What makes this game fun or not to you? Genuinely curious

Just curious how other people are feeling about PoE2 so far — what's making it fun for you, and what isn't? I'm genuinely trying to figure out if my own experiences are common or if I'm just on a weird wavelength.

Personally, I found the campaign way more enjoyable when I was getting leveling uniques. That little drip of excitement while progressing really kept me going. But that first playthrough? Kinda brutal. I'd love an option to level in maps or mess around freely once you've done the campaign once, but I get that’s probably too hard to implement and not worth the dev time. Totally fair, just wishful thinking.

I’ve been playing with my fiancé — he’s on lightning spear and I was running minions. We had a blast honestly, and the campaign wasn’t an issue for us at all. But once we finished it, it just kinda…stopped? There’s not really any loot after the campaign that feels rewarding. Watching streamers ditch PoE2 for Last Epoch and seeing them get actual drops, craft their gear, and just have fun without feeling like an unpaid Amazon warehouse worker on the trade site — it stings a bit.

I don’t even like how Last Epoch looks, but I still catch myself wishing PoE2 would borrow a bit more of their vibe. Like, who is the target audience for PoE2 right now? Is it supposed to be the old-school grinders who love spreadsheets and trade whisper roulette? Maybe someone’s “vision” just doesn’t align with what I want out of an ARPG, which is: log in after work, smash monsters, find cool stuff, get excited, repeat.

Also — Lich? Very cool. I love the theme and the phalactery. Spectres? Ehh, kinda so so. Their AI is sluggish, they feel squishy, and there’s just not much power or fantasy there. I really want to use brutes, reavers, the big guys — but right now there’s not a great way to do that and make it feel impactful. Still, I’ve got hope. Some of the skills feel great and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Would love to hear how other people are vibing with the game — are you having fun? What would make it more fun for you?

I really like the game, i think he's a Diamond.
Gameplay: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Campaign: 7/10 (i would prefer it more darker {but it's only early access})

so, the core stuff are solid, but the 'Vision' is Trash.
Uniques: 90% of them are trash, Literally *TRASH*.
Crafting: BAD.
Drops: there is no drops.

People playing Last Epoch only for wasting their time untill GGG will release patches to POE2 or make new Season.
I'm also playing LE at this moment but LE is just a game to play in between leagues, he's not on the same league of POE2.

I think the future for POE2 will be better once GGG will decide to make the game fun.

Dislikes:

1. Strongly weakened loot, there is no pleasant feeling from the knocked out item, because items do not fall, to me in the whole league fell 4 divine orb, I'm almost 94 level.

2. Strongly weakened other builds, especially sad for minions.

3. The atlas passive points tree is useless, needs a complete overhaul.

4. Large threshold to access league points mechanics at start.

5. Little content at the end of the game.

6. Constant problems with the servers.

7. Crafting now rnd, need orb of scouring or add in auction bases, buying 1 pc is a pain, few people will do it and you will need at least around 50-100 items, it's crazy.

8. Huge prices in gold on everything, why is the game penalizing me for experimenting with atlas and character wood!

9. There is a severe imbalance in class balance.

10. Vision.

11. Loss of trust.


Likes:

1. Music and soundtrack, poe has always been great in this regard. And if a sound composer poe sometimes reads the forum, my kudos =)

2. Visual composition, including the work of artists.

3. More simplified system of skills and gems than in Poe 1.

4. The game has become more friendly, everywhere written effects with explanations.

5. The bosses are well designed.

"

NathanielM#4655 написал:

but the 'Vision' is Trash.

It's literally already a meme xD Why are 3g trying so hard to swim against the tide! Because we'll eventually come to the conclusion that the vision was wrong anyway.

+++

Graphics: 11/10
I cant look to D4 or LE after poe2. Its lightyears ahead.

Build variability and diversity: 8,5/10
Rn I have Merc with arctic armor and tame beast. BS right ? its working.
Again, looking back to D4 simplicity is laughable.




---

Loot: 2/10
copy pasta poe1. Need complete overhaul

Crafting: 1/10
copy pasta old model from poe1. need MASSIVE overhaul

Unbalanced mobs: 5/10
white mobs 1 shots you from 1800+ HP. Need further balance

Server stability: 5/10
2 days ago they extended their cluster. Otherwise it would be 1/10.
Still need improvement

GPU performance: 5/10
Too much fps drops during intensive fights. Need improvement

Endgame: 4/10
not good atm. Need new layers.

"

spokipo#1869 написал:

It's literally already a meme xD Why are 3g trying so hard to swim against the tide! Because we'll eventually come to the conclusion that the vision was wrong anyway.

I don't get "the vision" meme at all and I think its incredibly immature.

All I've seen and experienced is a great solo game that has an online trading post and some random players fluttering around towns.

The only issue I see is an over obsession culture who have too much time to play this game but when it comes to the online aspect and the "economy" (in a solo game, pretty laughable) I feel those complaints are warranted because clearly the trading post is inflated by the top % of players/cheaters.

All I can say is, as a solo game, its fantastic but what I don't like is this branch into online that's pretty much not baked at all and I'm also disappointed that with the more modern gameplay (less mobs than cheap thrill ARPG's of the past, method combat) that there's zero effort to promote an online world like Diablo 4 tried to do because I feel that POE2 could actually do it if they wanted too and I would love multiplayer raids (but with silly AoE builds that take all of the screen gone!).

"

Annastasia_Steele#3866 написал:

Unbalanced mobs: 5/10
white mobs 1 shots you from 1800+ HP. Need further balance

I have 'Smith of Kitava Leap Slam Build'
I also have 90 resist in cold,light and fire.
My chaos resist is 75.
I Have 3.5k hp.

Expedition white skeletons hit me for 50% - 100% damage with modifiers.
It's like, i put the explosive, use leap slam to kill them all and then one of the skeletons shoots at me and BOOOOOOMMMMM i'm dead.
LoL, this is funny.
Oh and i lost 10% exp, which i can recover in 1 hour gameplay +-...
I'm like opening my character panel, all my resists are literally MAXED OUT,
I have 3.5 hp and white skeleton kills me in one shot.

This is a joke.

"

NathanielM#4655 написал:

"

Annastasia_Steele#3866 написал:

Unbalanced mobs: 5/10
white mobs 1 shots you from 1800+ HP. Need further balance

I have 'Smith of Kitava Leap Slam Build'
I also have 90 resist in cold,light and fire.
My chaos resist is 75.
I Have 3.5k hp.

Expedition white skeletons hit me for 50% - 100% damage with modifiers.
It's like, i put the explosive, use leap slam to kill them all and then one of the skeletons shoots at me and BOOOOOOMMMMM i'm dead.
LoL, this is funny.
Oh and i lost 10% exp, which i can recover in 1 hour gameplay +-...
I'm like opening my character panel, all my resists are literally MAXED OUT,
I have 3.5 hp and white skeleton kills me in one shot.

This is a joke.

I hear ya.

Campaign 8/10.
Some maps have bad design (too large in terms of complete time).

Endgame mapping 5/10.
Atlas tree needs more significant perks. 2% of rarity/quantity is a joke. it have to be at least 10. also atlas tree needs few perks of "your maps have +1 to mobs level". at least 5 of this.
fix oneshots from white mobs! got one-shotted with spear throw by white hyena-centaur while having 4k hp and 81% evasion! add "mobs deals XX less damage" perks in atlas tree
10% exp loss at death is cringe due to 99% of build are trash. make death nullify gained exp on that map plus penalty to exp 10% for 3 next maps after death (stacks up to 90%)

Endgame pinnacle 0/10.
pointless waste of time because of 99% of loot is garbage (nerfed to ground).


Classes and skills -8/10
yes, negative
half of ascendancy points are useless.
1 meta build and others are not worth playing. is that "the vision"?
99% of spells underperforming. unmodified cast time should be removed completely. every skill should be usable as main damaging ability. if i want to run and spam comets - it just have to work.
melee abilities should deal left hand damage (they are not).
melee abilities should be faster (they are slow)
spear melee abilities have too weak multipliers to be effective
spear melee abilities slow as 2h mace abilities
they nerfed grenades. grenades, karl!
add quiver to crossbow!
add weapon and offhand to demonform
rework bloodmage, witch hunter.
un-nerf abilities/perks, un-nerf unique items, buff other uniques.
bring jewel slots back!
etc.

What I dont like

Maps (Campaign and endgame)
They can be as big as they want but if all they will put inside is 1 breach and 2 strongboxes OR NONE it makes me as question why so little game mechanics per map? Why they have to be so rare, does someone inside GGG is shocked by shocking device each time someone trigger in game mechanic?

Loot
Because GGG care so much about trade/economy AND trade currency is what we use to improve maps, strongboxes, items we just don't get enough crafting materials. Make gold main trade currency (no RMT as gold is non-tradable) or just make crafting mats to drop and let item sit at 500div, who will care if we can craft gear and do content. Side note, currency like mirror of kalandra should be rare af, not div, ex, alch, jeweller's orb, omens but its all about trade right?

Crafting
There's no crafting.
Omens: Certain omens cost more than some of my gear I wear. Out of reach when you're leveling, to valuable to use on non-BIS item in endgame - for most best to sell instead of use.
Essence: Gamba unless only possible option is what you need.
Aug+Trans+Regal+ex+ex+ex+delete: Please stop GGG, get some help or should I because I just want to play not visit poe2dbtw

Builds
I can play SoK to max res, have good regen and jump in to pack of monster to boneshatter. I can play Lich to ED and range. I can play LS and ride 60% mount, aoe-1shot 2 screens and 1-2 shot bosses with charges. Can also enjoy xbow or LA before I reroll to LS. What if I want to play ice sorc that blizzard or shatter enemies or turn to ashes, electrocute using thunder. Pure necromance with horde of minions that deal with shit instead of me. Probably I will be able to but here is where we go in circles, it's nowhere near as efficient as LS and inflation will move forward while I slowly try to catch up with meta op optimised builds, and won't be able to get as good gear to keep up because Crafting and Loot.

Patch cycle
From some people you expect to much investment for few months to reset everything with new league to go all over again. Long, unrewarding campaign to get into unrewarding 'endgame' to do unrewarding maps unless you somehow get 150-200 rarity, 3 tower, well rolled maps and tablets : ).

Vision/Meaningful/Jonathan
I don't know what meaningful vision jonathan has at the moment it's not for me. I accept that and have not logged in for longer than few mins to do map and see if they buffed loot drops but as I paid for EA and they sell loot boxes I have everyright to speak up.

Temporal chains, ODE, stuns, chill, freeze overall "FU player" mechanics
GGG please

Neutral comment
0.1 vs 0.2
Wish I never knew what good unique were, that endgame after currency farm could be fun and end game bosses in reach.

What I like

Graphics
Engine is amazing, graphics stunning, huge amount of details.

Potential
This game can be the best of the best on the market. It's possible to find middle ground, but for now whoever is in charge need to step down and allow someone else to balance it as even if EA with loot boxes its just bad.


Post scriptum
I have made to T15 with SoK, Lich, Amazon and Deadeye. I have experienced meta, lightning spear IS broken if you compare it to others even if I was able to clear T15's. Endgame is dead (agree 0.2 does not deserver it's own league), towers+tablets are not fun, endless map area bad design, if we can't pick and choose maps current maps are bad af.