The Strange Phenomenon of POE2 on Bilibili
Some POE2 players exhibit rather odd behaviors. I noticed an interesting thing today: someone moved my video to Bilibili. While there have been such relocations before, I didn't pay much attention. After all, sharing game information is beneficial. However, an intriguing phenomenon emerged. The video was simply my commentary on Jonathan's interview, highlighting his inconsistent logic. Yet, it garnered over 100,000 views. In the comments section, nearly 80% of the responses didn't address my points. People were either talking past each other or criticizing POE2 in their own ways. Even those who disliked the game would argue among themselves about who had a more logical and accurate critique. This is quite strange. Usually, when people dislike a game, they unite to criticize it. But POE2's audience is fragmented, with each person having their own grievances while also defending what they like or don't dislike as much. It seems that POE2 has a certain subtle charm that combines various elements people like, but unfortunately, it also incorporates all the worst aspects of other games.
What to Play Before POE2 0.3.0 and POE1 3.26
POE2 0.3.0 is not due until July, and POE1 will start 3.26 on June 14. In the meantime, you can play World of Warships, developed by Wargaming. Its sibling game, World of Tanks, was a favorite of mine during my middle school days. My name, Demon Cat, actually comes from the nickname "Hellcat" of the American tank M18. Initially, I wasn't very interested in World of Warships, but I was pleasantly surprised. Compared to the small guns of tanks, warships in the game are much larger and more powerful, with over a dozen guns. It's a 12 vs 12 free-to-play naval battle game that accurately depicts historical warships from World War I and World War II. Each warship has its own weaknesses and strengths based on historical facts. There are five unique ship types, including destroyers for stealthy infiltration, aircraft carriers for air superiority, battleships for suppressing enemy fire, and even submarines. If you're new or don't want to face real players right away, you can play against AI and still earn silver coins and experience. By downloading through my exclusive link, you'll receive special rewards.
The Success and Challenges of POE2
POE2 was released in December with an impressive 570,000 concurrent players on Steam. Considering it's a small independent game from New Zealand, this is a remarkable achievement. Although it will eventually be a free-to-play game, the current sales of game keys alone are equivalent to a year's worth of sponsorship packages, and with the additional sales of sponsorship packages, GGG has undoubtedly achieved great success. However, the question remains: is the game's gameplay as good as its commercial performance? In the first three days after its release, many players praised it as a spiritual successor to Elden Ring and Diablo 2, with a stable majority of positive reviews (about 80%). But in April, after the first major update, "Dawn of the Hunt," the English reviews on Steam became mixed, and there was even a surge of negative reviews. This shows that while players were initially willing to give POE2 a chance and were quite tolerant, GGG didn't seem to learn from the feedback.
The Problems with POE2
POE1 veterans have criticized the game for lacking the crafting system that made POE1 so popular. The endgame content is too boring and repetitive for old players, yet extremely difficult for new players. The build diversity is poor, and the differences between ascendancy classes are too small, resulting in a high degree of homogeneity among player builds. The quality of life (QoL) in the game is also very poor, which is surprising considering it was in development for over 5 years. The game seems to have repeated the mistakes of POE1, such as the lack of rewards in the Lake of Kalandra league and the overly difficult rare monsters in the Nemesis league. It makes one wonder if the development team learned anything from the first game.
The Definition of ARPG and POE2's Shortcomings
ARPG stands for action role-playing game, which involves character growth, complex combat scenarios, and real-time combat. The American ARPG genre was pioneered by the Diablo series, which features random loot, a complex skill and talent system, and mouse - based controls. POE2 falls into the "Diablo - Like" category. However, POE2 has several issues in terms of character building. In POE1, ascending to a new class gives players a significant boost in power, but in POE2, the ascendancy bonuses are much weaker. The talent system in POE2 also lacks depth and variety, with most talents only increasing damage. Additionally, the importance of gear in POE2 is higher, but it's much more difficult to obtain or craft, creating a strange and frustrating character-building curve.
The Action Element in POE2
Another important aspect of ARPGs is the action element. Unlike traditional RPGs, ARPGs require players to have good reflexes and the ability to use their skills effectively. However, in POE2, the boss battles are often too difficult and rely too much on quick reflexes and dodging. This makes tank - like builds less viable, as players are forced to rely on movement and evasion to survive. The game also removes some of the player's mobility skills, such as Flame Dash and Frost Blink, which makes the gameplay feel more restricted.
The Loot System in POE2
The loot system is a crucial part of any ARPG. In POE1, there are many ways for players to earn currency and obtain valuable items through farming. However, in POE2, the loot system is less rewarding. The maps in the endgame are too random, and there are no consistent strategies for farming. The game also requires players to kill all rare monsters and bosses to complete a map, which can be time-consuming and frustrating. Additionally, the drop rates of valuable items are too low, leading to a lack of excitement and motivation for players.
Conclusion
Despite its initial success, POE2 has faced many challenges and criticisms. The game's character building, action elements, and loot system all need improvement. While some players may still enjoy the game, it's clear that GGG has a lot of work to do to meet the expectations of its players. As a fan of the series, I hope that the development team will listen to the feedback and make the necessary changes to improve the game. Thank you for watching, and I'll see you next time.