Grinding Gear Games (GGG), the developers behind Path of Exile 2, have announced further emergency changes to the action role-playing game in response to a significant backlash from the community following the Dawn of the Hunt update. This update, which was released earlier this month, has led to a surge of negative reviews on Steam, with the game's rating dropping to 'mostly negative.'
The Dawn of the Hunt expansion introduced the new Huntress class, which specializes in hybrid melee and ranged combat using a Spear and Buckler. Additionally, five new ascension classes were added: the Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich. The update also included mechanical overhauls, over a hundred new unique items, and expanded crafting options. Despite these additions, the community expressed frustration over what they perceived as a significant slowdown in the game's pace, describing it as a "total slog."
A prominent negative review on Steam encapsulates the community's grievances, highlighting issues such as excessively long boss fights, skills with insufficient damage, and overall slow gameplay. The review also mentions the game's stability issues, which have compounded the negative experience. Another review sarcastically suggests that the game might only appeal to those who enjoy being "punished for little to no reward."
The update version 0.1 was already criticized for its large area sizes, slow movement, and forced combo gameplay, which players had previously bypassed through unintended build options. The new version 0.2, Dawn of the Hunt, exacerbated these issues by further slowing down the game and nerfing loot drops to the point where defeating rare monsters or bosses often yields no valuable items or crafting currencies. The forced combo gameplay, which restricts player build freedom, has been a particular point of contention.
In response to the community's feedback, GGG has released a list of changes with the upcoming 0.2.0e patch, set to be deployed on April 11. These changes aim to address the most pressing concerns and improve the overall gameplay experience.
Path of Exile 2 Update 0.2.0e Patch Notes
------------------------------------------Monster Speed Changes
Players reported feeling overwhelmed by monsters due to various factors, which GGG is addressing on a case-by-case basis. Changes include:
- Removal of interrupt events for human monsters like Cultists in Freythorn, Faridun, and Tribal Humans in Act Three, allowing players more time to engage and use skills.
- The Haste Aura monster modifier no longer appears on already fast monsters.
- Adjustments to monster behavior in Acts 1, 2, and 3, including reducing the speed and density of certain monsters and modifying their attack patterns.
Boss Changes
- Viper Napuatzi: Reduced the number and size of Chaos Rains and improved visibility of drop locations.
- Uxmal: Fewer location changes, no Energy Shield recharge while in the air, and less frequent use of Flame Breath.
- Xyclucian: Removed ground foliage in the arena to enhance visibility of his effects.
Player Minion Changes
- Adjusted minion revive timers to mitigate the issue of long waits when multiple minions die.
- Disenchanting a Bind Spectre or Tame Beast gem now unbinds them for reuse.
- Tamed beasts can now navigate through gaps the same size as the player.
Other Player Balance
- Rally support now works with any Melee Attack.
- Glory is no longer consumed if the player is interrupted while using the skill.
- Fixed a bug with the Ritualist's Blood Boils not propagating when monsters explode on death.
Crafting Changes
- Completed the addition of mods to runes for caster weapons.
- Introduced a Blank rune at Renly's shop in the Burning Village, which can be forged into any elemental rune.
Performance Improvements
- Optimized ground foliage in various areas to enhance performance.
0.2.0E Deployment Timeline
The patch will be deployed at around 10AM NZT on April 11, with additional changes planned for a future update post-weekend.
Charm Changes
- Charm slots on belts now depend on the level of the area where the belt dropped, with a cap based on belt level.
- Enhanced charm functionality and power to make them more rewarding and useful.
Stash Tab Affinities
- Added affinities for Socketables, Fragments, Breach, Expedition, and Ritual items.
- Charms can now be stored in the Flask stash tab or any tab with the Flask affinity.
Atlas Bookmarks
- Introduced the ability to bookmark locations on the atlas for easy navigation, with up to 16 bookmarks possible.
The question remains whether these changes will be sufficient to address the community's concerns and restore a positive sentiment towards Path of Exile 2. Despite the initial success and high player turnout at launch, these issues have impacted the game's reception and even affected the development of Path of Exile 1, which still enjoys a dedicated player base.
