Path of Exile Reviews
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We've rounded up a few recent reviews for Grinding Gear Games' Path of Exile, a free-to-play action-RPG in the mold of Diablo that's been garnering really positive impressions from players and critics alike.
PC Gamer, 84/100.
If you play action-RPGs as a cathartic power trip, to slam into monstrous hordes and watch their bloody bodies ragdoll across the scenery, then Path of Exile will seem dry. It's not a game about instant gratification, it's about slowly forging an inventive character over three acts and three difficulty tiers. Once it has its claws in, Path of Exile is as compulsive as any other in the genre. After a few hours the combat becomes automatic. The objectives are moot, the quests, characters and creatures incidental. Every stab and slash is in service of the real journey across that vast levelling board. Every 500 to 1,000 clicks lights up another node, and the little warrior mannequin takes another step away from being a template and toward something that's uniquely yours.
Destructoid, 9/10.
The game's aesthetic also deserves praise. The world has a grimy, grungy, uncomfortable feel to it that constantly makes the player feel slightly off just for inhabiting it, which is appropriate given what goes on. Every person and object looks like it's at its lowest point. Enemy design is equally morbid, though it does tend to fall back on enemies like skeletons and more skeletons. Combat can certainly pack a punch, though animations do tend to feel disjointed, which can lead to a feeling of clunkiness. The art style and design on the loot garners a special mention from me, since it brings me back to my Diablo II days of looking at Sigon's Shield, SOJs, and Windforces. It's just so damn nostalgic I can't take it.
Path of Exile is free (actually free), unique, and exciting, despite its often morose tone and themes. I don't have much else to say except GO DOWNLOAD IT!
NicheGamer, 9.2/10.
It seems silly to answer the (Should I play this?) question since, after all, the game is free. Though when you factor in the amount of time these games require it makes sense to ask it. My answer? Absolutely. While it's true that the connection issues are a gigantic drawback, there is the good chance that the developers will eventually iron things out once the money from the more dedicated players starts pouring in. As the game stands now, it's the best action RPG that has seen the light of day since Diablo 2. and that's a fact.
Examiner, 4/5.
In conclusion, Path of Exile is worth a try, especially for fans of action RPGs that have been looking for a new game since Diablo 3. There are some minor issues with lag, some changes to the traditional formula to get used to but for the (non-existent) price of admission, this experiment is a successful one.
