Recent reviews by aarw

Game Time: 45 Hours

Pros:
✅ Performance: I didn't observe any performance issues except for one map. The game is very smooth.
✅ Graphics/Art: Compared to the previous game, the game's layer design in the 3rd dimension is much better. The graphic designers did a very good job. For example, when the character climbs the ziggurat, it offers a unique atmosphere. We don't see this kind of design very often in isometric games.
I generally found GGG successful in designing maps representing different element themes homogeneously. They proved themselves this time too.

Cons:
❌ Monster Density:
For some reason I can't understand, they have seriously messed up the monster density on the map in the new game. You can't see a monster in 1-2 scenes. In the 3rd scene, you encounter 30 creatures that swarm at you. This problem is not very far away, we felt it in our bones in the Last Epoch game. On top of that, the teleportation mechanic that was removed from the game makes this problem more obvious and your character gets stuck in the middle of so many monsters that he can't move.

❌Map Dimensions and Teleportation Locations:
They almost doubled the size of ACT maps compared to PoE. There was a problem that casual players already experienced. Reducing the distance traveled in transitions between maps in acts. If you are not an experienced person, you will wander from one map to another while searching for the quest and you will find yourself at irrelevant checkpoints every time. Did you accidentally die? Oh no! Because the whole map will be filled with monsters again. Even the ones you killed before will not matter. This change seriously increases the gameplay time. But it does not add any fun to the game. It is completely a pain for the player.

❌Ascendancy Mechanic:
Even I, who have over 2000 hours of PoE experience, could not understand the logic of ascendancy at first glance. The old mechanics have been completely removed. Sanctum and ultimatum have been introduced instead. However, there is no information about which one to enter for each ascendancy. For example, you enter ultimatum to get your 3rd ascendancy point. Then you realize that you cannot get the point when you finish, because the ultimatum level you entered is too low for this. So why was there really such a need for confusion? It is impossible to understand why they brought a complicated system instead of changing the existing ascendancy system.

❌Difficulty:
I started the game by playing the ranger and sorcerer classes. The first 3 acts were as difficult as a nightmare. It progresses at levels that we can call difficult, especially for casual players. However, once you follow a consistent path in the character passive tree and get a few good items, this difficulty disappears, which for me was after Act 4. But the question that needs to be asked is: Why does a game like this start out hard and then get easier? Isn't that the exact opposite scenario we want? Maybe I'm wrong.


Overall:
7/10 - Despite all its cons for early access, it turned out very well. I know that the GGG team will take this game to a much better point on release.

Recommendation:
My advice to casual players who haven't played the first PoE game is to go and finish the standard acts of the first game. If you like it, you'll like this game too. The game difficulty increases a little more. Starting with PoE 2 may put you off the game.

Game crashed and entire session gone. End of story.

- Item categories could be more effective. When you buy something for your bedroom, you need to visit multiple categories for items. Instead of that, you could categorize by room type or there can be a way to categorized by type with option.
- I was expecting more interactive world other than just clicking houses from menu. There should be some improvements when you think HF 1 right?
- Poor dialogues. Looks like plan is making a back story while we flip houses. But dialogues, characters... Can't even find what to say.
- Perk upgrades too easy. I played 6 hours. Almost half of them already opened.
- Auction totally ridiculous. HF 1 auction and buyers mechanism was poor. Even you build house with their preference, result is completely irrelevant. Now we don't even have that feature. Just click sell and here we go. Probably there is simple calculation which check your spending and offer you some prices. I was definitely expecting more.

As result, graphic upgrades awesome. But this is a sequel of a really good game. We are expecting something more than graphics.

The game crashed 2 times in 3 hours.

A weak copy of Planet Coaster.

This game totally addictive. But sadly, tasks and to-do elements are tasteless. They should be more attractive. Actually, I am playing this game to improve my color choices on daily life. But I was not found many thing.

I was not face with any bug recent months. Some problems solved with past updates.

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