PoE 2 Devs Implement Urgent Fixes Amid 'Mostly Negative' Steam Reviews

Grinding Gear Games (GGG), the developer behind the highly anticipated action role-playing game Path of Exile 2, has responded to the community's backlash against the recent Dawn of the Hunt update. This update, which was released earlier this month, introduced the new Huntress class, five new ascension classes, numerous mechanical overhauls, over one hundred new unique items, and expanded crafting options. However, the update's focus on slowing down gameplay has led to a surge in negative reviews on Steam, plummeting the game's rating to 'mostly negative.'

Players have expressed frustration over the game's pacing, with many feeling that the extended boss fights and reduced skill damage have turned the game into a "total slog." A prominent negative review on Steam highlights these issues, stating that the gameplay feels "incredibly awful" and raises concerns about the game's stability. Another review criticizes the forced combo gameplay and the nerfed loot system, which has resulted in fewer rewards from defeating rare monsters and bosses.

In response to the community's feedback, GGG has already implemented some changes and has announced further adjustments in the upcoming 0.2.0e patch, set to be released on April 11. These changes aim to address the overwhelming presence of monsters, adjust boss mechanics, and improve player experience through various balance tweaks and crafting enhancements.

Path of Exile 2 Update 0.2.0e Patch Notes

Monster Speed Changes

GGG has made significant adjustments to monster behavior to alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed. They have removed interrupt events for various human monsters, such as Cultists, Faridun, and Tribal Humans, which previously allowed these enemies to relentlessly pursue players. The Haste Aura modifier has also been removed from already fast monsters to prevent excessive speed.

Act 1

Werewolf and Tendril Prowlers now adopt a walking stance after melee attacks, only resuming running if the player moves away. Hungering Stalkers have been weakened further, with reduced life and damage to balance their high movement and attack speeds. The number of Bloom Serpents and Venomous Crabs has been decreased, and Cultists in Freythorn no longer have interrupt events on their attacks. Blood Cretins' blood pools have a shorter duration, and the overall density of challenging monsters in Ogham Manor has been reduced.

Act 2

Boulder Ants in Titan Valley have been replaced with Risen Maraketh to reduce irritating movement, and Faridun's interrupt events have been removed.

Act 3

Diretusk Boar and Antlion Chargers now push players to the side rather than along with them during charges. The Lost City and Azak Bog have seen adjustments to monster composition, reducing the number of ranged and elite monsters. An issue with Slitherspitter's poison spray in Venom Crypts has been fixed to deal the correct type of damage.

Boss Changes

Viper Napuatzi's fight has been adjusted to reduce the number and size of Chaos Rains, improving visibility and clarity. Uxmal's fight has been made less frustrating by reducing his movement and limiting his ability to recharge Energy Shield while airborne. The arena for Xyclucian has been cleared of ground foliage to enhance visibility of his effects.

Player Minion Changes

Minion revive timers now increase less dramatically with each successive death, mitigating long wait times. Disenchanting Bind Spectre or Tame Beast gems now unbinds them, and tamed beasts can fit through gaps accessible to players.

Other Player Balance

Rally support can now be used with any melee attack, and Glory is no longer consumed if the player is interrupted during skill use. A bug with the Ritualist's Blood Boils has been fixed to ensure proper propagation.

Crafting Changes

All mods for caster weapons have been added to runes, and Renly's shop in the Burning Village now offers a Blank rune that can be forged into any elemental rune. Artificers Orbs are now available at fixed locations throughout the campaign.

Performance Improvements

Ground foliage in various areas has been optimized to enhance performance.

0.2.0E Deployment Timeline

The 0.2.0e patch will be deployed at 10AM NZT, with additional changes planned for post-weekend deployment.

Charm Changes

Charm slots on belts are now granted by implicit mods, with the number of slots scaling with the belt's level. Unique belts can have up to three charm slots. Several charms have been fixed to protect players from the activating hit, and charm mods have been enhanced for better rewards.

Stash Tab Affinities

New affinities have been added 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

Players can now bookmark locations on their atlas for easy navigation, with up to 16 bookmarks available at a time.

The question remains whether these updates will be sufficient to address the community's concerns and restore Path of Exile 2's reputation. Despite the backlash, the game's launch was a success, though it has presented challenges that have even affected the development of Path of Exile 1. GGG continues to work on improving the game, hoping to regain the trust and enjoyment of its player base.