Path of Exile 2

About

Discover the free-to-play action-RPG Path of Exile 2 on the official PlayStation website. Check out the latest trailers, screenshots and gameplay features, and how to download and play on your PS5 console.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 80,795 reviews

gameplay3k positive mentions

grinding2.7k negative mentions

The gameplay is praised for its depth, complexity, and engaging mechanics, particularly in boss fights that require strategic planning and skillful execution.
The graphics have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visual fidelity and artistic design, marking a significant upgrade from its predecessor.
Character development is widely praised for its depth and complexity, offering players a vast array of customization options through intricate skill trees and build paths.

Significant criticism has been directed at the game's punishing mechanics, such as one-shot deaths and severe penalties for dying, which can lead to frustration, especially for new players.
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many reporting severe performance issues, including frequent stuttering, frame drops, and crashes.
The story has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it generic and lacking depth, often feeling like a tedious grind through expansive maps.

gameplay
10,410 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
63%
8%
The gameplay of Path of Exile 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its depth, complexity, and engaging mechanics, particularly in boss fights that require strategic planning and skillful execution. However, significant criticism has been directed at the game's punishing mechanics, such as one-shot deaths and severe penalties for dying, which detract from the overall enjoyment and can lead to frustration, especially for new players. While the game offers a rich and immersive experience with improved graphics and a revamped skill system, many players feel that the balance and clarity of mechanics need further refinement to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay is quite fun with a lot of room for novelty based on the skills you acquire. I really love the take on combining all classes' skill trees into one, while still keeping them separate enough through different starting points, so that choosing a class is still relevant, and the progression and reward system through the campaign is very well implemented.”
- “The gameplay loop is incredibly addictive, and the sheer potential of what's to come is incredibly exciting. The bosses are especially enjoyable, with a souls-like feel, where you have to learn and master their mechanics to succeed.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and challenging, with procedurally generated areas that keep each playthrough fresh and unpredictable. The mechanics are well-designed and fair, making victories feel incredibly satisfying, especially when overcoming tougher bosses after repeated tries.”
- “Death penalties are too steep, regressive, and plain disheartening, especially with single attempt mechanics.”
- “The gameplay loop ends up being loot an entire inventory off the ground each map of the bases you want, then tediously use low tier currency on them, dump into tab, then later 3:1 to reroll the item.”
- “The gameplay feels sluggish and unpolished, as if the lessons learned throughout the development of Path of Exile 1 were entirely disregarded.”
graphics
4,175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
2%
The graphics in *Path of Exile 2* have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visual fidelity and artistic design, marking a significant upgrade from its predecessor. Players have praised the detailed environments, impressive character models, and dynamic spell effects, which contribute to an immersive dark fantasy atmosphere. However, some users have reported performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical glitches, particularly in high-action scenarios, indicating that optimization remains a concern despite the overall visual improvements.
- “The graphics are stunning, especially the detailed environments.”
- “The graphics have received a significant overhaul, with beautifully crafted environments and character models that breathe new life into the dark, gritty world of Wraeclast.”
- “Poe 2 takes the already impressive graphics of the original game to a whole new level with updated character models, environmental designs, and particle effects.”
- “If not, why do users with high-end PCs still delete stuff to make it run better? This should still be in beta, not early access, until they figure out how to do graphics and shading right.”
- “The graphics are a significant upgrade, with stunning environments, dynamic lighting, and detailed character models that bring the dark fantasy world to life.”
- “The graphics, while not yet optimized much, are well done and on a strong video card will be very smooth.”
story
3,271 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
The story in "Path of Exile 2" has received mixed feedback from players, with many noting improvements over its predecessor, particularly in terms of character development and voice acting. While some players find the narrative engaging and immersive, others criticize it as generic and lacking depth, often feeling like a tedious grind through expansive maps. Overall, the story is seen as a decent backdrop to the gameplay, but many players express a desire for more compelling storytelling and clearer quest guidance.
- “The story is surprisingly well done for early access.”
- “The new class system brings fresh options, and the revamped storyline is far more engaging, drawing you into the world in a way that feels rewarding and immersive.”
- “The story, atmosphere, graphics, and music are top-notch—it's a fantastic game overall.”
- “The story is a complete ripoff of Diablo 2.”
- “The story is very forgettable; you don't even need to read the dialogue, just skip everything and kill the mobs on the other map again and again.”
- “The story is lackluster and only serves to carry you through the acts of the game.”
grinding
2,759 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
98%
The grinding aspect of "Path of Exile 2" has received mixed feedback from players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some appreciate the depth and challenge it brings to character progression, others find the gameplay loop frustrating due to slow movement, long boss fights, and low loot drop rates, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, players emphasize that while grinding is a core element of the game, it often detracts from the enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience.
- “It's not the tediousness that's Diablo IV.”
- “Side quests and map events are interesting and not tedious or repetitive so far.”
- “As my first ARPG, I am very positive about this game; it's fun, it's flashy, it's not too grindy at the time I write this, and the story is a bit interesting, no BS.”
- “Grinding for more levels was impractical, so I thought I'd try and get better gear, which leads to probably my biggest issue with the game.”
- “The gameplay loop ends up being loot an entire inventory off the ground each map of the bases you want, then tediously use low tier currency on them, dump into tab, then later 3:1 to reroll the item.”
- “Unfortunately, grinding gear games is not as focused on making sure their game is consistently playable but rather is trying to figure out how to reduce the power of the players so that you have to spend all of your free time farming for individual gear upgrades.”
optimization
1,650 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
26%
The optimization of "Path of Exile 2" has received significant criticism from players, with many reporting severe performance issues, including frequent stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on high-end hardware. While some users have experienced stable performance, particularly in early gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization to handle the demands of multiplayer and high-density combat scenarios effectively. Many reviewers recommend waiting for further updates and optimizations before fully engaging with the game.
- “I've only just recently started up again after the crashing issues were fixed and I'm very impressed with the performance!”
- “The graphics, while not yet optimized much, are well done and on a strong video card will be very smooth.”
- “The optimization is top-tier.”
- “Extremely poor optimization with no fix; I've tried literally everything in an attempt to get a decent game experience, but the constant stuttering and intermittent low FPS is just driving me crazy.”
- “This game is unplayable due to optimization reasons and the use of CPU threads; it makes it impossible to play. At every important moment, there are spikes for 2-3 seconds, which is why it is impossible to enjoy this game.”
- “The optimization is terrible; I'm talking about this with two computers, one 4080 and the other 7900 XTX, both in full HD we didn't reach more than 100 FPS, that's terrible.”
stability
1,218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent and severe issues such as complete system freezes during loading screens, requiring hard resets of their PCs. Many users have noted that these freezes often occur when transitioning between areas or during intense gameplay moments, leading to a frustrating experience. While some players acknowledge minor bugs typical of early access titles, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is currently unplayable for many due to these critical stability problems.
- “Performance-wise, it runs great most of the time, with just a few hiccups here and there.”
- “The game is also surprisingly polished and bug free.”
- “For early release, it's incredibly bug free and this is the best ARPG I have ever played.”
- “The game frequently freezes my entire pc during loading screens, forcing a hard reboot to recover.”
- “I cannot recommend this game in its current state due to an issue where it randomly freezes the entire pc during loading screens.”
- “The game completely freezes my pc when loading into new areas, have to hard restart computer to fix it.”
music
1,065 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The music in "Path of Exile 2" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively complementing the game's dark fantasy aesthetic. Many players highlight the exceptional quality of the soundtrack, particularly during boss fights, which enhances the overall experience and evokes nostalgia reminiscent of classic titles like "Diablo 2." While some critiques mention moments of repetitiveness, the majority agree that the music significantly contributes to the game's engaging atmosphere and emotional depth.
- “The music, the sound design, the story, the gameplay... it's what someone who loves this genre wants.”
- “The soundtrack is atmospheric and haunting, perfectly complementing the dark, gritty world of Wraeclast.”
- “The music enhances the atmosphere of the game, making the journey feel all the more epic and engaging.”
- “The soundtrack can feel a little too grandiose at times—it’s as if the composer was determined to make every track the most epic thing ever.”
- “The music becomes repetitive and annoying sometimes, performance is really bad, community is toxic, story is the typical dark-fantasy casserole of 'hit a certain amount of dark-themed keywords and you'll be fine'.”
- “Everything else is mediocre or worse, music is absolutely generic, any indie game could have or actually has basically the same level of creativity in this area.”
atmosphere
620 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The atmosphere in Path of Exile 2 is widely praised for its dark, gritty, and immersive qualities, reminiscent of classic titles like Diablo 2. Players appreciate the stunning graphics, detailed environments, and atmospheric sound design that enhance the overall experience, creating a sense of tension and engagement throughout the game. The combination of rich lore, haunting music, and intricate world-building contributes to a captivating atmosphere that draws players into the game's challenging and rewarding gameplay.
- “The game's dark, gritty atmosphere and intricate storytelling draw you in, while the fast-paced combat and endless loot grind keep you hooked for hours on end.”
- “The atmosphere is palpable, drawing you deeper into its dark, intricate world.”
- “The environments are dark, atmospheric, and meticulously detailed, evoking a sense of danger and mystery.”
- “The atmosphere is overly detailed to please drooling newbie fans.”
- “The endgame quickly shifts from the dark souls-like atmosphere of act 1 to a grind-fest more reminiscent of Path of Exile (PoE), with slow, almost non-existent, tedious progression.”
- “I do like the atmosphere, this is a game that isn't afraid to use shadows and bright colors to great effect; the writing, however, is abysmal, it feels like someone at Grinding Gear Games was wearing multiple hats here instead of hiring actual writers.”
monetization
342 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
62%
30%
The monetization model in *Path of Exile 2* has elicited mixed reactions from players. While some appreciate the focus on cosmetic microtransactions and the absence of pay-to-win elements, others criticize the high prices for essential features like stash tabs and the perception of a cash grab, especially given the game's early access fee. Overall, many players recognize the developers' efforts to maintain a fair monetization approach, but concerns about pricing and the impact on gameplay persist.
- “From a monetization perspective, this has been very fair.”
- “Best monetization model a game could hope for - free and does not sell power.”
- “The monetization strategy focuses on cosmetics and convenience rather than pay-to-win mechanics, making it accessible to a wide audience.”
- “7k hours in poe1 and they shoved it down the drain because of a quick cash grab.”
- “The fact that this unfinished cash grab hurts one of my most favorite games is upsetting me very much.”
- “At this point, the game feels like more of a vehicle to get money than an honest effort to create a good game, as the makers have prioritized the microtransactions over the quality of gameplay.”
replayability
267 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
6%
Overall, "Path of Exile 2" is praised for its high replayability, driven by a deep skill tree, diverse character builds, and procedural map generation. While some players express concerns about the endgame content feeling repetitive or tedious, many highlight the game's potential for endless experimentation and customization, ensuring a long lifespan for dedicated players. Despite being in early access, the game already offers substantial replay value, with expectations for even more content and improvements upon full release.
- “The variety of classes and skills makes the game super replayable.”
- “Overall, the game does tend to get repetitive in the endgame stages but that is the fun of it, you get to gather and produce gear over time and play with chances using items to upgrade items, you can also get into crafting which is a little tricky at first but becomes absolutely fundamental if you want to get the top notch gear for your build/character, the replayability is endless as long as the developers make the game as fun and interactive as other successful titles.”
- “The depth and replayability of Path of Exile 2 are unmatched.”
- “But the replayability of this game is 0 for casual players, 100 hours just to start a game every league, and doing ascendancy stuff again.”
- “Game was advertised about its complex endgame and replayability, but I'm personally, like many others, underwhelmed by its current state.”
- “I'm only giving a negative review to bring more light, but this is the truth: the game is as replayable as most single-player games, and by that, I mean it has very little replayability.”
humor
209 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in "Path of Exile 2" is a prominent aspect that players find both entertaining and frustrating. Many reviews highlight the game's darkly comedic elements, such as the absurdity of enemy mechanics, the hilariously overpowered items, and the chaotic nature of gameplay that leads to unexpected deaths. Players appreciate the community's lightheartedness and the amusing interactions that arise from the game's challenges, making it a source of both laughter and shared experiences, despite its punishing difficulty.
- “The funny elite names (shout out to my man "gristlechoke, give it up for gristlechoke), it's got me chuckling to the incredibly English bloke that seems to be taking all this horror and murder in stride.”
- “Pro tip: always bring a friend, because there’s nothing like dying together in the most painful and hilarious way possible.”
- “The community chat is something else, absolutely hilarious.”
- “Not funny... unfortunately.”
- “The end game system looks like an unfunny joke about POE 1.”
- “One mistake = dead and repeat again, that is not funny at all.”
emotional
109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The emotional aspect of the game has elicited a wide range of responses from players, with many expressing deep emotional engagement and investment in the characters and story, while others criticize the lack of narrative depth and emotional resonance. Players have reported feeling a nostalgic connection reminiscent of classic RPGs, alongside moments of joy and frustration tied to gameplay mechanics and challenges. Overall, the game appears to evoke strong emotional reactions, both positive and negative, highlighting its potential to resonate with players on a personal level.
- “Plus, I've never been more emotionally invested in the fate of pixelated NPCs.”
- “This game made me feel again like a 12-year-old discovering the magic of gaming.”
- “Poe2 isn’t just a game, it’s an emotional journey.”
- “Boring story with boring characters.”
- “Boring storyline and tedious gameplay.”
- “Loot on the locations appears only after the nauseatingly long and boring story campaign, which also has to be completed twice.”
character development
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
Character development in Path of Exile 2 is widely praised for its depth and complexity, offering players a vast array of customization options through intricate skill trees and build paths. Many reviewers highlight the game's impressive character design and immersive world, noting that the character development system feels more balanced and engaging compared to its predecessor. However, some players express concerns about the pacing and accessibility of character progression, suggesting that certain mechanics may hinder the overall experience.
- “Character development feels infinite.”
- “The character development system is impressive, with numerous paths to explore.”
- “Overall, Path of Exile 2 is a masterpiece in its field with its intricate gameplay mechanics, immersive world, and endless possibilities for character development.”
- “As it stands now in early access, combat feels sluggish, character development is limited, and every time I launch it, all I can think of is how much I'd rather be playing Path of Exile 1.”
- “There is no reward and minimal ability to actually work towards a character development goal outside of your boring passives since crafting is a gamble, actual gambling is insanely expensive and almost never rewarding, and you have to rely on 95% useless drops.”
- “Your character development through the campaign is utter garbage.”