Path of Exile

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Very Positive

Total: 550Positive: 505Negative: 45
92%
8%
Steam review score: 8

AI Review

Path of Exile scored 83.67 % rating
Path of Exile is a free-to-play online Action RPG set in the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast. With an AI Community Rating of 82.21%, this game offers deep character customization, a vast Passive Skill Tree, and a strong focus on item-driven gameplay. Players praise its complexity, rewarding grind, and the freedom to create unique builds. However, newcomers may find the learning curve steep, and some criticize the reliance on external tools for optimal play. Despite its challenges, Path of Exile delivers a rich, immersive experience for fans of dark fantasy and action RPGs, with no pay-to-win mechanics. Dive into Wraeclast and carve your path to revenge!
ActionAdventureIndieMassively MultiplayerRPGFree To Play
Single-playerMulti-playerMMOPvPOnline PvPCo-opOnline Co-opSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsIn-App PurchasesRemote Play on Tablet
Path of Exile
Timeline
  • October 23, 2013over 11 years

    Game was released

  • November 23, 20243 months

    Statistics

    Game stats 3 months ago

  • December 23, 20242 months

    Statistics

    Game stats 2 months ago

  • January 23, 2025about 1 month

    Statistics

    Game stats 1 months ago

  • February 23, 2025

    Today

AI Community game rating

83.67 %

Path of Exile is placed at number 239 under 246 analysed games!
AI Community toxicity rating

19.85 %

The Community toxicity rating was calculated by evaluating the most 99 impactful steam game reviews
Currently playing

provided by steam

What the community loves

We collected 254 positive keywords in total. This are the top 10
fun
17
free
8
love
8
recommend
6
better
6
depth
6
best
5
enjoy
5
great
4
play
3

What the community dislikes

We collected 354 negative keywords in total. This are the top 10
hard
7
overwhelming
6
boring
5
frustrating
4
trash
4
unplayable
4
worse
4
toxic
4
grind
4
fun
3
Most relevant voices from the community
boring slog toabsolutely terrible buildmuch better playerbasebest ARPG everentirely too hardweird gaming elitistbest time spentwaste of $100best free dungeonstill sucks nogreat game greatinventory bloat veryimpossible to playlose months oftrue sequel andeasy and usefulbest cat gamegood again nowaddicting gameplay isvery rewarding game

What the community wishes

We analysed the 13 most impactful community reviews and collected 20 ideas and suggestions on how the game could be better.
Improve new player onboarding
The game is overly complex for new players, requiring extensive external research and guides. GGG should improve in-game tutorials, explanations, and accessibility to systems like loot filters and build imports to make the game more approachable.
Add colorblind accessibility options
Colorblind players struggle with socket and gem identification. Reintroducing shape-based indicators for sockets and gems would greatly improve accessibility for colorblind players.
Reduce grind for casual players
The game is too grindy and difficult for casual players, often requiring meta builds to progress. Balancing the game to allow more diverse builds and reducing the grind for casual players would improve accessibility and enjoyment.
Improve trade system usability
The trade system is cumbersome and requires external websites. Adding more in-game trading tools and improving the trade interface would enhance the player experience.
Optimize game performance
The game runs poorly on older systems, even with low settings. Better optimization and support for lower-end hardware would make the game more accessible to a wider audience.
Add death recap feature
Players often die without understanding why. Adding a death recap feature to explain damage sources and mechanics would improve player learning and satisfaction.
Balance difficulty for non-meta builds
The game is balanced around meta builds, making non-meta builds unviable. Allowing more build diversity and reducing reliance on meta builds would make the game more enjoyable for creative players.
Reduce loot bloat and splinters
Loot bloat and excessive splinters clutter inventory and reduce enjoyment. Streamlining loot drops and reducing unnecessary items would improve the overall experience.
Improve league mechanic accessibility
Endgame content and league mechanics are too difficult for average players. Making endgame content more accessible and reducing the gap between elite and casual players would improve engagement.
Enhance QoL for returning players
Returning players struggle with new systems and mechanics. Adding in-game guides or a system to catch up on changes would make it easier for returning players to re-engage.
Address melee archetype imbalance
Melee builds are consistently underpowered and frustrating to play. Balancing melee archetypes to be more competitive with ranged and spell builds would improve build diversity.
Reduce reliance on external tools
Players rely heavily on external tools like the Wiki and build guides. Integrating more information and tools directly into the game would reduce reliance on third-party resources.
Improve loot filter accessibility
Loot filters are not easily accessible or explained in-game. Making loot filters free and providing better in-game explanations would improve the new player experience.
Add build import functionality
Players cannot easily import builds created by others. Adding a build import feature would make it easier for players to experiment with and share builds.
Balance league mechanic rewards
League mechanics often feel unrewarding or overly punishing. Balancing rewards and difficulty in league mechanics would improve player satisfaction and engagement.
Reduce complexity of new systems
New systems add unnecessary complexity without clear benefits. Simplifying or better integrating new mechanics would make the game more approachable for all players.
Improve communication with players
GGG's communication with the playerbase has declined. Restoring regular, transparent communication about changes and updates would improve trust and player satisfaction.
Address performance issues
Performance has worsened over time, with frequent lag and crashes. Addressing performance issues and optimizing the game engine would improve the overall experience.
Reduce reliance on RNG
The game heavily relies on RNG for progression, which can feel unrewarding. Reducing RNG dependency and adding more deterministic ways to progress would improve player satisfaction.
Improve loot distribution
Loot distribution is often unbalanced, with too much reliance on rare mobs. Improving loot distribution to make it more consistent and rewarding would enhance the gameplay experience.

In-depth analysis of most impactful community reviews

Persons who wrote a Path of Exile review on Steam have written on average 15.52 gaming reviews in total.
Positive

Here because Diablo 4 was a waste of $100. How can a free-to-play game with no pay-to-win aspects be 10 times better? Edit: Updating a year later to say that Diablo 4 still sucks, no matter how much they continue to update it. Path of Exile is a thousand times the game, is much deeper, more intricate, more enjoyable, more fun to grind, and has a much better playerbase to learn the game with. The trade website tends to be full of price gauging, and there are arguments in world chat hourly, but buy-in-large, the game is substantially, and I mean *exponentially* better than Diablo 4 will ever be. I wish the $100 was never wasted.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel that Diablo 4 was a waste of $100, and I am deeply disappointed with the game.
    • I am amazed that a free-to-play game like Path of Exile can be 10 times better than Diablo 4, which I paid for.
    • I believe that Diablo 4 still sucks even after a year of updates, and I regret spending money on it.
    • I find Path of Exile to be a much deeper, more intricate, and more enjoyable game compared to Diablo 4.
    • I think the grind in Path of Exile is more fun and rewarding than in Diablo 4.
    • I appreciate the playerbase in Path of Exile, as it is much better for learning the game compared to Diablo 4.
    • I am frustrated with the price gauging on the trade website in Path of Exile, but I still prefer it over Diablo 4.
    • I notice that there are frequent arguments in the world chat of Path of Exile, but I still find the game superior to Diablo 4.
    • I strongly believe that Path of Exile is exponentially better than Diablo 4 will ever be.
    • I wish I had never wasted $100 on Diablo 4, as I feel it was not worth the investment.

Positive

It is overwhelming, it is confusing, it is difficult, but above all, imo it is very rewarding. This is a game that rewards knowledge. So it might take time for you to get to the point you were at before in other arpgs but i think the journey there is rewarding and also fun.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel the game rewards knowledge, which adds depth and value to the experience.
    • I believe the game is very rewarding, which makes the effort worthwhile.
    • I find the game overwhelming, which makes it challenging to navigate and understand initially.
    • I feel the game is confusing, which adds to the difficulty of getting into it.
    • I think the game is difficult, which might be a barrier for some players.
    • I think it might take time to reach the same level of proficiency as in other ARPGs, but I find the journey enjoyable.
    • I find the journey to mastering the game rewarding and fun, which enhances the overall experience.

Positive

The best free dungeon crawler you will ever play. The only problem is that the very first build you make will be absolutely terrible and you'll have to play through all of this excellent game again. Years pass and the above remains as relevant as it ever was. The team loves the game and Path of Exile remains the best ARPG ever made.

  • Sentiments

    • I believe this is the best free dungeon crawler game available, and it stands out as an exceptional experience.
    • I feel that the initial build I create in the game will likely be terrible, which is a minor drawback.
    • I think the game is so excellent that I am willing to play through it again despite the initial build issue.
    • I find it remarkable that even years later, the game remains as relevant and impactful as it was at launch.
    • I appreciate that the development team clearly loves the game, which adds to its quality and appeal.
    • I consider Path of Exile to be the best action RPG ever made, which is a strong endorsement of its quality.

Positive

You know how Final Fantasy 14 put out a trash game, then got their stuff together and turned it into something wonderful? Path of Exile is like that. But, the opposite. Edit 2023: It's good again now. But still worse than it was 3 years ago. Edit 2024: Ok it's actually just good again now.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel that Final Fantasy 14 initially released a poor-quality game but later improved it significantly, which is a positive sentiment about its transformation.
    • I perceive Path of Exile as having followed a similar trajectory to Final Fantasy 14 but in the opposite direction, which is a negative sentiment about its decline.
    • I believe that Path of Exile has improved again by 2023, which is a positive sentiment about its recovery.
    • I think that even though Path of Exile improved by 2023, it is still not as good as it was three years ago, which is a neutral sentiment about its current state compared to the past.
    • I feel that by 2024, Path of Exile has genuinely become good again, which is a positive sentiment about its current quality.

Positive

A beautiful, dark rabbit hole where you can lose months of your life crafting the perfect build, only to get one-shot by a boss you thought you could handle. 10/10, would get lost in the skill tree again!

  • Sentiments

    • I find the game to be a beautiful and immersive experience, with a dark and captivating atmosphere that draws me in.
    • I appreciate the depth of the game, as it allows me to spend months crafting the perfect build, which feels rewarding and engaging.
    • I feel frustrated when I get one-shot by a boss I thought I could handle, which can be demoralizing after investing so much time.
    • I enjoy the complexity of the skill tree, as it provides endless opportunities for experimentation and strategy.
    • I find the game to be highly replayable, as I am willing to get lost in the skill tree and try new builds again and again.
    • I feel a sense of challenge and accomplishment when engaging with the game's mechanics, even if it can be punishing at times.
    • I think the game's difficulty curve can be harsh, especially when unexpected boss encounters lead to quick defeats.
    • I value the game's ability to keep me engaged for long periods, as it offers a deep and rewarding experience.
    • I feel a mix of excitement and frustration when exploring the game's mechanics, as it balances reward with risk.
    • I would highly recommend the game to others, as it provides a unique and immersive experience despite its challenges.

Negative

I want to enjoy this game, but as a colorblind person, the developer just seems to want to make it impossible to play. I remember years ago, I think while it was in beta, they had shapes for the sockets and gems and that helped immensely. I have tried this game out a few times in the years since that shape feature was removed, and I just cannot tell what gems go into what sockets. Various filters and third-party fixes just do not help. I do not understand why such an easy and useful feature was removed and remains missing and ignored.

  • Sentiments

    • I want to enjoy this game, but as a colorblind person, the developer just seems to want to make it impossible to play.
    • I remember years ago, I think while it was in beta, they had shapes for the sockets and gems and that helped immensely.
    • I have tried this game out a few times in the years since that shape feature was removed, and I just cannot tell what gems go into what sockets.
    • Various filters and third-party fixes just do not help.
    • I do not understand why such an easy and useful feature was removed and remains missing and ignored.

Negative

As of now: New Players SKIP the Game. Old Players be prepared to dive 5+ hours in explanation videos on YouTube, GGG will not explain anything. Current Players: have fun! The Game got even more complex, even as a player who played it years ago I understand absolutely nothing of any systems left in the game. The game is only playable with extensive research on your part and you need to follow a step by step guide of someone else. They made Lootfilters a Grinding Gear Games account thing it seems and no one cares to explain it anymore, not even GGG themselves do it in the menue for selecting them (They have that Questionmark tooltip system for graphics that could have been used), took me hours to find those and see what it requires, instead of making them free and accesible for everyone, likely to just get even more player data and break the first barrier to spending extra money on the game. They did not improve Quality of Life of the players at all over the last 10 years it seems. No way to import builds made by others, no easy acces to Information about things you don't understand in the game, like a basic Text guide with searchable Keywords (Example: Last Epoch). It feels like all they did over the years is: add system on system on system without a care in the world how new players or returning players can interact with those. I'll wait for the next game and hope they stop this or I fear their players will die out in the future.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel that new players should skip the game entirely because it is not beginner-friendly and lacks proper explanations.
    • I believe that old players need to invest significant time (5+ hours) in watching YouTube videos to understand the game, as GGG does not provide adequate explanations.
    • I think current players will have fun with the game, as they are already familiar with its systems.
    • I feel overwhelmed by the game's complexity, even as a returning player, and find it impossible to understand the systems without extensive research.
    • I am frustrated that loot filters are tied to a Grinding Gear Games account and are not explained clearly, making them inaccessible and confusing.
    • I am disappointed that the game lacks quality-of-life improvements, such as the ability to import builds or access searchable guides for in-game information.
    • I feel that the developers have added too many systems without considering how new or returning players can interact with them.
    • I am concerned that the game's future is at risk if the developers do not address these issues, as players may eventually lose interest.
    • I appreciate the game's depth and complexity, but I find it frustrating that it requires so much external research to enjoy.
    • I hope that the next game from GGG will address these issues and provide a better experience for new and returning players.

Negative

I can't. I just can't any more. The game was complicated to start with. Then they added more. Then more after that. Then more. Every league brings new yet more additional mechanics and complexity. Sounds good, right? Sadly not. PoE has become utterly, *utterly* impenetrable. The over-complexity of the PoE has now reached a critical mass and I simply can't justify the level of research and *work* that's required to play the game. It's an ARPG. I shouldn't need to have the Wiki open to allow me to make any sense of what's going on. Beyond that, most of the endgame content is gated behind vast amounts of grind and layers upon layers of preceding content. GGG simply don't seem to either notice or care. I simply can't recommend it any more.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel overwhelmed by the increasing complexity of the game, as every league introduces new mechanics that make it harder to understand and play.
    • I find the game utterly impenetrable due to its over-complexity, which has reached a critical mass and makes it difficult to enjoy.
    • I am frustrated that the game requires extensive research and work just to make sense of its mechanics, which feels unnecessary for an ARPG.
    • I feel discouraged by the vast amounts of grind and layers of content required to access most of the endgame content.
    • I am disappointed that the developers, GGG, seem to either not notice or care about the issues with the game's complexity.
    • I can no longer recommend the game due to its overwhelming complexity and the amount of effort required to play it.
    • I feel that the game has become too complicated to start with, and the constant additions make it even harder to keep up.
    • I find it frustrating that I need to have the Wiki open constantly to understand what is happening in the game.
    • I feel that the game has lost its appeal because it no longer feels accessible or enjoyable due to its complexity.
    • I am disheartened by the lack of consideration from the developers regarding the game's growing complexity and grind.

Negative

With every update, the distance between the top 5% players and the average ones just grows bigger and bigger. GGG aims the top players with everything. I used to play this game a lot, but now it's just painful. Slow and you need a uni degree from PoE to be able to play it properly. I'm a casual player with few hours per week for gaming.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel that the game is becoming increasingly unbalanced, with the gap between top players and average players growing larger with every update.
    • I believe the developers (GGG) are focusing too much on catering to the top 5% of players, which makes the game less enjoyable for casual players like me.
    • I used to play this game a lot, but now I find it painful to play due to its slow pace and complexity.
    • I feel that the game requires an excessive amount of knowledge and skill, almost like needing a university degree in the game (PoE) to play it properly.
    • As a casual player with limited gaming time, I find it difficult to keep up with the game's demands and complexity.

Negative

After years of updates the game runs worse than ever,more new player unfriendly than ever,every new league is just overtuned trash that needs 3 weeks of nerfs to be in line with the rest of the shits.Be prepared to hit triple empowered sponge rares that never die. 3.24:Developers with amnesia doing the same mistakes every league.

  • Sentiments

    • I feel that the game has become worse over the years due to updates, as it now runs poorly compared to before.
    • I believe the game has become increasingly unfriendly to new players, making it harder for them to enjoy or progress.
    • I think every new league introduced is poorly balanced, requiring weeks of adjustments to fix overtuned content.
    • I find the triple empowered rare enemies to be overly tanky and frustrating, as they feel impossible to defeat.
    • I feel that the developers repeat the same mistakes every league, showing a lack of learning or improvement.
    • I perceive the new league content as 'overtuned trash,' which reflects my dissatisfaction with its design and balance.
    • I am frustrated with the lack of consistency in balancing, as new content often disrupts the game's overall experience.
    • I feel that the developers seem to have 'amnesia,' as they fail to address recurring issues in each league.
    • I am disappointed with the state of the game, as it feels like it has regressed rather than improved over time.
    • I find the game's current state to be a negative reflection of the developers' priorities and decision-making.

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