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. Themanwithnonam
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    I spent years trying to fill the void D2 left open when I got tired of it. This game has far exceeded that void, and managed to make every game is the genre seem like Not only is the game play great, but so is the community. I started back in closed Beta, and it has come so far. The designers and crew at GGG are fantastic, responsive, and truly care about this game. 10/10 would bang.
  2. poisonedocean
    Jun 13, 2016
    10
    As a dungeon-crawler veteran and enthusiast, PoE is the game that this category deserved, and was waiting since Diablo 2.
    It has its flaws to certain eyes, ok. But this is how a 10/10 free2play game should look like.
    It's a slap in the face of Blizzard and this greedy market full of bad habits. GGG team made a top notch game, rewarding, with infinity replayability and fun as f***. For    As a dungeon-crawler veteran and enthusiast, PoE is the game that this category deserved, and was waiting since Diablo 2.
    It has its flaws to certain eyes, ok. But this is how a 10/10 free2play game should look like.
    It's a slap in the face of Blizzard and this greedy market full of bad habits. GGG team made a top notch game, rewarding, with infinity replayability and fun as f***.
    For free. Free. In the most true sense of word: free.

    I'm sorry for the comparison, but If only Diablo 3 was as half as good...    … Expand
  3. JoshuaDunaway
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    What every hacknslash MMO should aspire to be. Sets the standard for all others.The skill tree, reminiscent of Final Fantasy 10, and the Spell system, whispering of the Materia system in FF7, mixes for an absolutely astonishing finale.

    10/10
  4. waryn
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    Path of Exile is an amazing ARPG that does everything right. The depth of the combat, gear and skills is phenomenal and the game makes D3 look like a childrens game
  5. twistedexile
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    If you're reading this then you already know that PoE is an arpg that everyone is talking about. Well im here to tell you that it is hands down the best arpg to come out no question about it. PoE is the game that will be talked about for years to come do you really want to be that 1 person in 10yrs that didn't play it? Do yourself a favor and just download it you won't be sorry I promise.
  6. Dordickalous
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    So much better then Diablo 3. Like this if you know when a certain narwhal bacons ;)

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam id massa metus.
  7. Bobster123
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    Aboslutely insanely godly game, but it takes alot of effort! be warned. The development team is the best, constant updates of new content, absolutely free-to-play and a fantastic design philosophy and community interaction from the devs. What more could you want.
  8. bobrock1982
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    This game blew my mind when I first joined it in closed beta 2 years ago. Since then it was getting better and better only to become the masterpiece it is now. If you like hack'n slash "diablostyle" games there's no excuse for you if you don't try this. Deep and complex without being too complicated. Unique currency system takes a while to get used to but after some time you'll startThis game blew my mind when I first joined it in closed beta 2 years ago. Since then it was getting better and better only to become the masterpiece it is now. If you like hack'n slash "diablostyle" games there's no excuse for you if you don't try this. Deep and complex without being too complicated. Unique currency system takes a while to get used to but after some time you'll start wrapping your head around it and see how great it is. Character customization is unlike anything you've ever seen in this genre. The leveling system is very much like Final Fantasy X you traverse massive (and I mean MASSIVE!!!) skill tree and unlock one node every level. Abilities work like in Final Fantasy VII you have gems with abilities and support gem which by themselves do nothing but like in FFVII if you find equipment with linked slots you can link them with active skills to change (sometimes drastically) how they work. Story is great very gritty and dark. Crafting is complex and useful you can craft some of the best items in the game by yourself. One thing you should know though it's hard as nails. And that's a good thing:D Developers at Grinding Gear Games implemented awesome Free-To-Play model (pay-to win bullcrap) so it costs you knothing to try it out. You may be in for the ride of your life:)… Expand
  9. MxZeal
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    One of the best games in the past decade for PC. If you loved Diablo 2, there is no doubt you will like Path of Exile.. as critics say "the true Diablo 2 sequel" PoE has the most insane character customization in any game i have ever seen. I have been playing this game for 8 months now and still to this day i feel like i have never seen 2 other players ever be the same. Not only is POEOne of the best games in the past decade for PC. If you loved Diablo 2, there is no doubt you will like Path of Exile.. as critics say "the true Diablo 2 sequel" PoE has the most insane character customization in any game i have ever seen. I have been playing this game for 8 months now and still to this day i feel like i have never seen 2 other players ever be the same. Not only is POE full of challenging and fun content the developers (GGG) are awesome, they REALLY listen to the community and respond quick (they don't take months to respond to a problem the community pointed out) bi weekly patches added content and no pay to win what so ever! What makes this game 10/10 for me is the items, and how they are designed which is what an action RPG is all about. The item system is so deep and detailed, you will either get intimated or fall in love at first sight. There are a lot of items in this game worth keeping and man oh man when you get an upgrade you can feel it!! Unique are insanely well made.. most of them come with a huge additional benefit.. with a cost however. But last but certainly not least is the end game. PoE is the ONLY Action RPG with a TRUE end game. Maps.. randomized maps which YOU roll the stats for (using items you find) and grinding your way up to level 100 but don't worry.. its not an "MMO fantasy grind" its the kind of grind that gets you at the edge of your seat everytime you play. I highly recommend reading up guides before playing the game because it Is challenging, however if you prefer to learn with trial and error thats ok too Path of Exile to this day, is now my top 3 games of all time. Im so excited and happy for GGG (they really earned it) and can't wait to see what kind of crazy amazing things they add in the future … Expand
  10. Tropheus
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    So good I uninstalled D3 and renamed my Path of Exile launcher to Diablo 3 instead!

    Try this game if you're not a little runt that likes the rainbow level in D3.
  11. dentagram
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    i dont plat diablo 2,im started with diablo 3,played it for 2000 hours on my barbarian,and POE came out.. and yeah,i tried it,and then i realised,and then i know why so many people mad at diablo 3,POE is way more better... im playing POE since 23 jan,12 hours a day,for fun and for life..
  12. ZiocxOmega
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    A great hack and slash game, with a great player base. Not only is the player base growing, but it also quite friendly. Another great thing about this game, is that it not pay to win. Getting gear can be done by spending a decent amount time farming(the act to keep killing monster to find items). Some unique features that make this hack and slash different from others, is it skillA great hack and slash game, with a great player base. Not only is the player base growing, but it also quite friendly. Another great thing about this game, is that it not pay to win. Getting gear can be done by spending a decent amount time farming(the act to keep killing monster to find items). Some unique features that make this hack and slash different from others, is it skill system(it kind of like the one from Final Fantasy VII(7)), it currency system(Items base), and it passive tree(it kind of like the one from Final Fantasy X(Ten)). In all, Path of Exile is a great hack and slash game, but unless you are going to put a good amount of time, learning it rules and ways, I feel some players will be confuse or lost to what to do. Have a nice day.… Expand
  13. JerryMcGooBerry
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    Path of Exile is an incredible game, probably the most satisfying dungeon crawler RPG I've played in a long time. The best and most crazy part? It's free! There is also no pay-to-win elements, everything you can buy is cosmetic. Playing with friends is a blast and the game is really maintains the same challenge even with more players. Leveling in the game is satisfying and Path of Exile'sPath of Exile is an incredible game, probably the most satisfying dungeon crawler RPG I've played in a long time. The best and most crazy part? It's free! There is also no pay-to-win elements, everything you can buy is cosmetic. Playing with friends is a blast and the game is really maintains the same challenge even with more players. Leveling in the game is satisfying and Path of Exile's skill tree in INSANE, it's absolutely huge. Gameplay is great, combat is like any other dungeon crawler, pointing and clicking; but there are many powers that you can use strategically. The only game issue that I have experienced is an occasional lag spike, they are completely random and are not due to hardware or low FPS (It's quite easy to max out the game while we're on the subject). This issue is very rare, but annoying. All in all, this is a fantastic game, there is no reason not to download it.… Expand
  14. Schlachtviehh
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    Have been playing games vor over 20 years. This is one of the very best games i ever played. Very balanced, very outlasting in regard to endgame content ans so on. An dthe best thing is that the developers will add content continously. You really should give it a shot or a hack+slay
  15. TzarBuba
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    Path of Exile Diablo 3, Path of Exile have so much potential this game mean ARPG/Hack n' Slash. Potential of this game will be what will lead ARPG/Hack n' Slash genre forward. i'm really fascinating about what future will give us.
  16. Tnecniw
    Oct 27, 2013
    10
    This is everything Diablo 3 should have been. It is awesome and really fun. It has perfect multiplayer and all that for free :D How can anything beat that?
  17. Eibx
    Oct 27, 2013
    10
    PoE is really the Diablo 3 game I had hoped for.
    The business model is not at all in the way, and the game has much depth. The game also allows you to really chose what you want to be.

    I haven't really gotten into the story, but overall atmosphere makes up for this.
  18. Pacattack
    Oct 28, 2013
    10
    Good in-depth playing system. Colossal skill tree and wide character customization. The AI isn't overly powerful and unstoppable. Many weapons to fight with, only made better with the power of magic. No overly powerful weapons, monsters loot many weapons that you can sell for a fair price. Several classes to chose from. Many kinds of monsters, cannibals, zombies, giants, just to name aGood in-depth playing system. Colossal skill tree and wide character customization. The AI isn't overly powerful and unstoppable. Many weapons to fight with, only made better with the power of magic. No overly powerful weapons, monsters loot many weapons that you can sell for a fair price. Several classes to chose from. Many kinds of monsters, cannibals, zombies, giants, just to name a few. So, what's the catch? There is none! The game is free, so I would suggest you try it out, there's nothing to lose.… Expand
  19. Udaff
    Sep 6, 2023
    10
    There are too many things that ruin the game:

    1.Trading: No trading system, items are offered via trade chat (about 100 per minute). Impossible to compare offers for a single item you are looking for. Furthermore, about 95% of these items are pure junk and overpriced. 2. Leveling: Leveling up a character becomes boring if you have to repeat the same areas 3 times before you    There are too many things that ruin the game:

    1.Trading:

    No trading system, items are offered via trade chat (about 100 per minute). Impossible to compare offers for a single item you are looking for. Furthermore, about 95% of these items are pure junk and overpriced.

    2. Leveling:

    Leveling up a character becomes boring if you have to repeat the same areas 3 times before you attempt what they call "end-game content".

    3. End game and rewards:

    That is running maps (with map levels from 66 up to 79) with a Bossmonster at the end of the map.That looks fine because we all know that Bossmonsters hold special rewards like cool Uniques or currency or even more maps. In fact, they drop crap. I ran lvl 77-78 maps with a guildmate who had an 400% increased chance to get rarer items for almost a week and got nothing valuable.

    4. Partying:

    see performance and technical issues

    5. Performance and technical issues:

    There are too many things ruining gameplay and have not been adressed as of now, one of the worst is desync. Loosing hours of playtime you have spend because your character dies and suffers a 10% XP penalty becaus the servers loose the exact position of your character and sends you back to a place where you had been a few seconds before isn't really fun. The official game forum is full of players complaining exactly this. And now, something funny: GGG declares this as a feature to prevent cheating.

    Partying sounds like fun, if you like dia-shows.Too many skills and character builds cause even high-end computers to drop down to a few frames when playing in a group.
    The last mini expansion "The Forsaken Masters" made it even worse.With this expansion players can have their own personal hideout, a place to rest or sort things in your stash, nothing special because this hideout is only a small tileset with a few objects like bricks or a wall or a few trees. Guess what happens to your framerate when entering your or other players hideout? But hey........you can
    decorate your personal hideout with hundreds of objects (of course you can buy them from GGG, but there are also free ones)....guess again what happens to your framerate and loading time ?
    I forgot weather effects. Yes, weather effects have been implemented to more and more areas over the last months although many players complain about framedrops in these areas.Instead of adding a chance to turn weather effects off via the options menue, they add even more.
    Opening the box....surprise, surprise......whats in the box? While running around you may find kind of a chest box, called strongbox.Introduced in the "Ambush league" a few months ago, you'll get ambushed by monsters when opening these boxes.Sounds funny, but.............many computers freeze for 1-2 secs while the game is loading the monsters. Click the Resurrect button and take the 10% XP penalty.    … Expand
  20. dannycoles
    Oct 30, 2013
    10
    Path of Exile is in my opinion, one of the best games I have ever played. I have been a gamer all my life and played a whole range of games. This one is by far the best. It gets everything so right.;

    - Replay-ability. Once done with the main story on three difficulties, you can venture into 'maps', which you have control over the difficulty and inners of the map. - Customization. There    Path of Exile is in my opinion, one of the best games I have ever played. I have been a gamer all my life and played a whole range of games. This one is by far the best. It gets everything so right.;

    - Replay-ability. Once done with the main story on three difficulties, you can venture into 'maps', which you have control over the difficulty and inners of the map.
    - Customization. There is a massive amount of content that can be altered by the player including cosmetics, gear, gear properties, passive skill tree (a mass of over 1500 different nodes) and skills.
    - Graphics. This game is beautiful. It has a range of different sceneries, atmospheres and colours.
    - Price. FREE. That's right, the game is free. The only charge is for cosmetics, that are completely optional and you are not pushed into buying them.    … Expand
  21. mustafa2812
    Feb 23, 2014
    10
    Pros:
    1. Best itemization of any ARPG. Hands down.
    2. Build diversity is incredible 3. The game is very deep and complicated which leads to really rewarding decisions and tons of diversity and excitement 4. FREE 5. Currency/crafting system is very innovative and fun 6. Endgame is very varied and as fun as an ARPG's endgame can be. 7. Developers are seriously amazing. This    Pros:
    1. Best itemization of any ARPG. Hands down.
    2. Build diversity is incredible
    3. The game is very deep and complicated which leads to really rewarding decisions and tons of diversity and excitement
    4. FREE
    5. Currency/crafting system is very innovative and fun
    6. Endgame is very varied and as fun as an ARPG's endgame can be.
    7. Developers are seriously amazing. This point can not be stressed enough. They often speak directly to the playerbase. They are very transparent with their goals, are very open to feedback, and work with the community as a team better than any other game that I've seen.
    8. Ethical microtransactions, no pay to win.
    9. Very fun combat, especially in the late game.
    10. Replayability is very high due to the build diversity and RNG.
    11. Game rewards players for having a high level of knowledge and strategy. Learning and applying the mechanics and strategy can be very rewarding.
    12. Community is really helpful and there are tons of community created tools and guides.
    13. Atmosphere is very dark and fits the hardcore vibe of the game. You don't rush out of the game screaming and killing everything. You have to work your way up in a world that is out to kill you.
    13. Changes and new feature come so often that the game never gets stale. Things are always being added, tweaked and perfected. Just when you thought the game couldn't get better, another big patch comes and reinvigorates your passion for the game. The 4 month leagues add tons of replayability and allows for the game to not grow stale and get dissected min-maxed to tedium.

    Cons:
    1. Desync. It's not always noticeable or a big deal but when it is a big deal it will kill you if you do not do something fast. Developers are constantly combating it but it is one of the big flaws of the game
    2. Early game can be a little boring combat-wise. Skills are augmented by support gems and that is when combat get's more fun. In the early game without support gems most skills can be kind of underwhelming. There is something to be said for the atmosphere of the game being but that doesn't mean that GGG couldn't do something to make the early game more exciting.
    3. Pretty damn complicated. Your first character will probably fail, especially if you don't read any tips about how to build your skill tree.
    4. Since trading is a big part of the game, people who prefer to play self-found will have a pretty hard time. I find trading rewarding but not everyone feels that way. You can meet some really cool people when trading and people will give you stuff for really good deals or for free sometimes. Other times a trading partner might be really un-ideal and will piss you off.
    5. It's a hardcore game. This can be good or bad depending on who you are. If you don't want to invest time and thought into a game and you don't want to learn how to trade then you aren't going to experience a lot of the most fun parts of the game imo.

    Overall this is the best ARPG on the market. It is a harcore game made by hardcore gamers. The developers are amazing. The community is great. The gameplay is deep and exciting. The loot is sexy. You can get lost in the breadth of this game and it only keeps getting better.    … Expand
  22. PovilasDebilas
    Oct 30, 2013
    10
    Awesome game. The gameplay ant story line is awesome. There is very big list of items you can get, and visual content of the game is very high quality. The graphics are stunning. The PVP in the game is really really balanced and fun to play. To complete the quest you can invite people to help you. And you can feel that game is alive with people. They game is not Pay for win, everything isAwesome game. The gameplay ant story line is awesome. There is very big list of items you can get, and visual content of the game is very high quality. The graphics are stunning. The PVP in the game is really really balanced and fun to play. To complete the quest you can invite people to help you. And you can feel that game is alive with people. They game is not Pay for win, everything is balanced. They payable items with real money is just visual, they dont affect your character. Really fun to play game. I hope in the future it will succeed.… Expand
  23. SlySherZ
    Oct 31, 2013
    10
    Blizz fanboys pls stop giving negative ratting to PoE. The game is awesome!
    Sure it has his flaws as any other game, but you enjoy every minute you play.
    Best ARPG, free to play, NOT pay to win. What else do u want?
  24. bdplaya
    Nov 4, 2013
    10
    At first glance I thought it was another DIABLO 2 clone with no essence. First impression was not that good, plain flat terrain and combat. But once you are in to the game OH BOY. First impression of the skill tree WTF, first impression of the complex and rewarding skill system OMFG. Impressive work of the developer for being a F2P game it deserves a 10/10. To the first starters give theAt first glance I thought it was another DIABLO 2 clone with no essence. First impression was not that good, plain flat terrain and combat. But once you are in to the game OH BOY. First impression of the skill tree WTF, first impression of the complex and rewarding skill system OMFG. Impressive work of the developer for being a F2P game it deserves a 10/10. To the first starters give the game at least 4 fours so you can check out every aspect of the game.
    PD DIABLO 3 Sucks.    … Expand
  25. skritikos
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    This game deserves to be on the top of all existing Action RPG games.

    The positive signs were there since the beta. The recent final release is so polished and balanced that offers a perfect gameplay experience with unlimited options and tricks available to the player. The creators made some very nice choices to differentiate Path of Exile from the ARPG pack. And they were 101%    This game deserves to be on the top of all existing Action RPG games.

    The positive signs were there since the beta. The recent final release is so polished and balanced that offers a perfect gameplay experience with unlimited options and tricks available to the player. The creators made some very nice choices to differentiate Path of Exile from the ARPG pack. And they were 101% successful on their mission.

    All those nice options combined with perfect dark and moody graphics, excellent music and sound effects and absolutely smooth control and motion.

    Try Path of Exile if you are in this type of games. You will soon forget Diablo III or any other similar game.

    (and all for F R E E How did they manage that?     … Expand
  26. Enaio
    Nov 8, 2013
    10
    Great story, great game-play mechanics, and even more. More than likely one of the top 5 games of the year for me and it's a free to play game. You can't beat that. I know it has been out in open beta for awhile but wasn't notified of this until AFTER the release. Would have loved to play it during the beta.
  27. NoMore
    Nov 10, 2013
    10
    (+)
    -free to play
    -no pay to win (you can buy stash tabs but no big deal)
    -pay for cosmetics
    -challenging game in harder difficulties
    -so much customization options
    -race events/leagues
    -coop with friends

    (-)

    -trading is hard
    -no cinematics
    -little laggy sometime(Its bad if die because of lag in hardcore)

    I give a 10 because its free.
  28. popalazarou
    Nov 20, 2013
    10
    after just tinkering with the beta and thinking it might be just ok, i have come to see how amazing this game is in every way. There is nothing you can moan about, graphics are good, sound is good, gameplay is great. I think this game is uderrated when you consider its ftp. There is a ton of gaming to be had. And all for free. I cant believe there are so many negative comments aboutafter just tinkering with the beta and thinking it might be just ok, i have come to see how amazing this game is in every way. There is nothing you can moan about, graphics are good, sound is good, gameplay is great. I think this game is uderrated when you consider its ftp. There is a ton of gaming to be had. And all for free. I cant believe there are so many negative comments about this game. These developers should be praised for showing how it can be done… Expand
  29. RaggedyAttorney
    Nov 13, 2013
    10
    An amazing aRPG from an awesome, and dedicated developer. This game is everything I wanted Diablo 3 to be, and so much more. It brought back that loot addiction I had when I would play Diablo 2. The build diversity that is possible in this game is just insane, and allows for the ability to almost never see the same build twice. (Unless you copy a cookie cutter build). The community is alsoAn amazing aRPG from an awesome, and dedicated developer. This game is everything I wanted Diablo 3 to be, and so much more. It brought back that loot addiction I had when I would play Diablo 2. The build diversity that is possible in this game is just insane, and allows for the ability to almost never see the same build twice. (Unless you copy a cookie cutter build). The community is also awesome. The developers actually care about their fans, and are constantly updating the game with new skills, items, races, and content. And to top it all off the game comes the nice price of free 99. It is absolutely one of my most played, and favorite games of this generation. Thank you GGG.… Expand
  30. Cpt_Brutality
    Nov 15, 2013
    10
    The depth of this game is unmatched. The greatest Arpg since Diablo 2. Pretty high learning curve but all worth it once you pass that! Im playing the game for over a year now (closed beta) and loving every single minute of it. Also the development team is epic as can be!!
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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

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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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