Path of Exile

[MonTy]

Hail all,

I'm surprised Path of Exile hasn't been discussed here yet. I've been fortunate to try out the Beta (http://www.pathofexile.com) and wanted to report my findings.

I couldn't help but grin as my hero encounters his first enemies, a zombie like creature and little rodent shooting spines at you. Before realizing it my pointer finger springs into action, knowing full well how to vanquish these familiar foes. After swiftly picking up many dropped rewards, I take a look at the inventory screen:

http://imgur.com/ozpEs?full

Home sweet home! I ended up relapsing in my clicking addiction for the next few days and have finally come up for air. The game is far from done and has a lot of issues at hand, but it's shaping into a very interesting Diablo clone. There's quite a few distinct features that separate it from the pack:

Spells are only gained through finding gems that are classified into three different types: Strength based (red), and I bet you know the rest already. Subsequently, you must equip the skill gem into a matching color gear slot. For instance I've found a blue intelligence gem named "lightning bolt", so in order to use the lighting bolt skill I must have a piece of equipment that has an available blue gem slot to put in. You may freely remove and place skill gems, so there's unlimited skill swapping. Additionally, I've never seen so much gear that's randomly generated drop in a game, so you'll be sifting through a lot of items to find the pefect kind of skill slot combinations. You can further modify the way a skill works by finding skill effect gems such as "increased AOE effect", "additional projectiles", or "increased damage". Finally, skill gems also have random magical stats and level up with your character.

When creating a character you're allowed to start in a certain kind of league, such as Hardcore. If you die in Hardcore, you're simply demoted into the default league with no chance of that character being in Hardcore again. Another similar but more extreme league is Cut-throat- no zones are instanced and it's open PVP with all gear being dropped upon death as well as being forever demoted.

Potions now have their own equipment slots, hotkeys, can drop with random magic stats, and refill upon killing enemies. Another big feature is the 200+ passive skill tree, which lets you choose a new passive skill every level.

There's a lot of other minor tweaks and adjustments which make the game seem like the Diablo 2 you love, but refreshingly different. I hope some of you are able to get in the Beta and try out this promising upcoming rpg- they give away Beta keys every 40 minutes if you register at their site. I don't want to come off as hyping the game too much though, currently the game balance feels incredibly off, but the system they've presented is intriguing.

-MonTy

[Taem]

That looks like what D2 should have been. Nice and dark. I have no idea how D2 turned into a wow grind-prequel. Sure, D2 has some of the best keyboard layouts and chat commands around making it highly enjoyable, but it was always lacking in story, and the dark edginess of D1 was totally lost when the first half of Blizzard North left to form the Guild Wars franchise. IMO, D2 was saved by the playability, but its story totally sucked.

But to call Path of Exile the D2 2.5? I reserve that title for Sacred, sorry. I suppose this would be a 2.75 then. D3 looks more wow-ish. I was thinking of skipping D3 altogether because they lost the "feeling" of what Diablo should be. Perhaps Path of Exile is a good replacement?

[Ashock]

That looks like what D2 should have been. Nice and dark. I have no idea how D2 turned into a wow grind-prequel. Sure, D2 has some of the best keyboard layouts and chat commands around making it highly enjoyable, but it was always lacking in story, and the dark edginess of D1 was totally lost when the first half of Blizzard North left to form the Guild Wars franchise. IMO, D2 was saved by the playability, but its story totally sucked.

But to call Path of Exile the D2 2.5? I reserve that title for Sacred, sorry. I suppose this would be a 2.75 then. D3 looks more wow-ish. I was thinking of skipping D3 altogether because they lost the "feeling" of what Diablo should be. Perhaps Path of Exile is a good replacement?

D2 was one of the best and definately most addicting games ever. And if you're talking story, it had more story that D1, although that does not say much.

As far as Sacred. I thought it blew chunks.

See, to each their own.

Oh and lastly, D3 looks real good, but if you want to skip it, that's just one less person clogging up the servvers, so be must guest

[vor_lord]

As far as Sacred. I thought it blew chunks.

Massive neighborhood destroying chunks. I'm always skeptical of games that people claim are the "real" successors to Diablo 2. I did like Torchlight well enough.

For Path of Exile... I signed up for the beta. Hopefully I'll get an invite and can try it out. I've got nothing really going on for games to play until I get into the Diablo III beta (crosses fingers).

[Taem]

D2 was one of the best and definately most addicting games ever.

Here, we are in complete agreement. This is not in dispute.

And if you're talking story, it had more story that D1, although that does not say much.

Total disagreement. Most of the NPC's had very interesting dialog propelling the story of Sanctuary in D1. The book D1 came with had ideas. D2... nothing. You kill kill kill, grind grind grind... the NPC's are hallow and their dialog is mostly crap and does not add to the fable of a deep story. The NPC's in D2 are mostly, "monster in here, crappy back-story, go kill it for me to advance story." Seriously, one of the worst stories of any self-proclaimed "action RPG" I think I've ever played, period! You'd be lying to me if you claimed otherwise.

As far as Sacred. I thought it blew chunks.

Again, we are not in disagreement. The mechanic Sacred used for scaling player level vs monster level sucks. I hated it! But it was everything D2 should have been - large spread-out towns and overworld, some randomized dungeons, fantastic sound and graphics for its time, an improved loot-system... Sacred was pretty much just a better version of D2, however with a super premise. I think I only played Sacred for a few months then gave it up... but it's practically an upgraded D2 clone in terms of interface, hence why its the technical predecessor of D2 (2.5), but not the spiritual successor. On that merit, I'd say D2 is not the spiritual successor of D1, but perhaps Path of Exile is?

Oh and lastly, D3 looks real good, but if you want to skip it, that's just one less person clogging up the servvers, so be must guest

You mad? No need to be sarcastic. D3 does look very nice. And they have "hardcore", a must or I won't even bother to pick the game up. But if D3 turns out to be more like a WoW/Gauntlet Legends hybrid in atmosphere as it's looking now, instead of the dark, eerie feeling that was D1, that it's hard for me to say what I'll do ATM. So many great games coming out, Torchlight 2 with MP and Hardcore, Path of Exile... I don't have a lot of time to play video games, so once I pick one... well that's it! So if D3 doesn't come right out and grab me, then there are other fish in the sea, that's all I'm saying.

[Frag]

From everything you've said, MEAT, you *really* need to take a look into Grim Dawn.

[Ashock]

Total disagreement. Most of the NPC's had very interesting dialog propelling the story of Sanctuary in D1. The book D1 came with had ideas. D2... nothing. You kill kill kill, grind grind grind... the NPC's are hallow and their dialog is mostly crap and does not add to the fable of a deep story. The NPC's in D2 are mostly, "monster in here, crappy back-story, go kill it for me to advance story." Seriously, one of the worst stories of any self-proclaimed "action RPG" I think I've ever played, period! You'd be lying to me if you claimed otherwise.

You mad? No need to be sarcastic. D3 does look very nice. And they have "hardcore", a must or I won't even bother to pick the game up. But if D3 turns out to be more like a WoW/Gauntlet Legends hybrid in atmosphere as it's looking now, instead of the dark, eerie feeling that was D1, that it's hard for me to say what I'll do ATM. So many great games coming out, Torchlight 2 with MP and Hardcore, Path of Exile... I don't have a lot of time to play video games, so once I pick one... well that's it! So if D3 doesn't come right out and grab me, then there are other fish in the sea, that's all I'm saying.

Diablo 1 was as popular (and good) as it was because of it's MP gameplay. If it did not have MP, the game would have been dead within 6 months. The D1 MP game had even less story than D2. The fact that there were novels written set in the D1 universe, is completely irrelevant as to what kind of game it itself was.

As far as other new games, let's face it. Games come and go, but 99.9% of games are played for at most a few months and that's if they are real good.

Blizzard games are played for years.

They are the last game company that has yet to dissapoint. Bioware was another like it, but DA2 broke them.

Luckily, in the next year or so, there will be 2 choices for new long lasting games, D3 and TOR. Yes, I know TOR is Bioware, but I am willing to give them another chance, unless D3 comes out before they do..... would be a very powerful business move by Blizzard.

Anyway....

[Taem]

I think I figured it out... it's not that D1 has more or less "story" as D2, rather it's how the story is presented. This may sound silly, but in D1 you are essentially a medieval Sherlock Holmes, trying to make sense of what is happening in Tristram. Of course the story is already there, but part of any good mystery is unraveling the clues as to what happened. Maybe that is what excites me about D1 in regards to the story? But nonetheless, part of a good story is an appropriate atmosphere, complete with fitting music, scenery, and dialog, all of which I feel was lacking in D2. Lets face it, telling a scary campfire story at high noon in a crowded mall will not have the same effect as telling it over a dimly lit campfire with but a few intent listeners. While D2 may be superior in many aspects, it is greatly lacking in... story, as I said all along. But of course, this just my opinion. Anyways, I guess I'm just a sucker for a good scary story, especially when it's wrapped up in a good mystery (ala Doom, Resident Evil anyone?).

[Taem]

From everything you've said, MEAT, you *really* need to take a look into Grim Dawn.

OMG... you guys are seriously killing me! I was perfectly content with the prospect of purchasing just D3 and Torchlight 2 (because they have hardcore) and seeing which I would end up sticking with, but now Path of Exile looks quite honestly fantastic - the best of all three so far, and now Grim Dawn... equally as impressive! My head's swimming. At this point, I guess I'll just have to purchase whichever comes out first, lol! But seriously, PoE is looking really sweet, especially the way they handle hardcore: once your hc character dies, it becomes softcore, but your erased from the hc boards. Just wow; I'm super excited about this game the more I read up on it! But GD has all of the upgraded features of D2, Sacred, and Titans Quest combined. Choices choices, .

[--Pete]

Hi,

... part of a good story is an appropriate atmosphere, ...

I think that's what made D1 so compelling for me. It felt right, all the Gothic elements working together. It's why, after looking at it, I never got Hellfire. It just didn't fit.

D2, from the start, really had no atmosphere. It was a lot more like a Conan comic than a Gothic horror story.

--Pete

[LochnarITB]

My head's swimming

Ditto! And it feels sooooo good...

[LavCat]

I think I figured it out... it's not that D1 has more or less "story" as D2, rather it's how the story is presented. This may sound silly, but in D1 you are essentially a medieval Sherlock Holmes, trying to make sense of what is happening in Tristram. Of course the story is already there, but part of any good mystery is unraveling the clues as to what happened. Maybe that is what excites me about D1 in regards to the story? But nonetheless, part of a good story is an appropriate atmosphere, complete with fitting music, scenery, and dialog, all of which I feel was lacking in D2. Lets face it, telling a scary campfire story at high noon in a crowded mall will not have the same effect as telling it over a dimly lit campfire with but a few intent listeners. While D2 may be superior in many aspects, it is greatly lacking in... story, as I said all along. But of course, this just my opinion. Anyways, I guess I'm just a sucker for a good scary story, especially when it's wrapped up in a good mystery (ala Doom, Resident Evil anyone?).

It's all in the marshmallows.

[kandrathe]

It's all in the marshmallows.

Mmmm, smores. It gets really scarey when you add the lysergic acid diethylamide.

[MonTy]

MEAT,

Regarding Path of Exile, current state of the game feels like the parts are better than the whole. I love the ideas and system in place, but at the moment they feel thrown into these extremely large and randomized maps with unbalanced skills and no real challenge from monsters. Each zone is randomized, and absolutely massive and tedious to clear (coming from someone who enjoyed clearing all Tal Rasha's tombs). I'm level 24ish in the second Act (three Acts in release) and have no desire to continue until further patches come along.

But I have hope everything will come together and they'll find better pacing for the game. There's tons of features that make this one worth keeping an eye on.

[Occhidiangela]

Diablo I gave birth to Occhidiangela, the hard drinking sassy rogue.

Diablo II was ... well, so versatile. There was a lot of grind, but the skills and game balance were off kilter enough to allow an immense variety of game play. Replayability? Yes.

Uh, I still have a few chars on D II Hard Core, 11 years after it was released.

Well, maybe that says more about me than D II ... or not?

[Crusader]

Speaking of Diablo 1's story line.... Anyone remember Diablo 1's game manual?

I do.

[LavCat]

Speaking of Diablo 1's story line.... Anyone remember Diablo 1's game manual?

I do.

Without getting up from the chair I don't see it but it's here somewhere. I spy King's Quest and Heretic on the shelf and I came across the Wasteland manuals not too long ago.

The Diablo installation disc is right here and the box is on the shelf behind me. Maybe the manual is in the box? Of course the real manual is Jarulf's Guide, for which I came to the lounge in the first place.

[Taem]

You guys really need to watch this video on PoE: LINK

Just check out the skill trees at minute 9! And the game-play... So reminiscent of D2! This game looks incredible! I really can't wait for it to come out!

[LochnarITB]

You guys really need to watch this video on PoE: LINK

Just check out the skill trees at minute 9! And the game-play... So reminiscent of D2! This game looks incredible! I really can't wait for it to come out!

Just an FYI, if you're looking for a detailed overview, this is not the video. It is clearly a first time through for him (he doesn't even try to dual wield that second wand he picks up, sheesh! ), so he is kind of ruining your initial play discovery if you enjoy that kind of thing (as do I - like trying that first bite of that beautiful burger at the new place that just opened down the block that "you just gotta try, killer!").

If you don't care about that, it's a good look. It gives you the feel and shows off stuff that is currently in place. There is still quite a bit for them to do - features, balance and content - but they really have something good going. I think it will get a lot of play, and may even take away a few folks from D3 that would rather play it for free than pay $50(?) for D3.

The skill trees are amazing. The first time I opened it I thought, "what?!" I then started looking closer and thought "the Lounge variant scum are gonna LOVE this!" There is talk that they are reworking the trees but I don't think they will stray too far from where they are now. They offer incredible freedom, maybe even too much, and allow any class to pretty much go any direction.

So far I'm having fun. It drags me in and makes me clear the fog of war, laying waste to everything in my path, until I find that next waypoint. Sleep is for WoW raiders.

[LochnarITB]

I have an invite for the Path of Exile closed beta available. Anyone want it? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

gone