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PoE Open Beta Review - 7/10
sacredfool
Member UncommonPosts: 849
Path of Exile is a online co-op hack and slash.
A quick overview first:
| Pros |
 Amazing skill tree Flexibility Bug-free |
| Cons |
| Group content Balance Social/community features |
Graphics and Aesthetics - 9
Graphics are hardly breath taking, but they do their job well which is most important. it's obvious there is a certain vision of the world that was developed - the graphical style is consistent and not cartoony which is quite important in creating the grim atmosphere of the place. All areas are unique and actually manage to feel "epic" despite the fact it's a top-down fixed camera that you can't rotate. The animations are good, i've yet to find one that would make me cringe.
Group Content - 3
This is one of the weakest features of PoE.
First of all, and this is probably most important - the difficulty does not scale well with the size of the group. The normal mobs are pretty weak when compared to single-player. This means that "grouping" actually means constantly spamming AoE by everyone in the group and watching whole rooms of mobs die. In PuGs nobody talks and all normal mobs are a haze - you won't be able to see what you are killing since everything will die in a storm of AoE of effect particles that you can NOT turn off.
The AoE spam also makes melee characters useless - there is nothing to tank or melee if everything is dead before you get into melee-range of it. And no - Ground Slam is NOT melee, thank you very much. There are some bosses that are possible to tank but most are not tankable and require both melee and ranged to dance around the boss - which again places melee characters at a disadvantage. PoE boss encounters are quite fun however and one of the stronger points on the game while grouping.
Last issue PoE group content has is looting. There is a 600-page long thread about it on PoE forums but basically... you have 1 second to pick up your loot. This means that if you are in a pick up group with randoms and somethign valuable drops everyone in the group rushes to try and ninja it - and you need to rush as well or you'll never see the drop again. Having to stop fighting mid-combat so that your loot is not ninja'd is an unexcusable mechanic in combat orientated games like hack'n'slashes.
Classes and Flexibility - 7
Every class can use any keystone, gem and skill. The only difference between classes is the starting place on the "grid" of skills - this means that rangers have easier access to bow skills, but nothing stops a witch from getting those same skills. The main issue is with the current system is the fact I mentioned above which makes melee uunderpowered. However, other then that there's very few issues - the skill tree is huge and provides a lot of flexibility. There are many possible combinations, every skill gem can be boosted by support gems to get any combination you want (Example: you can set a trap that will spawn totems that will shoot spells for you)
Polish – 8
There are some people who experience desyncs, but except one 5 minute long loading screen while teleporting to a boss room that killed my templar I have not experienced any game breaking bugs. The servers do sometimes crash which is possibly lethal but it's rare. There are also no "broken" skills which, with the sheer amount of possible combinations is quite amazing.
Social - 3
Again, just as with group content - some very doubtful design decisions. The trading is done through forums and while spamming "WTB ........ paying well! " is quite nostalgic, there is a good reason why we have market places. There is also no guild content which would be very useful with such vile pick-up-groups.
Innovation - 7
The game is "old school" so by definition not very innovative, but just for the way the skills and gems work it deserves that "7".
GAMEPLAY – 8
The content has some amazing replayability. Different classes do feel different and struggle in different places. The Hardcore league (when you die you get demoted to default) provides additional challenge and motivation to improve. If the AoE spam issue is adressed, an easy "10".
Value - 10
The game - believe it or not - is free. OK, ok....! Not totally free. *SPOILER*Santa does not exist -kids - sorry*SPOILER* The game has a cosmetic cash shop and sells some extra bank space (that you can do without if you really need) and sells additional character slots. You can however make 24 characters without paying a cent (or whatever it is they use in New Zealand). The cash shop is reasonably priced which is another plus. You can even pay (a hefty sum) to create a unique item that will be added into the game.
Originally posted by nethaniahSeriously Farmville? Yeah I think it's great. In a World where half our population is dying of hunger the more fortunate half is spending their time harvesting food that doesn't exist.
Comments
i pretty much agree except for innovative, i would have gave it a 5 at most.
the 5 would have been for the skill tree and gem system alone.
most of the game beyond that is a complete diablo rip off, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but innovative it is not.
Hero Evermore
Guild Master of Dragonspine since 1982.
Playing Path of Exile and deeply in love with it.
I like the group content myself, I play with friends only hardly pug
also to clarify
you can have 24 characters for free, without having to buy an extra slot
typo - and one of those not caught by spellcheck
sorry
Gem System-Innovation
Passive Tree-Somewhat Innovative
End Game Maps-Innovation
Currency system-somewhat Innovative
2 innovations, and 2 somewhat innovative ideas make the innovation aspect of the game a 9. I cant name a single game in the past 8 yrs that has had 4 unique aspects to it.
Passive Tree-Somewhat Innovative
End Game Maps-Innovation
Currency system-somewhat Innovative
2 innovations, and 2 somewhat innovative ideas make the innovation aspect of the game a 9. I cant name a single game in the past 8 yrs that has had 4 unique aspects to it.
and i can name a lot more features to this game that are a carbon copy rip off from diablo.
a 9 for innovation? are you kidding me?? LMAO!! that is hilarious!
Im not saying there arent things that arent a carbon copy, If someone took WOW and developed 4 things new to not only MMO's but ARPGs as well that would be innovative. In a gaming genre where truly everything has been done, the fact that they came up with 2 completely brand new concepts in pure innovation.
as a matter of fact, the only other innovative thing I have seen in a game in the past 5 yrs was the companion system in SWtor
and i can name a lot more features to this game that are a carbon copy rip off from diablo. a 9 for innovation? are you kidding me?? LMAO!! that is hilarious!
Im not saying there arent things that arent a carbon copy, If someone took WOW and developed 4 things new to not only MMO's but ARPGs as well that would be innovative. In a gaming genre where truly everything has been done, the fact that they came up with 2 completely brand new concepts in pure innovation.
as a matter of fact, the only other innovative thing I have seen in a game in the past 5 yrs was the companion system in SWtor
its one thing to use a similar feature that has been done before, that is unavoidable.
its another to make your game exactly like another like POE did.
its like they took D2 and made their own personal version of that game with a couple innovated things thrown in there.
aside from the skill tree and gems, it looks, feels, and plays exactly like diablo.
there are waypoints, acts, town portals, the same combat mechanics, same resists and random elite mob mechanics with random powers.
character select was even done exactly the same way.
they didn't make a game similar to diablo, they made a diablo game and slapped different lore onto it then came up with a couple different features and went with it.
the UI looks more like diablo than diablo 3 looks like diablo, its really quite comical lol
not that i think there is anything wrong with that, especially considering it is free and is a quality game.
but if not for a few things like the skill tree and gems, this game wouldn't deserve even a 2 for innovation.
JMO of course.
We've already been through this on another thread.
PoE is not 'Exactly' like Diablo and trying to say it's anything other than slightly similar is just silly. But then you didn't bother answering my questions in the diablo clone thread so you'll probably just ignore this post as well.
If you don't think that the maps system, the currency and the item sockets/gems combined with the passive tree are innovative for the genre and will help move things forward constructively in the future then you are entirely entitled to your opinion. Just as I'm entitled to call you stupid for thinking it.
and i can name a lot more features to this game that are a carbon copy rip off from diablo. a 9 for innovation? are you kidding me?? LMAO!! that is hilarious!
Im not saying there arent things that arent a carbon copy, If someone took WOW and developed 4 things new to not only MMO's but ARPGs as well that would be innovative. In a gaming genre where truly everything has been done, the fact that they came up with 2 completely brand new concepts in pure innovation. as a matter of fact, the only other innovative thing I have seen in a game in the past 5 yrs was the companion system in SWtor
its one thing to use a similar feature that has been done before, that is unavoidable. its another to make your game exactly like another like POE did. its like they took D2 and made their own personal version of that game with a couple innovated things thrown in there. aside from the skill tree and gems, it looks, feels, and plays exactly like diablo. there are waypoints, acts, town portals, the same combat mechanics, same resists and random elite mob mechanics with random powers. character select was even done exactly the same way. they didn't make a game similar to diablo, they made a diablo game and slapped different lore onto it then came up with a couple different features and went with it. the UI looks more like diablo than diablo 3 looks like diablo, its really quite comical lol not that i think there is anything wrong with that, especially considering it is free and is a quality game. but if not for a few things like the skill tree and gems, this game wouldn't deserve even a 2 for innovation. JMO of course.
We've already been through this on another thread.
PoE is not 'Exactly' like Diablo and trying to say it's anything other than slightly similar is just silly. But then you didn't bother answering my questions in the diablo clone thread so you'll probably just ignore this post as well.
If you don't think that the maps system, the currency and the item sockets/gems combined with the passive tree are innovative for the genre and will help move things forward constructively in the future then you are entirely entitled to your opinion. Just as I'm entitled to call you stupid for thinking it.
as i have said, other than the skill jungle and gem system, the game is exactly like diablo in every way.
if you choose to ignore that, that is your issue and name calling isn't going to make it any less of a copy and paste rip off of diablo.
just because it has a few different aspects doesn't change the fact that the rest of the game is exactly like diablo.
SWTOR has quite a few different aspects from wow yet its a gigantic wow clone, but it isn't anywhere near a wow rip off like POE is a diablo rip off.
you don't usually see games completely copy another game like this.
its not just similar, its exactly like it. ive already given countless examples and you people that think you are defending this game by denying this know it as well.
there are very few video games out there in general that have blatantly ripped off a game like POE has.
as i said, POE is still a good game IMO its just not innovated due to the fact they ripped off diablo in a huge way and just slapped a few new things on it.
I have already pointed out some of the core gameplay and design differences between D2 and PoE, rather than simply repeating myself however I'll just copy/paste the section from the post in the other thread which you totally ignored.
---------------------
Diablo 2 and Path of Exile both have various classes available. D2 had 7 Unique classes and Path of Exile offers 6 that are only unique in where they start on the passive tree (which D2 lacks completely).
The skills in D2 are obtained via spending points and are locked per class. The skills themselves do not change and cannot be combined in any way outside some skills boosting damage of others if you invest points into them. The skills in Path of Exile can be used by anyone providing you have the statistics to use the gem, making them class-agnostic. (FF7 Materia style system including the complexity from combining gems via slots vs traditional RPG skills that never really change as you progress)
D2 has a currency system in place in which runaway inflation is present (Looks like they never learned their lesson and done the same on D3. I believe that was on purpose to push more people into spending RL money but that's for a different debate) so players use standardized but rarer items as replacement currency. Path of Exile has no 'currency' as such and instead each item in the game ultimately serves a purpose and that the real value of anything in the game is only dependent on how much that practical function is desired. Currency value on D2 was simply driven by how much of each item the bots/dupers let into the economy.
D2 end game content is farming bosses for rare Unique items (which in themselves are not rare and do not change but due to the way stats were rolled getting a close to perfect item became the only way to make a reasonable amount of money) and very, very rarely getting exceptionally rare items from vendors or gambling (So rare in fact that even with a bot running 24/7 you are unlikely to find anything of significant value for multiple days). End game content in Path of Exile involves running randomly generated levels that have inherent modifiers on them to make content dynamically harder and more rewarding for greater effort spent. (and being smart about what you choose to run with your character). Useful item drops in Path of Exile are comparatively plentiful but finding exceptional items is still very difficult (GL finding or rolling a 6L item and then rolling stats on it to something better than you already have). Path of Exile also has extensive customisation of items which can result in another otherwise useless 1 socket item becoming one of the better items on an entire league (ladder). That customisation is done using the very currency that players collect. The orbs are expended when you modify the item, the results are random and thus demand for the orbs practical use is usually the determining factor in how things are priced.
Implementation of several major mechanics are radically different in Path of Exile from D2 and I believe the systems are implemented much better by Path of Exile (How armor works along with life leech and regeneration spring to mind as good examples of how different the mechanics can be). Path of Exile also makes it incredibly (impossible) difficult to play with total disregard of your characters safety due to clever ways in which mobs interact with each other as well as certain mechanics and debuffs which can be applied to your character (I'm looking at you Viper Strike/Puncture, Chaos Damage, Lightning crits etc). It is also impossible to build a character that could 'tank' every area in the game (as well as many maps) which in all honesty is the very defining feature of most of the generic builds used for farming in D2. The issue if you could farm an area or not in D2 was not if you character could survive but simply a question of dealing the correct type of damage.
Path of Exile features multiple 'leagues' (essentially ladders) in which you can participate, each with their own economy and differing rulesets (for example you can have 3 hours leagues for competing in a race or you can have longer term leagues with very core mechanics being modified like being in a 'turbo' league where all monsters attack/cast and move substantially quicker). D2 simply had Ladder and Non-Ladder along with the hardcore versions.
So in a few short paragraphs I've basically demonstrated how the games really are nothing alike in many ways and shows how PoE is built upon D2's basic premise, yet that fact does not make it a 'clone' in any way. Sure on the surface to someone who doesn't know any better they might look exactly the same but if you want to take such a broad look that you could say PoE is a clone of D2 then just about any game in the same genre as something else is also a 'clone' of whatever came before it. At that point you're trying to argue that the only innovative games are the ones that are responsible for creating genres themselves and that's just asinine.
you have proven absolutely nothing other than your ability to blindly defend something that dos not need defending.
honestly, if you don't think this game is a diablo 2 clone, you are hopeless lol
i mean, i get that it has a few different aspects and some people like the few things they changed.
but this game has act 1 -4, waypoints, town portals, the same combat mechanics, a lot of the same item modifications, the same dark theme, the same style of characters and character select, virtually the same exact UI and inventory panel, same monster and elite monster mechanics with random properties, the list goes on and on.....
you can tell that their goal was to make a game just like diablo but with their own twist on it.
yet this isn't a diablo clone? LMAO!!! that is funny shit. if this isn't a diablo clone than there just isn't any clones out there at all.
its a good game but overall it is not innovative when you copy another game like POE did, just because it has a few different features.
You can continue to stick your fingers in your ears and repeat the same stuff over and over but how about you demonstrate and show us what features from D2 the game has 'carbon copied' as you put it in another post and explain why, on a fundamental level, this means the game is the same as D2?
I like how you didn't actually answer or respond to any of the feature differences I pointed out or try to discredit why they aren't important differences. In fact the only thing you've actually said is 'Yes.. well.. it has some differences, but not that many that it isn't a clone!!!!'.
You're quick enough to lie and stretch the truth to try make your argument seem more credible that's for sure. The game has 3 acts, not 4, and the third was only added very recently. A LOT of other games are split into 'Acts' as well, Discworld and Grim Fandango come to mind, did D2 copy them? Games have had some form of waypoint system to save progress and have had for decades! Lots of other games share similar character selection processes and inventory screens to what is in D2 as well, did D2 clone those games? Having monsters with random properties is not a new thing either, D2 didn't invent that. And even if it did the monster mechanics are most certainly *not* the same in PoE.
If PoE is as much of a clone as D2 then please explain to us all how the basic elements of gameplay like Economy, Combat Mechanics, Skill selection, Progression, End game content and customisation of characters is a copy of D2.
I feel i must , add to the innovations & adeptations ,conversation
We are talking about innovations to the ARPG gerne
Currency , removed in place of a monotized , / valued set of items , NEW!
Passive skill tree , in which the 6 classes are free , to inter build amoungest eachother . NEW!
The Skill Gem / Support Gem system , NEW!
The Flask System . NEW!
The Endgame Map System , NEW!
That is 5 items new to the genre , That is what we call innovation , bringing something otherwise unseen to a culture or sociity.
The websters diffanition of innovation
1 : the introduction of something new
I await your response
i am not saying it brings nothing new at all, if you read my original response i say it gets a 5 at best for those "new" things they brought to their version of diablo.
this is not just a game similar to diablo, it is exactly like diablo with a few new features added in.
make no mistake, i am not trying to trash this game because its a diablo rip off, i think its a good game, especially for a completely unrestricted free game.
but overall this game is far from innovative when most of it is a direct diablo rip off.
The genre as a whole is very narrow. I definitely agree that PoE is a Diablo-clone, but what dungeon-crawl ARPG isn't? More importantly, is there another ARPG out there that is more innovative than PoE? I've played them all, and I don't think any have made as many "game-changing" tweaks to the core mechanics as PoE, especially changes that made me think "ah ha, so that's how it should be done." I think it's safe to call PoE an innovative game for the genre.
Anyway, the funny part about it is that I think the creators are perfectly happy to hav their game be called a Diablo-clone. They were Diablo fans who set out to make a Diablo-clone that they'd enjoy playing themselves, and I just fortunately happen to share their exact same tastes when it comes to dungeon crawling, so it worked out really well for me.
You can continue to stick your fingers in your ears and repeat the same stuff over and over but how about you demonstrate and show us what features from D2 the game has 'carbon copied' as you put it in another post and explain why, on a fundamental level, this means the game is the same as D2?
I like how you didn't actually answer or respond to any of the feature differences I pointed out or try to discredit why they aren't important differences. In fact the only thing you've actually said is 'Yes.. well.. it has some differences, but not that many that it isn't a clone!!!!'.
You're quick enough to lie and stretch the truth to try make your argument seem more credible that's for sure. The game has 3 acts, not 4, and the third was only added very recently. A LOT of other games are split into 'Acts' as well, Discworld and Grim Fandango come to mind, did D2 copy them? Games have had some form of waypoint system to save progress and have had for decades! Lots of other games share similar character selection processes and inventory screens to what is in D2 as well, did D2 clone those games? Having monsters with random properties is not a new thing either, D2 didn't invent that. And even if it did the monster mechanics are most certainly *not* the same in PoE.
If PoE is as much of a clone as D2 then please explain to us all how the basic elements of gameplay like Economy, Combat Mechanics, Skill selection, Progression, End game content and customisation of characters is a copy of D2.
ive already answered you multiple times in this thread and the one i created.
explain to me how monster mechanics are not the same? they have the same types of resists to certain elements and special powers that are randomized with auras and such, do they not?
do you not see the direct resemblance to diablo 2 in this game? its comical how badly they ripped off diablo with this game.
yes they added some new things and if you enjoy it right on! but to blindly defend it and pretend its just its own original game, its kind of mind blowing.
i am not going to keep arguing with you about this, you can just keep calling me a liar if it helps you cope.
I have to agree for the most part, especially with the grouping and social aspects of the game being quite lacking. I find myself not wanting to group at all due to the numerous reasons the op listed.
As for Innovation however I'd of given it a much higher score. You didn't even mention the endgame map system or the orb/scroll currency/crafting system both of which when added to the passive skill tree and skill gem flexibilty (especially with the vast amounts of customization available to your abilities via up to 5 support gems) you have a lot of really great features unique to the genre that also make it a lot more enjoyable as well.
As for the whole argument that PoE is a Diablo 2 clone people seem to forget the meaning of the word clone. A clone is an exact replica. When you change or add anything it is no longer a clone. Its pretty ridiculous how many people try to argue a game is a clone of another one simply because it is the same genre, they are basically saying "hey this is my fav game in the genre so everything else that is the same genre is a clone of it" /facepalm. PoE is by no means a clone it is merely the same genre of game.
The genre as a whole is very narrow. I definitely agree that PoE is a Diablo-clone, but what dungeon-crawl ARPG isn't? More importantly, is there another ARPG out there that is more innovative than PoE? I've played them all, and I don't think any have made as many "game-changing" tweaks to the core mechanics as PoE, especially changes that made me think "ah ha, so that's how it should be done." I think it's safe to call PoE an innovative game for the genre.
Anyway, the funny part about it is that I think the creators are perfectly happy to hav their game be called a Diablo-clone. They were Diablo fans who set out to make a Diablo-clone that they'd enjoy playing themselves, and I just fortunately happen to share their exact same tastes when it comes to dungeon crawling, so it worked out really well for me.
i do agree that there are some things that would be hard not to implement into an ARPG, like the action style combat for example (which is the most obvious thing)
but yeah, i said in another thread that it looks like they were trying to make their own version of diablo they would like to play and they did a pretty good job of it too.
i just have a problem with saying this game is innovative just because they added a few innovative features.
by the way i am downloading the marvel heroes beta, judging from the youtube videos that is an example of an ARPG that is not a clone like this.
it is not just "merely the same genre of game" totally and completely disagree with that.
that is a game merely in the same genre (even though it has mmo elements)
You keep avoiding giving solid examples to back up your claims, that's my problem. Other than posting a few screenshots of D2 and PoE (from *very* early alpha no less) you've done nothing other than play loose and fast with what you define as 'clone'.
By your definition of what you are calling a clone just about every single game in any given genre is a clone of the first.
How can you say it's not innovative if it 'only added a few innovate features'?
as a whole no, it is not innovative because they added a few innovative features to a diablo game then slapped the POE label on it lol
using that logic, SWTOR was innovative as well? even though that game is far less of a wow clone as this is a diablo clone
as far as my screen shots i posted in the other thread which you tried to dismiss....are you telling me the inventory panel doesn't still look like that?
the UI and inventory pannel in POE looks more like D2 than D3 looks like D2
are you actually trying to tell me that the look and feel of the game isn't exactly like diablo?
other than the lore it is diablo, period. what proof do you want me to give you? other than the vast list of things i have mentioned several times?
i am done arguing it with you, if you think this game is nothing like diablo then by all means think that all you want.
while you are at it you can believe in santa clause and the tooth fairy as well, nobody can prove you wrong with solid evidence, amirite?
as i said, i would give this game about a 5 at best for innovation, which is a score purely based off of the few innovative things they added, because the rest of the game is a pure diablo rip off, a pretty good one too as i have already mentioned.
Basically you consider it a diablo clone because it looks like diablo? I really wouldn't consider the aesthetics of a game to be the defining factor, but to each his own.
Basically you consider it a diablo clone because it looks like diablo? I really wouldn't consider the aesthetics of a game to be the defining factor, but to each his own.
yes but that isn't the only reason, far from it. there are only a few things that separates this game from the diablo series, this game is more like diablo than D3 in many ways.
the combat mechanics, the layout of the maps with way points, town portals, mini bosses with the same kind of randomized special abilities and resistance mechanics, the content is separated in chapters in the exact same manner (acts)
i can go on and on.....
on top of that the look and feel of the game is 100% diablo just with different lore.
it seems they purposely made their own version of diablo, not just a game in the same genre.
IMO for that reason this game is just not very innovative as a whole, even though it does have a few innovative features they added to the diablo series then slapped the POE label onto it