Path of Exile 2

Developer: Grinding Gear Games
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Release Date: November 15, 2024 (Early Access)

While many Diablo-style games have come out over the years, the one game that’s managed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Blizzard’s series as one of the great loot-driven action RPGs is Path of Exile. After years of updates and upgrades to the original, it’s finally getting a sequel, and Path of Exile 2 certainly retains the original’s focus on deep (very deep!) class tuning but also expands the scope of the game world in a big way.

Playing Path of Exile 2 was thrilling, and even with Diablo IV going strong, it offered a lot of fun twists that helped it stand up alongside Blizzard’s juggernaut. During my hands-on, I tore through a dungeon as a ranger class with lightning-imbued arrows, but hit a wall when the mid-boss ripped me apart before I could make a dent. Still, even if the challenge was a bit more brutal than I expected, I appreciate just how dense Path of Exile 2 is regarding combat options and character growth. It’s the kind of game that makes you feel like a genius when learning how to tune and bend the systems to your whims. There are some really bizarre class builds for the original game, and the sequel looks to retain and elevate that aspect further. I want to see just how far I can push the classes when the game launches in early access later this year.