or set alarms to try and win auctions.
    PoE economics are based on a lot of currencies, the thing about these is that they are ALL USED in the crafting and usage of everyday items/maps in the game. What results is that there is hardly any inflation. Where in Diablo 3 your 1 million gold was worth a lot at launch and now useless, my items and currencies I got over half a year ago in this game are still largely the same in worth.

    What this evolves to is that PoE has a stable economy that lets people play for a few hours, days, or whichever, leave the game, and return later and still feel engaged and fresh! You always feel like you are making progress towards the bigger hole.

    As for the gameplay, remember in Diablo II how people could come up with these quarky builds and make them work?! I remember a duel-wield potion-throwing barbarian. Now in Diablo III there was nothing of the sort, pretty much every class had a "best" build (at least in HC).
    In PoE there are nearly limitless builds and combinations, every class can do everything.

    Want to be a two-hand melee witch (the frail magic caster)? You can make it work.
    Want to be a huge maurader specialized on traps or minions? Go for it!

    HOWEVER; There are some drawbacks to this, you usually need some tips on how to build a good character (the forums, reddit etc) and you should be prepared that during some levels of your build you will be pretty bad, just like in Diablo II there is a dead zone before your plan goes into fruition.

    That said, this is the spiritual and evolved successor to Diablo II in my opinion.
    Is it perfect? Not at all. But it's worth giving a try, especially with friends     … Expand
  17. Mudpuppyuk
    Jan 20, 2014
    9
    Having played a lot of hack & slash - lots'o'loot games namely Diablo 2 & 3, Torchlight 1 & 2, Van Helsing, Titan quest and a few more - Path of Exile is one of the better ones. The classes are fun, the passive tallents and the way you can create any build is simply unique and amazing as well as collecting gems and leveling them up as your skills. And to top it all off... IT'S FREE! TheirHaving played a lot of hack & slash - lots'o'loot games namely Diablo 2 & 3, Torchlight 1 & 2, Van Helsing, Titan quest and a few more - Path of Exile is one of the better ones. The classes are fun, the passive tallents and the way you can create any build is simply unique and amazing as well as collecting gems and leveling them up as your skills. And to top it all off... IT'S FREE! Their microtransactions is not pay to win and they don't hold any content back. One play through from level 1 on normal mode should give you about 25 to 28 hours.… Expand
  18. untested1
    Oct 28, 2013
    9
    Man, this game this game so good.

    The visuals are good enough to enjoy the game. They're not the best, but they make it so that the game runs even on older PC's well enough. The music in the game is extremely good. The sound effects are good and they'll remind you of the good, old Diablo 2 games. On top of that you'll come across the same addictive potential Diablo 2 had to offer.    Man, this game this game so good.

    The visuals are good enough to enjoy the game. They're not the best, but they make it so that the game runs even on older PC's well enough.
    The music in the game is extremely good. The sound effects are good and they'll remind you of the good, old Diablo 2 games. On top of that you'll come across the same addictive potential Diablo 2 had to offer.
    The atmosphere is top notch, the enemy variety is there and there is even a great story behind, if you pay attention at the game. Talk to the NPC's, learn more about them. You won't regret it.

    And the best thing about the game: It is totally free. Download it, play it, enjoy it.

    There is only one "problem" I have with the game and that's the difficulty factor. The game can be merciless to newcomers. You will probably have to delete your character sooner or later, because you will realize that you messed the skill tree up, which can be quite overwhelming at the beginning. You will realize that some classes like the summoner or a good specced marauder have it easier than other classes. To avoid frustration I would recommend you to start with the summoner as the first class and concentrate on your demons to do the work for you. It will make it a lot easier at the beginning and you will learn the game better.

    Enjoy!    … Expand
  19. nomemory
    Feb 9, 2015
    9
    It's 2015, and I still play this game. True, I am not playing with the same intensity as I did back in 2013, but from time to time I allocate some time to finish a high level map with old characters.

    Why ? It's fun, and playing the game on Hardcore (permanent death) gives you a feeling of pressure and attachment to your character. Others have said this is the spiritual successor of    It's 2015, and I still play this game. True, I am not playing with the same intensity as I did back in 2013, but from time to time I allocate some time to finish a high level map with old characters.

    Why ? It's fun, and playing the game on Hardcore (permanent death) gives you a feeling of pressure and attachment to your character.

    Others have said this is the spiritual successor of Diablo 2. I do not agree. There are too many innovations and mechanics that are original and specific to PoE, that's hardly a D2 clone. The only things that can remind of you D2 are the graphics which are gloomy and less cartoonish than for example Torchlight and D3.

    What I love about the game:

    - The skill tree : in theory it's immense. Unfortunately you won't be able to pick everything you like, so in order for your build to be viable in the end game you will need to make "sacrifices" and "decisions", for example sometimes you need to sacrifice a little bit of your damage in order to increase your life.

    - Items: There's a nice synergy between the items and the skills. Basically you can have builds that only work if you posses a specific Unique item(s). Also there are builds that can be augmented by possessing items with certain stats. So when you create your build you need to think in anticipation.

    - Crafting: The game currency in the game are Orbs (there's no money in the game). Orbs can be used to augment your items: add new properties, increase the number of sockets in your items, etc.

    - End game: This is one of the few RPGs that have a nice end-game: Maps. I won't explain in detail how Maps works, but trust me, they add a lof of content after you will finish all the chapters in the game.

    There are a lot of things that make PoE shine, but I let you discover them.    … Expand
  20. TankGeorge
    Nov 5, 2013
    9
    No doubt, this is actually the best ARPG in the market and here is why:

    cons: - Connection issues aka de-sync. - Hostile to new players. No tutorials, no guides. pros: + Bones, bodies, gore, blood. No rainbows and voice acting. + Very high difficulty, even if you know the game and have solid character. Yet still, skill and knowledge helps overcome this difficulty. Not luck and    No doubt, this is actually the best ARPG in the market and here is why:

    cons:
    - Connection issues aka de-sync.
    - Hostile to new players. No tutorials, no guides.

    pros:
    + Bones, bodies, gore, blood. No rainbows and voice acting.
    + Very high difficulty, even if you know the game and have solid character. Yet still, skill and knowledge helps overcome this difficulty. Not luck and gear.
    + Complex game mechanics. You have to decide, how to solve mobility, survivability and damage from multiple possibilities. Therefore, you have to decide your way in skill tree, active gems usage, flasks, equip.
    + Endgame.
    + Events, leagues, ladders.

    The "problem" with Path of Exile is, that GGG developers are miraculously awesome. They are fixing and improving things so fast, that's scary to think, where all cons can be in few weeks, or months. They fixed major disconnecting issue during one weekend! I believe, they can fix de-sync over time. They are planning to add content. Improve graphic, sound etc I was blown away, how they improving specifically this during beta! Being witness of the scale and speed of improvements, I'm starting to think, if a new World of Warcraft was born? Since Path of Exile killed Diablo 3 oneshoot crit over 9000.    … Expand
  21. blackbrrd
    Jan 2, 2014
    9
    I am a arpg-fan and started out playing Diablo 2 some years after release. Have also played quite a lot of Titan Quest and some others. I also played Diablo 3, but I never got hooked on it.

    I think Path of Exile does a really good job as an arpg, better than Diablo 3. It's really fun to level up a character. The fights are fun, with a good variation of mobs, cool boss packs and plenty    I am a arpg-fan and started out playing Diablo 2 some years after release. Have also played quite a lot of Titan Quest and some others. I also played Diablo 3, but I never got hooked on it.

    I think Path of Exile does a really good job as an arpg, better than Diablo 3. It's really fun to level up a character. The fights are fun, with a good variation of mobs, cool boss packs and plenty of good loot. The itemization is really good, with multiple properties being important and you regularily find a good item. For a noob to the game (it's pretty deep with loads of customization options), but familiar to the genre, the game is just hard enough. I died a couple of times and ran around like a headless chicken multiple times. Nothing is as fun as nearly dying, but getting away in a game like this.    … Expand
  22. Metrogirl
    Mar 3, 2014
    9
    Path of Exile is an excellent game and I make that statement at 100+ hours played. It isn't without its flaws, so the bad news first:

    -I've had a few issues with de-sync, but it isn't so consistent to detract from the game. -There's also a bit of a learning curve figuring out the skill tree and currency system, but I honestly enjoy that in a game. Though to some this is a big    Path of Exile is an excellent game and I make that statement at 100+ hours played. It isn't without its flaws, so the bad news first:

    -I've had a few issues with de-sync, but it isn't so consistent to detract from the game.

    -There's also a bit of a learning curve figuring out the skill tree and currency system, but I honestly enjoy that in a game. Though to some this is a big detractor.

    -The game is also for all intents and purposes a clone of Diablo. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but a redesign of the health/mana globes and potion belt are long overdue.

    -This is a grind for gear game just like all the other titles in the genre, so don't expect it to break the mold in that respect.

    Now for the good news.

    +It's completely free. No catch. No advertisements, no pay to win, no trial run. This should be THE model that free games follow. You can show your support for the game by purchasing weapon particle effects, non-combat pets, and alternate spell animations from the website. There's also supporter packs that give you real world goods like hats and shirts.

    +The leagues and ladders are an interesting way to keep the game fresh. Joining a league server means you're entering a fresh game economy. Each league also adds different challenges for the player to overcome.

    +I also really enjoy the twist on game mechanics. The skill tree, refilling potions, and the use of skill gems are all interesting variations on the style.

    +Though story always takes a backseat in this type of game, there is one being told. It's nothing earth shattering, but I've enjoyed the pieces of story put into the game. I also love the voice actors for the game.    … Expand
  23. JRPGmaniac
    Nov 8, 2013
    9
    The "TRUE" successor to Diablo 2, this other game Blizztards name Diablo III is a sh1ty game with cartoon graphics & washed out colors it's nothing like the past 2 original Diablo games, D3 was made for WoW fans not Diablo fans, PoE have unparalleled depth when D3 have not even char builds, u can learn all the skills & change them anytime u want, so in D3 they remove attribute points, theyThe "TRUE" successor to Diablo 2, this other game Blizztards name Diablo III is a sh1ty game with cartoon graphics & washed out colors it's nothing like the past 2 original Diablo games, D3 was made for WoW fans not Diablo fans, PoE have unparalleled depth when D3 have not even char builds, u can learn all the skills & change them anytime u want, so in D3 they remove attribute points, they remove skill points, they remove char builds, they change the visuals to WoW-like cartoon graphics & strip the game from Gothic/horror atmosphere, in comparison PoE have the right atmosphere amazing Gothic dungeons, it's full of gore & blood, it have nice gritty/more realistic graphics, there is hundreds of possible char builds & customization that never seen before on any ARPG ever, yep PoE is truly the real successor to Diablo 2.

    This is the game all old school Diablo fans asked for & the most crazy thing? it doesn't cost a penny to start playing right NOW! so what u w8 for if u r an old school Diablo fan or ARPG fan in general that's the best game of this genre ever made by far!    … Expand
  24. theirrelephants
    Sep 6, 2016
    9
    This game is basically what Diablo 3 should have been. I really shouldn't need to say anything else. If you enjoyed the diablo series by blizzard, you will like PoE. If you didn't, you won't.
  25. Fawlcon
    Dec 30, 2013
    9
    Path of Exile versus Diablo III

    Path of Exile has more in common with Diablo III than differences; i.e. game play, view, combat, weapons, leveling, etc... But as much as they are alike, they are also different. Diablo III is a more polished game in the realm of graphics, game play, storyline and ability to trade items and buy items…but you also pay a price. I liked Diablo and would    Path of Exile versus Diablo III

    Path of Exile has more in common with Diablo III than differences; i.e. game play, view, combat, weapons, leveling, etc... But as much as they are alike, they are also different. Diablo III is a more polished game in the realm of graphics, game play, storyline and ability to trade items and buy items…but you also pay a price. I liked Diablo and would give it an overall B+. The same can be said about Path of Exile, which I would give a B+; but for different reasons.

    I like or Love; It is free…no risk. Graphics and story-line for this game are very good, not great, but for a free to play I am pleased enough. Weapon and amour system is similar to everything else, but different enough you find yourself tweaking and tweaking. Cool and abundant character selection with mind blowing ways of leveling up and fighting and spell tweaks. Making your own amour & weapons is fun, easy and interesting, but not so easy that you will get awesome amour or weapons without effort. As I am sure most of you know, the skill tree is huge…but if you take a little time to really study it; I believe you will enjoy the system they developed and ways you can level up. Like the currency system of barter, but it can become frustrating; read below. Great and easy co-op if you want to play with a friend.

    I don’t like or hated. Small character inventory which has you running back and forth to town WAY TOO often to unload treasure. I hate having to pick up gobs and gobs of useless stuff, but in order to have plenty of identification and portal scrolls and build up an inventory of needed stones and orbs for later use; you are forced too. The bad part is all they would have to do is add a feature that allowed you to instantly scrap a normal or low level magic item for the required scroll scraps OR to go ahead and hall it back to town if you think it might bring in a better price. This way when your inventory fills up with items worth bartering, you could make the trip back to town; but if you want top dollar for everything, you can still hall everything if you want.

    Towards to end of Act II I began to tire just a little, but about that time the difficulty and abilities of amour and weapons changed a little and “support” stones began to make an appearance. This freshened up things a bit and shows they put thought into the long term evolution of your characters…kudos.

    Recommendations for a better game:
    Have 10 to 20 percent of the story line quests be some type of problem solving, riddles or Tomb Raider type puzzle; versus just finding the key or killing the next boss.

    Fix the inventory system and figure a way you can cut trips to town selling crap by 75%!
    If possible, an auction house similar to eBay’s “Buy it Now” would be awesome, but keep it simple. Each person (free account) can post 5 items for sale and can state what stones, gems etc. they will take for said item.

    Final thought. In some ways I feel like this game is a rip off of Diablo III, in some ways better and in some ways worse. But after playing it for 48 hrs, Path of Exile is just different enough and fun enough that I do feel like I am playing a unique game that is just similar to Diablo III and not a copy of it.    … Expand
  26. birdman3
    Mar 13, 2015
    9
    Best free-to-play game I've ever played. The unique skill and currency system that the game offers takes some serious getting-used-to, but it provides the game with an interesting flavor that makes it truly unique. When all is said and done, it's what I'm going to remember most about this game. I found that using the currency (these gems and whatnot) to try and improve my armor and weaponsBest free-to-play game I've ever played. The unique skill and currency system that the game offers takes some serious getting-used-to, but it provides the game with an interesting flavor that makes it truly unique. When all is said and done, it's what I'm going to remember most about this game. I found that using the currency (these gems and whatnot) to try and improve my armor and weapons was fantastic (when I got what I wanted!) and frustrating (when I didn't). I also enjoyed making choices about what weapons I wanted to use based on what skills I wanted to use- sometimes it almost became a puzzle to coordinate my skills, my sockets, and my weapon types so that I could use Cleave even though my weapon was socketed with all green sockets. That was enjoyable.

    I played this game with friends all the way through, and I don't see myself getting into the endgame or becoming active in the community or PVP or anything like that- I really enjoyed the PvE aspect and the fact that on a whim I said to my friends "Hey, let's try Path of Exile". It's free, so we all already owned it, and each one of us enjoyed it immensely. Is it perfect? It was a perfect experience for us.    … Expand
  27. Artinuis
    Oct 11, 2013
    9
    Anyone who enjoyed Diablo 2 (especially the Median XL mods) will find the game they have been looking for in Path of Exile.

    There are many things that make PoE great, but the one that stands out the most is build diversity. You can make literally dozens of characters that all have real, functionally different play-styles. If you get bored of one character, there's always another build    Anyone who enjoyed Diablo 2 (especially the Median XL mods) will find the game they have been looking for in Path of Exile.

    There are many things that make PoE great, but the one that stands out the most is build diversity. You can make literally dozens of characters that all have real, functionally different play-styles. If you get bored of one character, there's always another build to try (whether based on Keystone passives, or unique items). Finding combinations of passives, skill gems, support gems, and unique items that work well together is the core strategy aspect of this game. Oh, it's also FREE and (starting October 23) will be available (for FREE) on Steam. The game will continue to receive meaningful updates (skills, uniqes, new playable areas, etc.) *frequently* for the forseeable future (1 year+ guaranteed).

    The negative aspects are as other reviewers have mentioned: non-negligible desynchronization issues sometimes causes unpreventable deaths, and issues with item crafting feeling more like gambling than upgrading. The developers have already stated that they do not like the current crafting system, and have hinted that the system will be changed or even overhauled, whereas the desync issue is their biggest headache and may not be entirely fixable based on how their server/client system currently operates. These problems, among a small selection of minor issues, are why I did not give it a 10/10.

    Regardless, as a long time ARPG player, I can safely say that PoE has set the bar higher than all who have come before.    … Expand
  28. Snivonim
    Nov 13, 2013
    9
    Excellent game and the best Diablo Clone out there. Way Better than D3. Outstanding flexible and variable skill development combined with above average graphics and nice game play. If you enjoy hack and slash game play this is a must-have. Oh, and can't beat the price.
    main criticism at the moment is rocky server stability which I am sure is being worked out. However, although I like    Excellent game and the best Diablo Clone out there. Way Better than D3. Outstanding flexible and variable skill development combined with above average graphics and nice game play. If you enjoy hack and slash game play this is a must-have. Oh, and can't beat the price.
    main criticism at the moment is rocky server stability which I am sure is being worked out. However, although I like the random maps (ala D2) I don't think they should be rest on a timer. As long as you are logged in, what you have explored should be remembered; this is one aspect I would change.    … Expand
  29. teemu92
    Feb 2, 2014
    9
    If you enjoyed Diablo 2, this game will feel like a true sequel, i can see myself playing for years, definitely try it out.

    It is free to play, with a really fair micro-transactions!
  30. gedrevn
    Oct 29, 2013
    9
    It's a shame that the indie developers of Path of Exile, Grinding Gear Games, doesn't have the name and brand recognition that got Blizzard a bunch of inflated scores for Diablo 3. The fact that Path of Exile's game mechanics, world creation, and story writing are ages beyond the lackluster Blizzard release are telling of what game developers can accomplish with the right focus ratherIt's a shame that the indie developers of Path of Exile, Grinding Gear Games, doesn't have the name and brand recognition that got Blizzard a bunch of inflated scores for Diablo 3. The fact that Path of Exile's game mechanics, world creation, and story writing are ages beyond the lackluster Blizzard release are telling of what game developers can accomplish with the right focus rather than a huge budget.

    While the lack of currency may throw off some Diablo veterans, the ease at which Grinding Gear brings you into the world and the story make the transition a short learning curve. And the payoff is quite good.

    Path of Exile is a beautifully crafted world with one of the most complex and elegant character building designs seen in recent memory. The monsters, the bosses, the items all are wonderfully reminiscent of Diablo 3, with a little extra flare that makes them both unique and engaging.

    No other free-to-play game gives such a wide range of content and depth with as little interference from their microtransaction store. Definitely worth a try.    … Expand
  31. Slipper
    Nov 28, 2013
    9
    Played for some time and loved it all the way. This free game is a must play for everyone. Invite your friends and start slashing. Very complex skill upgrade, many ways to upgrade your character, not very hardware demanding i even played on single processor core machine Thumbs up My score 9 why not 10. Well, sometimes is very repetitive.
  32. PaulMornigstar
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    From the very beginning the game has a mood, nice music, voice over everywhere. It it worthy successor of Diablo 2, even though it copies it in so many aspects.
    Skill tree is enormous and awesome customisation all the way. Bartering instead of simple gold system is fun, random maps is what makes this game repeatable and fun to run again the same areas, instead just remembering the way    From the very beginning the game has a mood, nice music, voice over everywhere. It it worthy successor of Diablo 2, even though it copies it in so many aspects.
    Skill tree is enormous and awesome customisation all the way. Bartering instead of simple gold system is fun, random maps is what makes this game repeatable and fun to run again the same areas, instead just remembering the way and all the locations.
    There are few minor flaws, like displaying map over you view makes it impossible to run (in D2 map was more transparent) and perhaps colors should be bit more varied, because sometimes it is hard to discern one object from another.
    Overall, game is hack-and-slash fun     … Expand
  33. SeveredWing
    Nov 1, 2013
    9
    Diverging from most of the online micro-transaction games you find these days, Path of Exile takes a refreshing turn and opts to have a pay system that is purely "Pay to Awesome" rather than "Pay to Win". That is the real money market is all about cosmetic upgrades and a few utility upgrades (such as increased storage and the like). It is refreshing to find that there is such an attitudeDiverging from most of the online micro-transaction games you find these days, Path of Exile takes a refreshing turn and opts to have a pay system that is purely "Pay to Awesome" rather than "Pay to Win". That is the real money market is all about cosmetic upgrades and a few utility upgrades (such as increased storage and the like). It is refreshing to find that there is such an attitude in the online gaming community. That being said the game itself has a few issues. Most notably is the ability to connect and stay connected to the servers. I routinely have found myself "timed out" for no particular reason and then waiting in a queue of anywhere from 200-2000 people trying to get back in. High latency also can be an issue and as it is an ARPG such things can get you killed, this is a really big deal in the higher end Leagues where death is permanent or carries severe penalties. Aside from that is also the issue of graphical optimization. While the game runs great on a current gen PC (anything with 512MB video card and a decent CPU) it suffers on portable systems such as laptops with integrated GPUs (it even ran sluggishly on my laptop with an nVidia GTX 760M with 1GB dedicated RAM). This is only an issue for those who like to play on a mobile unit like a laptop, but the graphics settings are sparse with little in the way of "low quality" for graphical settings (the lowest texture package is medium). It is hard to draw a comparison from this game to Diablo 2 as much of the game seems to be taken straight from Diablo 2, especially the overhead map and Life/Mana bubbles. That aside it has a refreshing progression system that literally has hundreds of possible avenues of progression and with the socketed skill system the customization of a specific character is practically limitless. This alone makes the game endlessly fun.… Expand
  34. Schantzee
    Oct 27, 2013
    9
    My actual rating is a 9.5/10 but I'm rounding up because this is better than a 9. This game is AMAZING and addictive. Customize your character's gear and skills however you want to. Choose from 7 different classes. The combat is click-intensive but it's so much deeper than other "combat". I tried playing Divinity 2 that has 3 classes only, you have to stick to the same class, skillsMy actual rating is a 9.5/10 but I'm rounding up because this is better than a 9. This game is AMAZING and addictive. Customize your character's gear and skills however you want to. Choose from 7 different classes. The combat is click-intensive but it's so much deeper than other "combat". I tried playing Divinity 2 that has 3 classes only, you have to stick to the same class, skills are limited, and combat is hack/slash. In Path of Exile I chose a Shadow (rogue type) and I can use any weapon or skill type like magic, bows, heavy armor, two-handed weapons, etc. I currently duel-wield claws, I can summon zombies that follow me and fight till death, skeletons too, I can animate fallen loot weapons to fight like a minion, I can detonate dead bodies to blow up, click to aim a freeze blast, or switch to my bow instantly for ranged combat....WOW is the right reaction. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO YOUR CHARACTER. So much loot, so much to fight, quests to complete, and you can do all these things side-by-side with a friend. AND IT'S ALL FREE!!! At least give this game a try because they're not kidding when they say that is is the REAL DIABLO III and then some!… Expand
  35. HotFlow
    Feb 26, 2014
    9
    What d3 should have been.. and it's free.

    Exile is but a beautifully crafted story that is compelling and immersive embellished with intriguing and well crafted dialogue. Appreciatively on my part, you'll find no irrelevant "go fetch 20 carrots" or "fritter away 5 minutes of your life by running between locations to collect bottles of goo" for no apparent reason quests we've become    What d3 should have been.. and it's free.

    Exile is but a beautifully crafted story that is compelling and immersive embellished with intriguing and well crafted dialogue. Appreciatively on my part, you'll find no irrelevant "go fetch 20 carrots" or "fritter away 5 minutes of your life by running between locations to collect bottles of goo" for no apparent reason quests we've become accustomed to from our RPG dosage. Instead, each mission is both thoughtful and purposeful, and drives along the story at a gratifyingly pace.

    The gameplay mechanics are somewhat innovative especially in terms of character development and offer a grand scope of possibilities. The music compliments to it's eerie atmosphere.

    My only qualm with Path of Exile is the fleetness of its existence, that leaves you pining for just a little bit more. Perhaps though this is the best legacy for what is a good solid and memorable RPG.    … Expand
  36. zombox5000
    Jan 14, 2021
    9
    Simply the best ARPG on the market right now, and for the last 7 years. There aren't any real competitors on the horizon either.
  37. nebulousfury
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    Probably the best dungeon crawler I've ever played, and I have played most of them stemming back to Diablo I and Balder's Gate I. As one of the many who got sucked into Diablo 3 just to be severely disappointed, I can honestly say Path of Exile erased my terrible memories of D3 and replaced them with pleasant memories of Path of Exile. Now this surely is not the game for people who wantProbably the best dungeon crawler I've ever played, and I have played most of them stemming back to Diablo I and Balder's Gate I. As one of the many who got sucked into Diablo 3 just to be severely disappointed, I can honestly say Path of Exile erased my terrible memories of D3 and replaced them with pleasant memories of Path of Exile. Now this surely is not the game for people who want to be able to quest their way to the gravy train without any grind. But since the gear drops are so high and the fact that it is fairly easy to turn bad gear into good gear even if you are having bad luck with drops.... it really makes the grind a lot more fulfilling. The graphics, while not top notch are very fitting and acceptable to the Dungeon Crawler genre. The combat starts off a bit sluggish, once you get to the end of act I in normal it starts ramping up a lot. Leveling occurs rapidly. Late game replay value is high due to the companies intensive thought into late game gameplay. Sound quality is great. One of the biggest complaints is there is no key bindings for control, so you gotta use the mouse. But for this reviewer, that is no issue at all as I prefer to use the mouse to move. Everything else can be keybinded. The learning curve is moderate, you will surely need to do some trial and error with the skill tree. I personally recommend just aiming for what you need at any given time that you get a skill point... and worry about what builds are "OP" later. partially because no builds are overwhelmingly OP compared to others. If you screw up severely that is really the only way you'll feel totally unsatisfied with a build. But there are very few "wrong" builds. You are also not bound to class.... any class can have traits of any other class, although each class does START at a specific part of the skill tree so in the beginning you are SOMEWHAT bound to class. Pay 2 Win does not exist at all, which is a rare plus. Really my biggest complaint about the game is with the chat and social features.... which are functional and complete, but need to be upgraded to modern standards.

    Gameplay 10
    Graphics 7
    Sound 10
    Gear Diversity 10
    Build Diversity 9
    Monster Diversity 9
    Combat 9
    Skill Tree 9
    Pay 2 Win (0 being P2W and 10 being totally free) 10
    Lag 7
    Replayability 10
    Community 6
    Cash Shop Prices 7

    8.6, rounded up to 9.    … Expand
  38. ravenesse
    Oct 27, 2013
    9
    Just stumbled across this piece of art while checking metacritic.
    Played for several hours now and really enjoy it. It has that great dark feeling, as the setting is really well chosen, interesting and new (to me). I just love being able to game a real badass. (Not someone who got captured and didn't do anything...)
    Hack 'n Slay at it's best. Also fine that you're not forced to game    Just stumbled across this piece of art while checking metacritic.
    Played for several hours now and really enjoy it. It has that great dark feeling, as the setting is really well chosen, interesting and new (to me). I just love being able to game a real badass. (Not someone who got captured and didn't do anything...)

    Hack 'n Slay at it's best.

    Also fine that you're not forced to game it 'multiplayer' (my zombie minions are enough company to me ;))

    So, if you like hack 'n slay, want it diablo-style but diffrerent, you really should give it a try. I mean... hey, it's free.    … Expand
  39. jseph1234
    Nov 27, 2018
    9
    I have nothing but positive things to say about this game. While only being a casual player of it, the amount of devotion and work that went into it and continues to go int o the development by Grinding Gear Games is to be applauded.
  40. alQamar
    Oct 28, 2013
    9
    I played the alpha and beta. Several years later this game is still fascinating and the developer amaze me with frequent patching, very very detailed patch log above industry standards and a definitely not pay 2 win approach for a F2P game.

    Path of Exile, with no exaggeration, spoken from my quite aged Diablo 1 & 2 and other RPG gamers heart is what Diablo 3 should have been.
  41. wyzeguyy
    Oct 23, 2013
    9
    The fact that this game is free and isn't pay to win makes me confused as to how major publishers get away with the stuff they release sometimes... Anyways, Path of Exile for me is the game that Diablo 3 should have been and for that I say thank you grinding gears!
  42. mr_cyberpunk
    Nov 9, 2013
    9
    This game is awesome Co-Op fun. I haven't played it singleplayer because its an MMO. But I've really enjoyed my time in Hardcore mode so far. This game hasn't made me rage quit yet, it feels pretty fair and has a lot of polish to it. I give it a 9 because as great as the game is.. That Chat interface is dreadful. They really need to work on that. if it were possible to give this a 9.8 IThis game is awesome Co-Op fun. I haven't played it singleplayer because its an MMO. But I've really enjoyed my time in Hardcore mode so far. This game hasn't made me rage quit yet, it feels pretty fair and has a lot of polish to it. I give it a 9 because as great as the game is.. That Chat interface is dreadful. They really need to work on that. if it were possible to give this a 9.8 I would. Because its pretty damn good but it just has that one annoyance.

    The skill system is a breath of fresh air in RPGs. This game doesn't have classes so much as a massive sprawling skill tree system that is incomparable and unparalleled in its complexity. Its also extremely intuitive as well however I did discover that its possible to build you character wrong or rather at least not as optimal is it should be. The loot is surprisingly complex and I love the gem system which reminds me a lot of Final Fantasy 7's Materia system.

    The games non-linearity and choices are actually pretty meaningful and interesting.. Very refreshing for an MMO.

    The icing on the cake is the price.. The game is free powered by Microtransactions which are purely cosmetic. This is one of the most hardocre ARPGs I've played in a long time and I've enjoyed everything about it. Its also shocking to see a bunch of Indies from New Zealand make a better game than Blizzard and charge nothing for it. I hope to see a long career for these developers and this studio. Our industry is better because of them.

    Thanks for the great game guys. Looking forward to see what comes next.    … Expand
  43. Napples
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    I really think this is the best ARPG that has been made in the past 10 years. There are hundreds of viable builds for every class and the itemization is great. Combat is fun and the environments and monsters are diverse. Oh and did I mention that the game is free?

    My only real criticisms of the game are aesthetic: the story and soundtrack leave a lot to be desired. Anyone who is a    I really think this is the best ARPG that has been made in the past 10 years. There are hundreds of viable builds for every class and the itemization is great. Combat is fun and the environments and monsters are diverse. Oh and did I mention that the game is free?

    My only real criticisms of the game are aesthetic: the story and soundtrack leave a lot to be desired.

    Anyone who is a major fan of Diablo 2 or the ARPG genre in general must check out this game.    … Expand
  44. klaatuzero
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    Path of Exile is an online Action RPG, free to play, not in any way pay to win. Cosmetic purchases are available, including skill effects, weapon effects, etc. Also storage of saved items can be expanded with purchases of additional stash tabs.

    The gameplay definitely evokes the addictive nature of Diablo 2, in a great way. Massive amounts of customization is built in to the game. There    Path of Exile is an online Action RPG, free to play, not in any way pay to win. Cosmetic purchases are available, including skill effects, weapon effects, etc. Also storage of saved items can be expanded with purchases of additional stash tabs.

    The gameplay definitely evokes the addictive nature of Diablo 2, in a great way. Massive amounts of customization is built in to the game. There is a mind-bogglingly large passive skill tree... which provides truly endless possibilities for making a custom built character that will be yours alone.

    There are 7 playable 'classes', (one of them being unlockable after completing the game in Normal difficulty). It may take some new players a bit of time to get used to the idea that selection of starting class doesn't define what overall skills you will be using. Instead it is simply determines the starting point on the passive skill tree. So when you decide to build a character that will deal ranged damage with a bow, you are not forced to start from a dexterity based starting point. With a little bit of imagination and theory-crafting, your bow-wielding character from any of the seven possible starting points will give you fun and addictive gameplay.

    The crafting system is amazing in the amount of options available. Find a starting tutorial video or two, then jump in and make a character. Don't expect your first built to dominate... just think of that first one as your introduction into the game... and regardless, will be gaining resources that can be used to make your next characters stronger!

    Grinding Gear Games is sooo on top of maintaining this game. The small size of the company allows them to respond to the player community and keep the game fun, relevant, and constantly updating.    … Expand
  45. remphz
    Oct 23, 2013
    9
    The game is really awesome, lots of things to do, a huge possibilitys of buildings and a well done endgame, and GGG is doing all they can do to make the game even better, the game really deserve a 10/10 but i'll but 9/10 for some persona reasons.
  46. Glacialis
    Oct 24, 2013
    9
    Absolutely love this game. Quite steep learning curve for newcomers to the genre but once you have the basic idea it is so much fun figuring out the best and most efficient ways of eliminating all that sand before you. A classic ARPG experience. A huge skill tree and skill gems allow you to tweak you build just how you want it. It's free to play and has no pay to win elements at all. AnyAbsolutely love this game. Quite steep learning curve for newcomers to the genre but once you have the basic idea it is so much fun figuring out the best and most efficient ways of eliminating all that sand before you. A classic ARPG experience. A huge skill tree and skill gems allow you to tweak you build just how you want it. It's free to play and has no pay to win elements at all. Any purchases available are for vanity puproses only such as skin transfers and non-combat pets.… Expand
  47. Enderz78
    Oct 24, 2013
    9
    Really loved Diablo 2. Then D3 came out and I was really disappointed. Then I found Path of Exile and I have been sucked in ever since. The level of customization with the skill map, the skill gems and the dark goth feel and quality voice acting for an rpg is impressive. This is not an arpg for people who want to whirlwind through content. The game at higher levels will challenge you. TheReally loved Diablo 2. Then D3 came out and I was really disappointed. Then I found Path of Exile and I have been sucked in ever since. The level of customization with the skill map, the skill gems and the dark goth feel and quality voice acting for an rpg is impressive. This is not an arpg for people who want to whirlwind through content. The game at higher levels will challenge you. The dev team is good with communicating with the playerbase to which is a bonus. Only reason I don't give it a 10/10 is due to "some" rubber-banding issues.… Expand
  48. Zenthazar
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    For those who spent hours and hours of untold fun on Diablo 2 getting that next unique, getting that next level. For those who love depth of gameplay with vast amount of choices. This game is for you. It takes the materia system from Final Fantasy 7, and the sphere grid system from Final Fantasy 10 and mashes them together. By far the best ARPG to come out in a decade. It's even free toFor those who spent hours and hours of untold fun on Diablo 2 getting that next unique, getting that next level. For those who love depth of gameplay with vast amount of choices. This game is for you. It takes the materia system from Final Fantasy 7, and the sphere grid system from Final Fantasy 10 and mashes them together. By far the best ARPG to come out in a decade. It's even free to play, while still being ethical about what they offer as payed services.… Expand
  49. Pewpewlazors99
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    I'm sure this has been said already. But this is what I wish Diablo 3 was. Its a great ARPG that actually have unique character design! Unlike the trending "everyone has to be the same" PoE truly lets you design your own character.
  50. Tophrbski
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    One if the most entertaining FTP games I have ever played, although intimidating at first once you truly get into the game and how it's mechanics work, it is incredibly fun. Allows for the most customizable characters of any game I have played. And last but not least has a great (albeit dark) story line and areas you travel through.
  51. Dracobane
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    Great game. Graphics aren't impressive, but the depth, challenge, and just endless possibilities make it amazing. It's closer to what D3 should have been and it's FREE!
  52. DeadlySphinx
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    Truly a terrific dungeon ARPG. The skill system is simply amazing, giving you so much versatility and so many options it's staggering. For first time player's it can be a bit overwhelming, but with the new tutorial feature things are explained quite clearly.

    The gem-skilling feature is quite an innovation as I've never come across a game with something similar, and allows you to create    Truly a terrific dungeon ARPG. The skill system is simply amazing, giving you so much versatility and so many options it's staggering. For first time player's it can be a bit overwhelming, but with the new tutorial feature things are explained quite clearly.

    The gem-skilling feature is quite an innovation as I've never come across a game with something similar, and allows you to create some very interesting combination of skills and abilities, while the skill tree helps further augment those skills and your character as a whole.

    Gameplay wise its a fun, smooth and interesting foray of monster slaying. And given how different each character you make can be, it'll take quite a while for things to become repetitive.

    The graphics are terrific for an ARPG, especially a free one at that. The dev team have worked hard on the lighting and shadows and the results speak for themselves.

    Try it out, you won't be disappointed.    … Expand
  53. Mja101
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    To put it simply, Path of Exile is one of the most addicting and rewarding Action Role Playing games to date. It features an extensive passive tree with over hundreds of possibilities with extreme character progression and builds. There are a variation of monsters, each who drop differing loot to keep players constantly killing.

    If you are a social player, there is tons to do with an    To put it simply, Path of Exile is one of the most addicting and rewarding Action Role Playing games to date. It features an extensive passive tree with over hundreds of possibilities with extreme character progression and builds. There are a variation of monsters, each who drop differing loot to keep players constantly killing.

    If you are a social player, there is tons to do with an easy UI for joining parties and progressing through the story together or, you can take to battle with Player vs Player action. This is coupled with a great chat box which players can help each other out or sell in game items.

    The game features 7 different classes each with their own unique abilities and play styles which caters to any individuals type of play-through, whether you are a brute tank (The Marauder) or a necromancer witch who can use arcane magic and call upon the dead for help. The game features a unique gem system which is essentially a skill that is constantly leveled as you use the ability to kill. This is an excellent approach to character development as the player constantly feels rewarded for their actions.

    The best feature of the game is that it is free to play! There are in-game purchases but they're merely cosmetic items which don't effect the balancing of the game as the developers have been strict on making a fair game.

    The game itself is nice to look at, however, it is not the prettiest game but credit goes to the developers who have been working on it for 7 years. Also, some end game items don't look as bad-ass as they should but hey, that's just my opinion.

    All in all, I highly recommend playing this game, its free, you have nothing to lose besides the countless and addicting hours you will put into the game.    … Expand
  54. Melchior
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    As a free, action RPG made by a smaller developer, this game gets all the right things right. The gear is complex and diverse enough to make your character yours while not so complex that you can't figure it out. Full community support and open interaction with the developers via several social media sites and their own forums make it even better since your voice is heard and discussedAs a free, action RPG made by a smaller developer, this game gets all the right things right. The gear is complex and diverse enough to make your character yours while not so complex that you can't figure it out. Full community support and open interaction with the developers via several social media sites and their own forums make it even better since your voice is heard and discussed if you have a valid point.

    It's a great successor to the Diablo 1 and 2 franchise (Diablo 3 will be forgotten...) and a very solid recommendation for anyone into the genre.    … Expand
  55. Kurshu
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    Throughout the beta this game has been fleshed out to be one of the best F2P games available. With no Pay-2-win items available through the store I hope the financial success of this game will set a new trend in the core gamer market.

    Strong visuals, an excellent soundtrack and an atmosphere that puts its competitors to shame stand along side revolutionary game play to place Path of    Throughout the beta this game has been fleshed out to be one of the best F2P games available. With no Pay-2-win items available through the store I hope the financial success of this game will set a new trend in the core gamer market.

    Strong visuals, an excellent soundtrack and an atmosphere that puts its competitors to shame stand along side revolutionary game play to place Path of Exile as one of the great games of all time.    … Expand
  56. gentlegiant03
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    It's tough to write anything negative about a game that you pay absolutely nothing for and provides as much content as Path of Exile has. The artwork is gorgeous for the environments, gear, and enemies, and the grittiness contributes greatly to it. The 1000+ options in the skill tree makes for many unique builds (although not all are truly viable depending on the league/difficulty). It'sIt's tough to write anything negative about a game that you pay absolutely nothing for and provides as much content as Path of Exile has. The artwork is gorgeous for the environments, gear, and enemies, and the grittiness contributes greatly to it. The 1000+ options in the skill tree makes for many unique builds (although not all are truly viable depending on the league/difficulty). It's difficult to believe this is done by such a small studio who's only income is cosmetic items and player funding. Without diving too deep into an item by item review suffice to say that this is a must play for any hack'n'slash fan.

    The most scathingly negative critique I can provide is that network glitches/lags can be lethal. This has a (majorly) negative impact on Hardcore characters, which are relegated to the Default league. My other knock is that rebuilding your character's skill tree is extremely costly, you must used hard earned in game currency to do so. This is done intentionally by the developers but if you are new the game your mistakes early are costly later.    … Expand
  57. memyself22
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    This game is by far way better than diablo 3 or other games out right now, amazing graphics and tons of choices to customize with throughout the experience. There is one big downfall that a lot of gamers have noticed lately, when playing through if you run out of portals your stuck wherever your at. for a few people this is absent minded but when you have to back track taking half an hourThis game is by far way better than diablo 3 or other games out right now, amazing graphics and tons of choices to customize with throughout the experience. There is one big downfall that a lot of gamers have noticed lately, when playing through if you run out of portals your stuck wherever your at. for a few people this is absent minded but when you have to back track taking half an hour or longer it can get really bad. Other than this the game is incredible and worth playing and spending major time on!!… Expand
  58. bachunderground
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    I don't often play video games. When I do, it's either an RPG, Tetris, or a random indie game that was on sale. I've tried to pick up others, but I'm slow to learn and need my hand held most of the way. The only other aRPG I've ever played is Bastion.

    So yes, I'm a filthy casual, but I feel like I should boost this game's rating anyway because no one I know plays it and I think I'm in    I don't often play video games. When I do, it's either an RPG, Tetris, or a random indie game that was on sale. I've tried to pick up others, but I'm slow to learn and need my hand held most of the way. The only other aRPG I've ever played is Bastion.

    So yes, I'm a filthy casual, but I feel like I should boost this game's rating anyway because no one I know plays it and I think I'm in love. Really. It's engaging, fast-paced and free-to-play, not to mention addictive! My only quarrel is that it's a bit hard to pick up. There's no help bar as far as I can tell, so you basically have to learn by doing. That's fine as I said, I'm a slow learner, so if I can figure it out, anyone can. Great game thus far, would recommend.    … Expand
  59. ScrotieMcB
    Oct 28, 2013
    9
    Path of Exile is a dreamsend for the cerebral ARPG player. However, the drawback of having the decisions you make during character building matter in combat is: the decisions you make during character build matter in combat. If you want to just dive into PoE and proceed directly to the slaying, the game will punish your subpar build mercilessly, perhaps not by repeated deaths but insteadPath of Exile is a dreamsend for the cerebral ARPG player. However, the drawback of having the decisions you make during character building matter in combat is: the decisions you make during character build matter in combat. If you want to just dive into PoE and proceed directly to the slaying, the game will punish your subpar build mercilessly, perhaps not by repeated deaths but instead the boredom of an accidentally self-imposed lack of combat options, leading to static and boring play.

    Which means: PoE is a brilliant game for a niche audience, very similar to Dark Souls, but not well-suited for the casual audience, and thus decidedly not for everyone.

    Pros:
    Amazing systems for meaningful choice in creating builds and maximizing skill effectiveness
    Innovative "goldless" currency and crafting system
    A variety of play modes, from hardcore to 4-month ladder to PvP to 1-hour race events
    Lore and music are simultaneously excellent and non-invasive
    Astonishing replay value due to a variety of viable options
    Cons:
    The game demands commitment from players to achieve even moderate success
    Failure usually leads to long periods of boredom before eventual, often equally boring death
    Lackluster netcode leads to desyncs
    Lack on in-game trading tools leads to reliance on forums and third-party sites    … Expand
  60. fraMe1983
    Oct 29, 2013
    9
    Better than Diablo III -
    Gameplay 10
    Design 8,5
    Bugs only a few
    item rarity 9 -
    skill tree 10
    complex 8,5
    tuning mod for items 10

    so all in all for a free to play 9 91%
  61. merendero
    Oct 30, 2013
    9
    This game is amazing. Really. I've been playing since closed beta and it just keeps getting better and better. The devs are very passionate about the game, respects the community and they want to make a hardcore game to the hardcore ARPG fans. If you like a challenging, rewarding, grind-oriented ARPG this is your best bet. And it's free!

    Don't give up just because your first character    This game is amazing. Really. I've been playing since closed beta and it just keeps getting better and better. The devs are very passionate about the game, respects the community and they want to make a hardcore game to the hardcore ARPG fans. If you like a challenging, rewarding, grind-oriented ARPG this is your best bet. And it's free!

    Don't give up just because your first character didn't work, or you keep dying and stuff like that. After a while playing, you'll get the hang of the things and will be able to enjoy the game a lot more. Remember: this isn't a game for everybody! This game is challenging, VERY challenging, but more important, it's rewarding if you don't give up. Just keep playing!

    They have a racing system that gives you item prizes as well as some bragging rights. They even implemented a guild system and we will get PVP tournaments soon, not to mention the 4 month leagues that works like a ladder reset. There will be always tons of stuff to do.

    I'm not giving a 10 because of the unfortunate connection problems the game suffers, mostly because GGG is a small company from NZ and they get their income with the microtransactions (only cosmetic stuff, this is not a Pay-to-win game), but I'm sure this will be corrected in the future.    … Expand
  62. jeidi1984
    Nov 4, 2013
    9
    gioco solido che ti impegna e ti attacca alla sedia. ambientazioni varie e interessanti, sistema di livellamento fantastico!un gioco fatto per stare ore ed ore con gli amici!
  63. sirkel
    Dec 1, 2013
    9
    Wow amazing game and it is free? Are you kidding me, yes that is right, they make money off of the item store sales and that is it. You would think that would mean the game is some cheap Chinese junk, well it isn't, this isn't, and it isn't Chinese at all, it is western. Dare I say this game is better than Diablo 3? Yeah I would say it is by a long shot. The graphics, music, and atmosphereWow amazing game and it is free? Are you kidding me, yes that is right, they make money off of the item store sales and that is it. You would think that would mean the game is some cheap Chinese junk, well it isn't, this isn't, and it isn't Chinese at all, it is western. Dare I say this game is better than Diablo 3? Yeah I would say it is by a long shot. The graphics, music, and atmosphere is nice, as is the gem skill system. The map randomization is good as well. Is the game 100% perfect, no, but it is good. If you are a Diablo type fan, definitely check this out. You may have a few issues at first getting it to install, some do and don't.… Expand
  64. Garethw87
    Dec 26, 2013
    9
    Firstly, I only tried this game because of the reviews and critic scores I seen, here on Metacritic, and I am happy I did. It's free to play. Simple as that. Yes the ingame store can be very expensive, but they are only cosmetic items and don't affect the actual game and the developers claim they will never turn pay to win. If you are a Diablo fan, and you don't like the direction DiabloFirstly, I only tried this game because of the reviews and critic scores I seen, here on Metacritic, and I am happy I did. It's free to play. Simple as that. Yes the ingame store can be very expensive, but they are only cosmetic items and don't affect the actual game and the developers claim they will never turn pay to win. If you are a Diablo fan, and you don't like the direction Diablo III has gone (like myself) you should love this. Yes the graphics aren't spectacular, but they are meant to be playable on a wide variety of systems (as its tells you on the website) which is good as not everyone can have a great, expensive gaming system, but now they can enjoy this great game!… Expand
  65. Wordenskjold
    Jan 3, 2014
    9
    PoE is a highly addictive Diablo-style game. Extremely simple at first glance, it has a surprisingly complex skill and item system, which makes for hours and hours of fun free gameplay. There is no Pay-To-Win in PoE, as all In-game purchases are almost entirely cosmetic with item stash slots as the exception. I bought them mainly to support the developers.
    Kudos to you guys at Grinding    PoE is a highly addictive Diablo-style game. Extremely simple at first glance, it has a surprisingly complex skill and item system, which makes for hours and hours of fun free gameplay. There is no Pay-To-Win in PoE, as all In-game purchases are almost entirely cosmetic with item stash slots as the exception. I bought them mainly to support the developers.
    Kudos to you guys at Grinding Gear Games!    … Expand
  66. 21grams
    Dec 14, 2014
    9
    I spent with this game probably nearly 1000hours already and I must say it's best in genre right now. So short review:

    Cons: - Server-client communication is one of the worst I've seen, there is desync issue and it's the first thing you need to learn, how to play around it and minimize it. Pros: - fair f2p (only cosmetic microtransactions) - advanced mechanics with huge passive tree    I spent with this game probably nearly 1000hours already and I must say it's best in genre right now. So short review:

    Cons: - Server-client communication is one of the worst I've seen, there is desync issue and it's the first thing you need to learn, how to play around it and minimize it.

    Pros: - fair f2p (only cosmetic microtransactions) - advanced mechanics with huge passive tree and skill gems with altering gems (called support gems) bring lots of builds and combinations so you always can play something new
    - a gameplay with learning curve, where you have to adapt to certain mobs and bosses by knowing mechanincs. Each mob has unique abilities as well as randomly added mods, so you can never be sure what you will encounter, you see mods of a mob - you need to instantly react accordingly.
    - end-game randomized difficulty zones (called maps with mods which increase difficulty, but also reward)
    - good seasons system (leagues and races)
    - frequent content updates (zones, events, skills, unique items)
    - interesting itemization, especially unique items which are very build defining in most cases.
    - interesting currency system (barter system) - it's currency and crafting tool at the same time
    - good crafting system after recent addition of forsaken masters.

    Overall, desync is the only real issue, but can learn how to reduce it and make less frequent and you can enjoy depth of this game    … Expand
  67. Scutch1980
    Mar 3, 2014
    9
    I can't say enough about how good this game is. I love how the passive talent point system works to diversify your character from other players and how according to what gems you slot bases what abilities you have. I'm an old Diablo fan boy myself and Diablo 3 was some what of a let down for me. That's why I'm glad I discovered this title it actually does what D3 was supposed to do.I can't say enough about how good this game is. I love how the passive talent point system works to diversify your character from other players and how according to what gems you slot bases what abilities you have. I'm an old Diablo fan boy myself and Diablo 3 was some what of a let down for me. That's why I'm glad I discovered this title it actually does what D3 was supposed to do. For those seeking a challenge it has plenty. For those who like it casual it has that too. All things you purchase on the Market are mostly cosmetic character effect and vanity pets. This will be one of the best games you've ever downloaded and it won't cost you a Dime to play. I have yet to buy anything myself but as much as I love it that'll probably change.… Expand
  68. Brainstudio
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    POE is Epic, Actually Best Action RPG. And it's for 100% TRUE free.
    IF you stay 10-20 minutes thinking about your abilities and equipment before continue you have a game that's not only hack and slash but a REAL RPG.
    Lot of abilities and it's always your decision. (If you haven't done..look "POE skill tree") Supported, big, deeper and with a solid community. Lot of equipment, no    POE is Epic, Actually Best Action RPG. And it's for 100% TRUE free.
    IF you stay 10-20 minutes thinking about your abilities and equipment before continue you have a game that's not only hack and slash but a REAL RPG.

    Lot of abilities and it's always your decision.
    (If you haven't done..look "POE skill tree")
    Supported, big, deeper and with a solid community.
    Lot of equipment, no gold only exchange.
    Big and difficult enough. (Random areas and dungeon)
    Graphic is good, something real style not cartoon.

    If you wanna a RPG game where you have to think, this is the game.

    In a Generation of games made only for profit someone give us a Real Game for gamers.    … Expand
  69. Matielli
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    POE é um dos melhores RPG de ação que já joguei. No melhor estilo de Diablo, são horas de jogo em um mundo sombrio e macabro que ainda é possivel jogar com os amigos ou com qualquer pessoa do mundo.
  70. star7989
    Mar 25, 2014
    9
    this game is free to play so i gave it a try after being disappointed with diablo 3. I like the fact that it has a very complicated skill tree and it is really fun especially when you play with party members. Only downside is that there is a 1 second delay sometimes and it gets really annoying.
  71. forbiddenidol
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    Path of Exile combines lush atmospheres and an original setting with deep mechanics for character customization and solid, satisfying ARPG gameplay. It is a title of so-called AAA quality that is completely free to play and lacking in any pay-to-win elements. Grinding Gear Games regularly adds new content patches, and runs daily 'race' league events that provide additional variety andPath of Exile combines lush atmospheres and an original setting with deep mechanics for character customization and solid, satisfying ARPG gameplay. It is a title of so-called AAA quality that is completely free to play and lacking in any pay-to-win elements. Grinding Gear Games regularly adds new content patches, and runs daily 'race' league events that provide additional variety and challenge. The sprawling tree of passive character upgrades allows for robust development of different playstyles, and the skill gem system lets players effectively tweak and craft their own skills and spells. The game is only marred by the occasional occurrence of 'out of sync,' a lag-like problem that pops up when players or enemies begin spamming movement skills. While mildly annoying, it's generally infrequent enough not to be a problem.… Expand
  72. Grexxor
    Apr 14, 2014
    9
    PoE is really what I expected as a successor to Diablo 2. The game is a bit late to the scene and did not have enough advertisement to make it what it should/could have been. However it is amazing in it's own right.
    Things it does right:
    - Story line (The story line is complex and gives the character motivation for moving place to place) - Intuitive design (it is very similar to most of    PoE is really what I expected as a successor to Diablo 2. The game is a bit late to the scene and did not have enough advertisement to make it what it should/could have been. However it is amazing in it's own right.
    Things it does right:
    - Story line (The story line is complex and gives the character motivation for moving place to place)
    - Intuitive design (it is very similar to most of the games in it's genre including the popular Diablo line)
    - Skill tree (There is only one skill tree, each class begins at a different place, and there are many many choices and paths to take)

    Things I'm not content with:
    -the trade system (it is not coin based, each item is worth a type of base magic item [ident. scrolls, teleport scrolls etc.] and items are purchased from the vendor in the same sort of barter, it makes it difficult to flat purchase items and limits trade considerably, but this may have been their intent)
    -The Grouping System (I feel it is a little clunky but if more players were to use it, it would be manageable, but the player base is not what it could have been)    … Expand
  73. kirstu
    Nov 14, 2014
    9
    I wish I could dish out 10's, but I can't.

    In a perfect world I would be totally content with the content of this game. Of course I am not. But hey. Bluntly. There is no 10. People play a lot of games and they either enjoy them a great deal, or they do not. I have enjoyed this game for a better portion of a thousand hours. Path of Exile is, in all honesty, the Diablo 3 we were    I wish I could dish out 10's, but I can't.

    In a perfect world I would be totally content with the content of this game. Of course I am not.

    But hey. Bluntly. There is no 10. People play a lot of games and they either enjoy them a great deal, or they do not. I have enjoyed this game for a better portion of a thousand hours.

    Path of Exile is, in all honesty, the Diablo 3 we were waiting for. It reinvigorates the whole genre by introducing a plethora, almost sickeningly a though through set, of game mechanics that will suck the player in to the wicked and, oh so twisted, world of Wraeclast.

    The game introduces a marvelous blend of old and new, in a way that you would really expect on the basis of an older game such as Diablo 2.

    However, the game is quite complicated to say the least, and it can prove to be fatal to a newcomer. But still we would not have it any other way. It is simply worth the time investment. The more you learn, the more you get into the gist of it.

    I really cannot recall a day in the last two years where I did not at some point contemplate some cool build that I would really want to try out.

    Do watch out. It is addictive and good.

    One word: Bravo.    … Expand
  74. BadluckBeast
    May 30, 2014
    9
    Great, deep action RPG marred by netcode issues. Pure free to play without any pay to win elements, and race and league events serve both as a testing ground for new features and a way to keep the game fresh. Well worth checking out.
  75. Jerot
    Jun 6, 2014
    9
    With tons of ARPGs active these days it can be difficult to stand out, but Grinding Gear Games does a very good job in making a unique play experience.

    The Positive: A bartering currency system that doubles as a crafting system is a great idea. Vendors can be used to set a maximum/minimum value of currency exchange. (if you can vendor 1X for 2Y then Y isn't ever going to inflate higher    With tons of ARPGs active these days it can be difficult to stand out, but Grinding Gear Games does a very good job in making a unique play experience.

    The Positive:
    A bartering currency system that doubles as a crafting system is a great idea. Vendors can be used to set a maximum/minimum value of currency exchange. (if you can vendor 1X for 2Y then Y isn't ever going to inflate higher then X) I for one never really like the idea of digital "gold/platinum/credits/gems/etc", if you aren't a trader then you just need them to fill currency sinks and it can feel grind-y without adding anything to game play. Adding a value to the currency beyond what an NPC or Player will give you for it makes spending or using it a more meaningful interaction.

    New 4 month leagues with different rule sets for standard and hardcore always bring back players and keep things interesting. In addition to testing new features and additions to be added to permanent leagues.

    Races are a very unique and fun take on the traditional ladder system, often vastly changing the play experience and offering some nice rewards for people willing to put in the effort.

    The amount of customization for builds and skill choices is simply unrivaled. There are some builds that are more popular/easier to use and not everything is suited well to endgame content. But there is absolutely no one who has "done it all"

    The Negative:
    Due to the developers preference in game play mechanics the net code suffers a bit. Stuttering and de-syncing are common enough its not unusual for most players to use a /OOS (Out Of Sync) macro to make sure the play experience isn't interrupted by a disagreement between client and server, which could potentially endanger hundreds of hours of hard work on a hardcore character.

    Races as mentioned are a super fun experience I would recommend anyone who wishes to play this game try at some point, but sometimes are few and far between. Especially if you wish to participate in a particular rule set that doesn't make the rotation as often. Hopefully this will be alleviated somewhat when they introduce player run "paid" custom leagues.

    New players are often overwhelmed with decisions on how to build their character. The community has done a lot to alleviate this with build forums, dedicated build websites, and even GGG having a build of the week segment. Ultimately though, this isn't a game you can fully enjoy as a fresh player by sitting down and throwing skill points around willy-nilly. You have to be willing to sacrifice several characters of trial and error to see what is viable or put in the time to research a build before hand (Which I would recommend)

    A lot of people experience burn out after creating many characters and playing through the story several times. It isn't an issue for everybody, I had experienced this somewhat after rolling nearly 30 characters and getting some into map content (endgame). I will say that new content like in Ambush with strongboxes guarded by more enemies but containing valuable loot (some times) and Invasion with its increased mob variety and extra hard additional bosses on every map certainly did a lot to fix that issue for me. They also had a charity race which included both and many people actually had so much fun doing it the regular game became boring when it ended and they are waiting for the new 4 month leagues to start.    … Expand
  76. FNBosquim
    Oct 15, 2017
    9
    Nota: 9/10

    Este jogo me surpreendeu, baixei o Path of Exile só pq era grátis, mas fui jogando e gostei. O que chamou a atenção, além das habilidades muito bem ambientadas, foi a forma de poderes (ataques e defesas) que não tinha visto em nenhum outro RPG. O jogo possui muito mais que aparenta. Eu precisei estudar tutorias para conhecer forma de criar itens, drops e até técnicas para    Nota: 9/10

    Este jogo me surpreendeu, baixei o Path of Exile só pq era grátis, mas fui jogando e gostei.
    O que chamou a atenção, além das habilidades muito bem ambientadas, foi a forma de poderes (ataques e defesas) que não tinha visto em nenhum outro RPG. O jogo possui muito mais que aparenta. Eu precisei estudar tutorias para conhecer forma de criar itens, drops e até técnicas para cada ocasião. vale a pena conferir e game.

    Contra:
    Conseguir um SET (armadura / equipamentos) é muito difícil, não só pelos atributos, mas precisa ter os encaixes certos para colocar os benditos poderes que tinha comentado logo acima. Quando nós acha um item bom, aqueles itens que se encontra 1 só por dia, nós se depara que tal item não vai servir para o personagem, podendo guardá-lo para usar em outro personagem ou jogar fora... isso mesmo, joga fora pois trocar algo é muito complicado. A falta de um mercado é a reclamação mais expressiva.
    Outra coisa que quero comentar é o preço de itens e customização de jogo vendido que são absurdamente caras. Queria comprar espaço no baú, para guardar mais coisas, mas para isso eu precisa desembolsar R$ 150,00... o_O. Nem vou falar o preço para comprar um set completo no jogo.    … Expand
  77. Mastodon
    Jun 8, 2015
    9
    In my humble opinion, this is the TRUE successor to Diablo II. While POE falls off a bit in the late late game there is a major expansion coming out this summer to address that.... and thus far I have never seen Grinding Gear Games release even a small patch that didn't improve the game. These developers are unbelievable. If only other games shared the same attitude and strategies asIn my humble opinion, this is the TRUE successor to Diablo II. While POE falls off a bit in the late late game there is a major expansion coming out this summer to address that.... and thus far I have never seen Grinding Gear Games release even a small patch that didn't improve the game. These developers are unbelievable. If only other games shared the same attitude and strategies as Grinding Gear the market would be a much happier place right now.… Expand
  78. Brodde
    Sep 17, 2014
    9
    Great game. Fresh new ideas for the ARPG genre, lots of game play. Grinding gear Games seems to listen to the player community, and the development is very active. Racing and season rewards are great.

    Its too good for a F2P game. But it is not completely perfect. There are some lag and desync issues still.
  79. Vidicus
    Nov 8, 2014
    9
    A true isometric RPG. Fans of the Diablo series will find much to like in Path of Exile (PoE). A vast skill tree, unique armors and weapons, a great gem system, and the ability to play without paying.... all combine to make this a great game. Stop reading this review and go download PoE now.
  80. Blaines
    Nov 16, 2018
    9
    Really nice game with worse graphic than in diablo 2 :P The amount of builds in this game is amazing!
  81. Jugalator
    Aug 28, 2016
    9
    Offering a well thought out and deep Action RPG at the price point of free, where merely cosmetic changes and increased stash space (from an already generous size) comes at a small cost, this game is hard to miss for an ARPG fan.

    It is reminding me more of Diablo 2 than Diablo 3 does, with its gloomy atmosphere that embraces theorycrafting thanks to its depth and skill combinations.    Offering a well thought out and deep Action RPG at the price point of free, where merely cosmetic changes and increased stash space (from an already generous size) comes at a small cost, this game is hard to miss for an ARPG fan.

    It is reminding me more of Diablo 2 than Diablo 3 does, with its gloomy atmosphere that embraces theorycrafting thanks to its depth and skill combinations. Unfortunately, even the game's downside with no purpose-built trading system other than chat does.

    Performance with server desync glitches and subpar framerate have been reported but I have so far not experienced any desyncs and there is a major patch to substantially improve framerates in testing. Having said that, playing in 1080p with a Geforce GTX 970 level graphics card is not a problem at all like usual, so this should not be a huge issue for anything close to modern systems.    … Expand
  82. succulentpoet
    Nov 23, 2015
    9
    This game was such a gem to find. Medieval RPGs are my absolute favorite, and while this one offers multiplayer online MMO options, it's really great for solo play. Beautiful scenery, good story, and amazingly giant skill tree.
  83. Just_A_Summoner
    Feb 11, 2016
    9
    Really fun game for me the trading system is 100% based of loot and items to improve items there is no gold or money so it all comes down to i will give you this or this for that.
    Now... the customer support is epic i completely misread something brought it and then sent a complaint after being corrected i was refunded and was able to spend my money again on something i actually wanted.    Really fun game for me the trading system is 100% based of loot and items to improve items there is no gold or money so it all comes down to i will give you this or this for that.
    Now... the customer support is epic i completely misread something brought it and then sent a complaint after being corrected i was refunded and was able to spend my money again on something i actually wanted.
    there is events pvp keeping things new if you get bored of grinding the party system works really well if you have people who know what they are doing or are at the same quests as you i almost only play on Hardcore due to the unforgiving character gets removed from the mode if you die but it gets switched to standard witch only gives you exp penalty so first time players if you want to play on standard just play on hardcore till you die i recommend but if you want to stay in hardcore you have the rush of staying alive and the skill-tree feels like it just go's on so many options and you can subclass into almost anything but you cant just respect without penalty you need to buy each respect point making you think awhile when leveling up.    … Expand
  84. freimacher
    Apr 4, 2016
    9
    Path of Exile is the best diablo-style action rpg I've played since, well, diablo2. It has the dark theme and atmosphere, an interesting skill tree, and the devs took a risk trying something new by tying abilities to socket-able items and avoiding currency in favor of item exchange. It takes a while to get used to but it really works, and creates a different experience with each play through.
  85. dd31879
    Apr 13, 2016
    9
    I find PoE to be a very fun experience over all.

    1. Trading. Recent events in the game have made trading easy. If you have premium stash tabs, the ones that allow you to change their names and colors, then you can now change a tab to what is now known as a "public" tab. This kind of tab will be indexed by the typical PoE store websites. You even get standard options on the tab like    I find PoE to be a very fun experience over all.

    1. Trading. Recent events in the game have made trading easy. If you have premium stash tabs, the ones that allow you to change their names and colors, then you can now change a tab to what is now known as a "public" tab. This kind of tab will be indexed by the typical PoE store websites. You even get standard options on the tab like listing a whole tab on a single price or listing each item price individually.

    2. Leveling. I find leveling in PoE to be very enjoyable especially when comparing it to something like Diablo 3 where it is stupidly tedious and feels more like you are dragging your feet through mud doing nothing important. In PoE its not like that at all. You get the feeling the whole time you are accomplishing things by leveling gems, leveling your character, allocating points, and such.

    3. Network Connectivity. In the past, back in its beta stages, There were a lot of disconnects and desyncing from even just fighting mobs. It is not the case anymore! Many changes have taken place with their updated netcode and more server locations.

    Now here is a negative.

    5. Labyrinth/Ascension. So with the new content expansion of Ascendancy came new class expansion options. Which is great! The problem is how to get them. You must complete the labyrinth. Why is that an issue? It is really overtuned and sometimes just stupid.

    Now I am not going to sugar coat anything. I play hardcore only, and as such a single death means thats it. Its all over. I have died in the labyrinth a total of 5 times leveling up and being over leveled. It wasn't the boss either that killed me he is ok now that they scaled him back a bit for those leveling up. It was traps in the labyrinth. The damage set too high and being all together in weird configurations that are unpassable even with movement skills.

    I got so frustrated with this single aspect of not being able to ascend my character I quit playing for a while. It is that bad. I feel like Ascendancy points being tied into weird unpredictable content like the labyrinth is wrong.    … Expand
  86. mindbeefCR
    Jun 23, 2016
    9
    Es un gran juego entretiene bastante y lo mejor es gratis
    Cuenta con una gran comunidad y un constante actualizacion de parches, algo que me encanta es su gran parecido a diablo 3.
    Algo genial tambien son la temporadas que agregan con objetivos en especifico lo cual si lo logras tienes recives premios.
  87. ZerotuL
    Sep 5, 2016
    9
    I would like to mention all the "negative" stuff people complain about and oppose them.
    1. Trading. Yeah, you don't have a comfortable auction here that spoils economy and almost killed Diablo 3. There are 3rd party trade websites and macros that makes it easier to sell or buy things. I prefer building my character myself rather than just buying all the needed gear instantly as soon as i    I would like to mention all the "negative" stuff people complain about and oppose them.
    1. Trading. Yeah, you don't have a comfortable auction here that spoils economy and almost killed Diablo 3. There are 3rd party trade websites and macros that makes it easier to sell or buy things. I prefer building my character myself rather than just buying all the needed gear instantly as soon as i can afford it. Back in 90-s and 00-s there were no auction at all and still those hs were awesome. BTW barter system looks more efficient than plain gold, not mentioning that currency in POE is also a crafting material.
    2. Leveling. Yeah it's pretty boring playing same locations 3 times to reach endgame....but most rpgs games works the same way. The replay-ability is supported by new leagues with unique mechanics every 3-4 month and new addon every 6 month. Worth mentioning that leveling is pretty fast.
    3. Desync: Desync isn't an issue anymore. One can find servers all over the world with 50ms ping or even less. GGG also added 2 options to predictavoid desync.
    4.Graphics: have you ever seen popular mmorpg with top graphics and millions of people playing it? Maybe just few huge titles. POE is oriented on people having different specs and where it lacks graphics it compensate with art and style. Just watch addon trailers on their website-dark fantasy everywhere. I prefer weaker graphics to a better style. Anyway the graphics isn't that bad. Look at Diablo. Just press escape and look at the character model-it looks like Pinocchio made by blind carpenter. Graphics is something tertiary when we talk about good game. Animation isn't state of art but it far from causing eyesbleed.
    5. Performance: It was a weak spot for quiet a while but not an issue anymore. A bunch of optimizations were made and now the game can run on any calculator.

    Story: the manner the story is told reminds me Dark souls. You need to seek for details, read item descriptions, listen to dialogues. Dark fantasy fans are happy about it.
    Music is awesome, sounds are decent.

    Roleplaying:
    This is a bread and butter of the game. You aren't limited to your class. want to be tanky magician with a shield-here you go. Whant to be brutal barbarian that summons pets-not a problem. Wanna be ranger(that usually starts with bow) that fists everything backhandedly-you are welcome. See the build list of any class on Poe forum. You will find few dozens of different guides, some of which looks impossible but works perfectly.

    You can make a build around one item or synergy of items. You can make a build based on a unique flask, unique gloves prefix or a node in your skilltree.

    Skill system is smth unique.Some of the negative reviewers said that you use one button to kill everything. Yeah, there are build with press to kill everything on the scree, but most of the builds(and this depends on you) requires single target skill, aoe skill, damage boosting skill or defense boosting skill, save-your- donkey skill, charges generating skills, warcries, utility skill etc.

    POE is a hardcore game in many aspects. You can't respec freely at any moment of time. You need to use special currency to refund one skill point. In this case full respec will cost a pretty penny and that makes you think, plan and change things carefully. Free full respecs are given when new big patch arrives.    … Expand
  88. destinyfan1
    May 10, 2017
    9
    possibly one of the best rpg's ever , why because its free , if it was 40 euros i would have gave an 8
    The game has nice enemies and a huge skilltree , graphics are ok and story aswell,sometimes i have a few technical issues but those are ignorable
    You can easy spend 50 hours in this game buuuuut it gets a little bit repetive after a while
    Great overall , actually an 8 but its free so a 9
  89. Vusha
    Aug 30, 2017
    9
    This is the current peak of ARPG's, look no further. It will shake you to your core and make you come back asking for more. It is visually well engineered and pleasantly dark in its concept. The skill tree contain more possible combinations than can be put in numbers. The Storyline creates a harsh reality that feels both alive and magical. You may play this game for a thousand hours andThis is the current peak of ARPG's, look no further. It will shake you to your core and make you come back asking for more. It is visually well engineered and pleasantly dark in its concept. The skill tree contain more possible combinations than can be put in numbers. The Storyline creates a harsh reality that feels both alive and magical. You may play this game for a thousand hours and still not get bored. I can boast having enjoyed Path of Exile for 400 hours and... I keep coming back asking for more.… Expand
  90. LaBouleMagique
    Apr 20, 2017
    9
    Not your typical F2P game. This is a company (Grinding Gear Games) who are devoted to their players. The game literally can be played, for free, without you being hindered in any way shape or form. Every skill, item, level, difficulty, everything is open. The cash shop is all cosmetic stuff (and its awesome).

    The depth of the game is fantastic, and no two builds are ever the same! I    Not your typical F2P game. This is a company (Grinding Gear Games) who are devoted to their players. The game literally can be played, for free, without you being hindered in any way shape or form. Every skill, item, level, difficulty, everything is open. The cash shop is all cosmetic stuff (and its awesome).

    The depth of the game is fantastic, and no two builds are ever the same! I highly recommend checking out the forums. Experienced players have wrote some fantastic guides for the passive tree and how to build a succesful character.

    Ignore the comments such as "everyone uses the same op build" or "same op skills" because it couldn't be further from the truth. Go look for yourself, check out the leaderboards and there is a massive array of skills and builds that people have succesfully used.

    The only negative point i have to say is, ingame trade could have been done better, HOWEVER, a website that is now widely used http://poe.xyz.is/ solves the trading spam and is fantastic for finding the items you need. So i guess that could take away half a negative point? :P    … Expand
  91. gopit
    May 4, 2017
    9
    The game is pretty much awesome but when you leveling your fourth char through every difficulty it becomes annoying to complete all those quests for the twelfth time.
  92. Dubeau
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    I approach POE like a single player game. And it a very fun diablo-style game. Even after the release in 2013, the game feels very actual. The story is very slow but also very long in scope. So I don't know if it's any good but there is a lot of variety in the quests. It's easy to find where you have to go but without giving you too much either. Fighting with a witch and minions is aI approach POE like a single player game. And it a very fun diablo-style game. Even after the release in 2013, the game feels very actual. The story is very slow but also very long in scope. So I don't know if it's any good but there is a lot of variety in the quests. It's easy to find where you have to go but without giving you too much either. Fighting with a witch and minions is a blast. However I did try with a warrior style player and found it too difficult. Love the items and upgrades. The character leveling is enormous. I give it a 90%. They should remove that game from the online only in my opinion.… Expand
  93. RagingPoet
    Mar 21, 2018
    9
    Ultimate successor of Diablo 2, PoE has unlimited replay value with new challenge leagues every several months (a.k.a. ladders), competitive speedrun events and constant flow of updates and new content.

    Pros: + Huge amount of distinct content: 10 Acts instead of usual "4 acts with 3 difficulties" structure + Complex itemization, crafting and skill systems + Challenge leagues allow    Ultimate successor of Diablo 2, PoE has unlimited replay value with new challenge leagues every several months (a.k.a. ladders), competitive speedrun events and constant flow of updates and new content.

    Pros:
    + Huge amount of distinct content: 10 Acts instead of usual "4 acts with 3 difficulties" structure
    + Complex itemization, crafting and skill systems
    + Challenge leagues allow all players to start on an equal footing
    + It's free and is not pay-to-win

    Cons:
    - No auction or trading house, just direct player-to-player trading
    - Slightly worse graphics and optimization than in other aRPGs    … Expand
  94. UncleEd
    Nov 30, 2017
    9
    I had very high expectations for this game as it was always referred to as the game Diablo sequels should have been. Path of Exile managed to lived up to my expectations, it is, however, hot as good as the original Diablo. Dinosaurs of gaming have fond memories of Diablo, regardless of what they think of the ARPGs of modern gaming. What made Diablo special was the atmosphere, not reallyI had very high expectations for this game as it was always referred to as the game Diablo sequels should have been. Path of Exile managed to lived up to my expectations, it is, however, hot as good as the original Diablo. Dinosaurs of gaming have fond memories of Diablo, regardless of what they think of the ARPGs of modern gaming. What made Diablo special was the atmosphere, not really the looting system. Blizzard back then was a very respected developer and it was almost for granted that each Blizzard game will become a masterpiece. Blizzard chose a different path later on and imho became a company focused on how they can make profit from gamers.

    Leaving Blizzard aside, Path of Exile adopts the atmosphere of Diablo 1 rather well. It is not as scary, you also don't feel the despair as you go deeper into dungeons but it does have a pretty good atmosphere regardless. PoE does miracles in the department of sound/voice and the graphics are pretty good also. It has arguably the most impressive skill tree in the history of pc gaming and adding the fact that you can unlock new game modes and continue with your character, you can easily spend hundreds of hours on Path of Exile. And the game is for free... This alone makes me respect the developers enormously. Here is a superb Action RPG, with hundreds of hours of possible gameplay time and not even remotely pay-to-play. So if we talk about value, Path of Exile beats the **** out of almost every game.

    On the negative side, firstly, the genre itself :) I am not a fan of looting&grinding based ARPGs and for me boredom after a period is inevitable. Silver and Darkstone (aside from Diablo and Path of Exile) are the only games from this genre that I really like, both of which being very underrated. Also, although the writing for the NPCs is pretty good, the story not so much.

    In short, if you are into Action RPGs, do not miss Path of Exile. If you are not into this genre that much, give it a go anyway. Perhaps it will teach you to think twice next time you pre-order a game on full price and waste your hard earned cash.    … Expand
  95. demonoga
    Nov 4, 2018
    9
    It is the defining game of the ARPG genre.

    1) Free to Play works for about 60-ish levels for a casual gamer but the game is in no way p2w. By this time you can decide if you like the game or not, which is a great advantage. 2) You feel rewarded by the mechanics of grinding, which I feel is very balanced in terms of RNG. 3) You will learn a lot of things in each playthrough, I had my    It is the defining game of the ARPG genre.

    1) Free to Play works for about 60-ish levels for a casual gamer but the game is in no way p2w. By this time you can decide if you like the game or not, which is a great advantage.
    2) You feel rewarded by the mechanics of grinding, which I feel is very balanced in terms of RNG.
    3) You will learn a lot of things in each playthrough, I had my 3rd serious character in leagues and I still learn a lot on how to use items etc.
    4) Leagues are amazing, very-well thought of and enjoyable.
    5) Huge and friendly community for the most part.

    The only cons to the game are:
    1) Graphics may look unrefined on low end PC. And they consume too much computer resources.
    2) Not beginner friendly. You have to resort to guides in forums for a few of characters. Even then they do not always explain why it is as such. (Haven't tried youtube videos on tips etc.)    … Expand
  96. Gregorich
    Nov 17, 2018
    9
    Hallo zusammen,

    ich würde mir noch wünschen:
    - Auto-Cklick over Enemy (On/Off)

    Griessli
    Greg
  97. enesmoon
    Feb 12, 2020
    9
    Poe is the coolest action based rpg game. It's atmosphere is dark and astounding. There are a lot of active and passive skills. It's possible to use 8 of them at the same time, so the action never ends.
  98. R4bisco
    Jun 13, 2022
    9
    Best ARPG in the market. It does have it flaws but it is definitely the best one currently.
    It's though a more complex ARPG where you can test and experiment with a lot of skills and a huge Passive Skill. Here your choice DO Matters.
    About Trading: Trading is done through an external page called PoeTrade where you can easily post your items and they would like to your stash. Pretty    Best ARPG in the market. It does have it flaws but it is definitely the best one currently.
    It's though a more complex ARPG where you can test and experiment with a lot of skills and a huge Passive Skill. Here your choice DO Matters.

    About Trading:
    Trading is done through an external page called PoeTrade where you can easily post your items and they would like to your stash. Pretty easy and straight forward to use. It offers various types of filters so that you can find the best item for you. No money involved. Plz, don't pay for currency items, you can get them through your play and just trade for the items that you need.
    Although I believe it doesn't deserve a 10 because of the following:

    Cons:
    - No character appearance customizations
    - No day/night cycle    … Expand
  99. Frazierdabest
    Oct 11, 2019
    9
    Si te gusta el género , es un Must-Have, y más siendo gratis. Comunidad española grande.
  100. CriticalHit20
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    The game for me just got too repetitive. At first, it was fun, but it just became a grind and a chore after a while. I played 30+ hours, having one character complete Act 4, another complete Act 2, another complete Act 1 and starting games with others just to experiment. As a busy dad to a toddler, I don't have that much free time, but if the game was fun, I'd continue playing indefinitelyThe game for me just got too repetitive. At first, it was fun, but it just became a grind and a chore after a while. I played 30+ hours, having one character complete Act 4, another complete Act 2, another complete Act 1 and starting games with others just to experiment. As a busy dad to a toddler, I don't have that much free time, but if the game was fun, I'd continue playing indefinitely but unfortunately that was not what happened here.
    The first 3 Acts were very easy and suddenly in Act 4 the difficulty ramped way up and you better find some way of obtaining resistance to elements. Though easy, it was not that much fun. Boards were huge and sprawling but you are really killing the hordes of enemies the same way every time. I also found there was no incentive to upgrade your main equipments and weapons with orbs as a better version can be found eventually.
    What I liked; the flask system, gem-based skills, passive skill map
    What I disliked: have to be online, no respec, maps change when revisit, lack of waypoints in areas which result in wasted travel time, barter system, orbs not being useful, weapons and equipments with wrong colours and links, repetitive game play
    I would give it 8.5/10 and if I consider that it is free, give it a 9.3/10.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best PC Game of 2013
18
#18 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
14
#14 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. RPGamer
    May 9, 2014
    100
    Grinding Gear Games has created something special here, and given it gratis to the world.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 11, 2014
    88
    Hack & slash games are addictive because they follow a simple formula: kill, kill and kill some more. Path of Exile is no different in this regard. During your quest in the perilous continent of Wraeclast you need to slay thousands and thousands of monsters but it never gets boring because there are a plenty of fresh ideas like the very vast skill system and barter-based economy that differentiate it from other similar games. But it's not a perfect game. The story is weak and the difficulty level is too low in the beginning. [Dec 2013]
  3. PC Gamer
    Jan 13, 2014
    84
    An exceptionally generous free-to-play action-rPG. What it lacks in punch it makes up for in depth and value for money.
    Read full review
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