A Fresh Hunt: Revisiting the ARPG Genre with Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt
My curiosity about Path of Exile had been building for some time—tempered by its reputation for complexity that could be daunting for new players—was something that piqued my interest further.
After Grinding Gear Games launched Path of Exile 2 in early access late last year—as well as the recent release of Dawn of the Hunt, its largest update to date—I finally decided to take the plunge. And I’m pleased to report that the experience has exceeded expectations.
The hunt begins
Upon its release last December, early adopters expressed frustration with the perceived lack of content, seemingly forgetting that Path of Exile 2 is still in active development. While several expected features—such as the final three acts of the story, additional weapon types, and further class diversity—are still pending, the current Early Access build already offers an immense amount of content. Players can easily spend hundreds of hours exploring what’s available.
The standout feature of the Dawn of the Hunt update is the introduction of the Huntress class. A native of the Azmeri, the Huntress brings a nimble combat style, wielding both the Spear and Buckler. Spears offer a versatile mix of melee and ranged attacks, alongside potent Area-of-Effect abilities. Meanwhile, the Buckler allows for skillful parrying; successful blocks render enemies more vulnerable to follow-up attacks—an exciting and welcome new gameplay mechanic.
Expanded customization and playstyles
The update also introduces five new Ascendancy classes, enabling deeper customization of character builds. The Huntress receives two exclusive Ascendancies, while the Mercenary, Warrior, and Witch each gain additional late-game specialization paths.
A defining strength of Path of Exile 2 lies in its flexible character development system. The game avoids rigid class constraints, allowing for creative and unconventional combinations, whether that means a hammer-wielding Witch or a wand-focused Warrior. This design ethos champions player agency, a philosophy that is particularly compelling in a genre where class limitations often curtail freedom.
Another notable improvement in Dawn of the Hunt is the reduction of enemy hit points by approximately 75% at the time of writing. This adjustment significantly improves gameplay pacing, reducing the grind previously necessary for effective progression. Yet the challenge remains. Despite years of experience across Diablo, Torchlight, and Titan Quest, I found myself dying multiple times in the early boss encounters. Mastery requires attention to detail, including maximizing damage efficiency, avoiding redundancy in damage-over-time effects, utilizing animation canceling, and employing movement skills strategically—all of which are crucial to survival. And this is only the early game. The depth of the sprawling “skill forest” (a term that transcends the usual “skill tree”) hints at even greater complexity ahead.
Loot Till You Drop
There is no shortage of content to immerse oneself in. Acquiring the perfect gear for a preferred build is no simple task, but the game provides an abundance of resources for upgrading and rerolling items, ideal for those who thrive on optimization. While Path of Exile 2 remains in Early Access, it already offers more substantial content than many fully launched titles.
For those who, like me, were initially hesitant, now is an excellent time to engage with Path of Exile 2. With its compelling combat, extensive customization, and rich update cadence, it is quickly shaping up to be a standout entry in the ARPG genre.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
