Path of Exile 2 Devs Implement Urgent Fixes Amid 'Mostly Negative' Steam Reviews

Grinding Gear Games (GGG), the developers behind Path of Exile 2, have introduced further emergency adjustments to the action role-playing game in response to widespread community backlash against the Dawn of the Hunt update. This update, which was released earlier this month, has led to a significant drop in Steam user reviews, now categorized as 'mostly negative.'

The Dawn of the Hunt expansion introduced the new Huntress class, which utilizes a Spear and Buckler for hybrid melee and ranged combat, along with five new ascension classes: the Ritualist, Amazon, Smith of Kitava, Tactician, and Lich. Additionally, it brought mechanical overhauls, over one hundred new unique items, and expanded crafting options. Despite these additions, the community's reaction was overwhelmingly negative, with players feeling that the game's pace had been slowed down excessively, turning it into a "total slog."

The most helpful review on Steam over the last 30 days highlights the issues players are facing, such as prolonged boss fights, ineffective skills, and overall game instability. Another review sarcastically suggests that the game is only suitable for those who enjoy being punished with little reward, indicating a general dissatisfaction with the current state of the game.

In response to the community's feedback, GGG has already implemented a series of changes and has announced more adjustments in the upcoming 0.2.0e update, set to be released on April 11. These changes aim to address the concerns raised by players, particularly regarding monster speed, boss mechanics, player minion functionality, and crafting options.

The 0.2.0e patch notes detail specific adjustments to monster behavior across different acts, reducing their speed and interrupt capabilities to give players more breathing room during combat. Boss fights have been tweaked to be less frustrating, with changes to mechanics and visual clarity. Player minions now have a more forgiving revive timer, and crafting options have been expanded with new rune mods for caster weapons.

Further changes planned for deployment after the weekend include enhancements to the charm system, making them more useful and easier to utilize. Stash tab affinities and atlas bookmarks are also being introduced to improve inventory management and navigation within the game.

The question remains whether these updates will be sufficient to address the community's concerns and restore Path of Exile 2 to a positive reception. Despite the initial success of the game, which saw a surge in player numbers at launch, the ongoing issues have not only affected player satisfaction but also impacted the development of Path of Exile 1, which continues to have a dedicated player base.