Summary
The sequel may be the game that’s making all the headlines right now, but the originalPath Of Exileis still an excellent ARPG. There are some obvious similarities between the two games, but with the sequel’s focus on skill-based gameplay, there is definitely a different feel to both games. The originalPath of Exilebalances its difficulty more like a typical ARPG numbers game.
The different gameplay focus may not please every player, but there are still plenty of other reasons to revisit Grinding Gear Games' original.Path of Exilehas now been in development for over eleven years and has benefitted from the added depth and tight balancing that have been brought to the game overmultiple seasonal updates. That makes it a tighter and more complete experience than its sequel overall. Here are all the best reasons new players should still tryPath of Exile.
1New Events & Seasons
Legacy Of Phrecia And Beyond
Even before the release ofPath of Exile 2, Grinding Gear Games assured long-time fans of the first game that they would continue to release seasonal content updates forPath of Exile. While the developers have admitted that focusing on two games was more difficult than they anticipated, they’re still fulfilling that promise. The Legacy of Phrecia event is the first major update since the sequel’s release, a month-long league with a major new feature.
The leaguereplaces all the game’s nineteen ascendancy classes with new alternatives, giving each character a host of new build options. The season’s mechanics retain all the changes from the Settlers of Kalguur update. These are far from the last updates planned forPath of Exile, and new players already have plenty to delve into with building the town of Kingsmarch now added to the multiple other campaign and endgame side activities.
2A Different Approach To Difficulty
The ARPG Numbers Game
Path of Exile 2players coming to the originalPath of Exilefor the first time will immediately notice a big difference. There’s no dodge button in the original game - this simple change gives combat a completely different feel. Players aren’t expected to memorize patterns and dodge AoE attacks, movement and mobility skills are the only ways to avoid damage. As such, the balance of the game is different.Survival depends more on the player’s health and defensive stats than their reflexes in combat.
This will make the game’s difficulty curve more familiar to long-time ARPG players, as players can get by simply by ensuring their health, resistances, and their own DPS numbers stay high. With the itemization side of the game more fleshed out, including mechanics like gear crafting, it’s easier to keep a character in relevant gear as players level, too.
3More Characters & Builds To Try
A Full Character Roster
There are seven character classes inPath of Exile. That’s only one more than the sequel currently has, but these classes each have three possible ascendancy choices (except the Scion). That gives a lot more potential build combinations thanPath of Exile 2currently offers. The classes inPath of Exilealso benefit from years of balancing various passive and ascendancy traits, meaning each class has far more viable endgame options than comparative options in the sequel.
Admittedly, the current Legacy of Phrecia event throws some of that balancing out of the window temporarily, but that’s more of a fun mix-up for long-time players. New players can still start a regular Settlers of Kalguur character to experience theoriginal ascendanciesif they want. Either way, there’s a lot of variety on offer in character choice and build options.
4Better Itemization
A More Satisfying Gear Progression Curve
The itemization and variety of loot that drops is a little lacking inPath of Exile 2.In these first stages of early access, some players have suggested the game doesn’t feel rewarding enough. In comparison to the first game, this is certainly true. Players running thePath of Exilecampaign for the first time will see a muchhigher rate of rare and unique item drops.
It’s not really a fair comparison, as the first game has had years to add to the loot pool. It’s not just the amount of items that the first game currently does better, though. With mechanics that have been added over the years, like the Beastmaster for rolling specific loot, the Hideout crafting bench, or the Kingsmarch shipping system, players have many ways to generate loot and customize it to their needs.
5A Longer, More Coherent Campaign
Getting The Full Story
Much like its sequel, the originalPath of Exilewas released with only half of its eventual campaign content. The campaign, as players experience it today, wasn’t added until 2017, which added acts five to ten in place of what was previously a re-run of the previous acts on a higher difficulty. As a result, the first game now has a lengthy campaign that tells a complete story.
The seasonal NPCs that have been added as permanent fixtures to the game are introduced throughout the campaign, meaning players don’t have to wait until endgame to start engaging with these side activities. There are a lot ofmemorable characters inPath of Exile, many of whom show up in the sequel, so new players should go back and experience their original stories.
6More Depth And Variety Of Endgame Activities
Years Of Retaining The Best Seasonal Content
Path of Exile 2has an uncommon amount of endgame focus for an Early Access title. With that said, the sequel’s version of Atlas map running doesn’t yet feel as fleshed out and varied as the first game. The eleven years of post-release development have givenPath of Exilea significant advantage in being able to cherry-pick the best of theirseasonal additions as permanent endgame activities.
Breaches, Delirium, Expeditions, and Rituals all have their origins inPath of Exileseasonal events and are still represented in the original game’s endgame, along with a host of other activities. Players can get lost in thePath of Exileendgame for hundreds of hours, and new players have a lot to discover if they want to dive deep into the original game’s post-campaign progression.
