Path of Exile 2 Devs Implement Urgent Fixes Amid 'Mostly Negative' Steam Reviews

Grinding Gear Games (GGG), the developer behind Path of Exile 2, has introduced a series of emergency updates in response to the community's backlash against the Dawn of the Hunt update. Launched earlier this month, this expansion introduced the new Huntress class, which specializes in hybrid melee and ranged combat using a Spear and Buckler. Additionally, it brought five new ascension classes: the Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich, along with over a hundred new unique items and expanded crafting options. Despite these additions, the update received a 'mostly negative' rating on Steam due to significant gameplay slowdowns, which players described as making the game a "total slog."

Every boss fight feels unnecessarily prolonged, with most skills delivering minimal damage. The intended gameplay slowdown has made the experience feel sluggish and unrewarding, especially considering the game's stability issues. One review sarcastically remarked, "If you're a masochist who enjoys being punished for little to no reward, this game is for you."

Critics also pointed out issues with the game's earlier version (0.1), such as oversized maps, slow movement, and forced combo gameplay, which were exacerbated in the Dawn of the Hunt update (0.2). Players noted a significant reduction in loot and crafting currencies, alongside the return of forced combo mechanics that restrict build diversity.

With over 5,000 hours in Path of Exile 1, one reviewer expressed deep disappointment but remained hopeful that future updates could address these concerns and improve the game's enjoyability.

In response, GGG has released patch notes for the upcoming 0.2.0e update, set to launch on April 11. The changes aim to address the community's complaints, particularly around monster speed and boss mechanics.

Path of Exile 2 update 0.2.0e patch notes:

Monster Speed Changes

To alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed by monsters, GGG has made several adjustments across different acts. They have removed interrupt events on human monsters' attacks, preventing relentless pursuit and allowing players more time to engage and use skills. The Haste Aura modifier has been removed from fast monsters to reduce their speed further.

Act 1

• Werewolf and Tendril Prowlers now walk after melee actions, reducing their overall speed.
• Hungering Stalkers have reduced life and damage to balance their high movement and attack speeds.
• Reduced the number of Bloom Serpents and Venomous Crabs in specific areas.
• Cultists in Freythorn no longer have interrupt events on their attacks and now walk after melee actions.
• Blood Cretins' Blood Pools now last for a shorter duration, and their area of effect is more accurately represented.
• Overall monster density in Ogham Manor has been decreased.

Act 2

• Boulder Ants in Titan Valley have been replaced with Risen Maraketh to improve player experience.
• Faridun monsters no longer have interrupt events on their attacks.

Act 3

• Diretusk Boar and Antlion Charger now push players to the side during charges.
• The Lost City and Azak Bog have seen adjustments to reduce the number of ranged and elite monsters.
• Fixed an issue with Slitherspitter's poison spray in Venom Crypts to deal the correct type of damage.

GGG has identified and plans to address inconsistent monster spawn density in future updates.

Boss Changes

• Viper Napuatzi's fight has fewer and smaller Chaos Rains, with improved visual clarity.
• Uxmal's fight has been streamlined with fewer location changes, no Energy Shield recharge while airborne, and less frequent use of Flame Breath.
• Xyclucian's arena has been cleared of ground foliage to improve visibility of effects.

Player Minion Changes

• Adjusted minion revive timers to prevent long delays when multiple minions die.
• Disenchanting certain minion gems now unbinds them, allowing reuse.
• Tamed beasts can now navigate through smaller gaps.

Other Player Balance

• Rally support now applies to any melee attack.
• Fixed issues with Glory consumption and Blood Boils propagation.

Crafting Changes

• Added mods to runes for caster weapons, enhancing crafting options.
• Introduced a new Blank rune at Renly's abandoned shop, which can be forged into any elemental rune.

Performance Improvements

• Optimized ground foliage to enhance game performance.

0.2.0E Deployment Timeline

The patch will be deployed at 10 AM NZT on April 11, with further changes planned post-weekend.

Charm Changes

• Charm slots on belts now depend on area level, with options to reroll using Divine Orbs.
• Several charm mods have been enhanced for better protection and rewards.

Stash Tab Affinities

• New affinities for Socketables, Fragments, Breach, Expedition, Ritual items, and Charms in Flask stash tabs.

Atlas Bookmarks

• Players can now bookmark up to 16 locations on the atlas for easy navigation.

These updates aim to address the community's concerns and improve the overall gameplay experience. Whether these changes will be enough to restore positive sentiment among Path of Exile 2 players remains to be seen, especially given the game's initial success and the challenges it has faced in managing its player base and development of Path of Exile 1.