In an interview, a Path of Exile 2 developer talks about what Diablo 4 taught him. Path of Exile 2 relies less on cooldowns, more on action and a touch of hardcore – Elden Ring is a role model here.
What kind of game is this? Path of Exile 2 is an upcoming Hack’n’Slay title from Grinding Gear Games and features a complex skill tree. It’s a direct competitor to the action RPG Diablo 4.
In Path of Exile 2 you want to focus more on action and less on cooldowns. According to developer Jonathan Rogers, the main focus is that you never lose control of your character.
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The developers rely on extensive beta and challenging bosses
What did you learn from Diablo 4? Diablo 4’s approach was great, says Jonathan Rogers in an interview with IGN. But that’s not “his thing.” He prefers more action and fewer cooldowns. The players should decide which ability is best and never lose control of their characters (via ign.com).
Rogers feels bad when he thinks about the criticism, some of it harsh, that the developers of Diablo 4 have received. He is sure “that they mean well, but yes, it’s a difficult lesson to learn.” The developers of Path of Exile 2 rely on an extensive beta:
I think you have to get the balance right at launch because once you have something in a certain way, players are very resistant to change, especially in a negative direction. So we really need to make sure we have a good beta that tells us everything we need to know about it.
The beta should cover the entire game, not just the first act, it should also run for months. “Because it actually takes a while for people to figure out what the most efficient things are and what they’re supposed to be doing,” Rogers said. According to the website, the closed beta will start on June 7, 2024.
The fights are supposed to be much more difficult than before, as Jonathan Rogers, Game Director of Path of Exile 2, told us in an interview.
“Path of Exile 2 is more complex in many ways”
Here’s why Elden Ring is a role model: Path of Exile 2 should be more action-packed, but also have hardcore elements and “go more in the direction of the Elden Ring”. The game relies on “excellent bosses”. So the players should fight against a few, rare monsters at once, which are both more demanding and worthwhile (via ign.com).
According to Jonathan Rogers, Path of Exile 2 is more complex in many ways. He adds, “But I think it’s something that a lot of players are looking for and there’s a tremendous amount of experimentation to be had with character classes and builds in our game. It will keep you busy for a long time.”
Weapon swapping will also be revised. The player can equip 2 weapons, both are displayed on the character. Each ability can be assigned a weapon. If you use a skill, you automatically switch to the appropriate weapon. This inspires even the critical Twitch streamer Asmongold:
Twitch streamer Asmongold always has something to complain about, but a new feature in Path of Exile 2 excites him