Sjolund: Is Path of Exile 2 Finally Living Up to the Hype? | U4GM Review
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Is Path of Exile 2 Finally Living Up to the Hype? | U4GM Review
Is Path of Exile 2 Finally Living Up to the Hype? | U4GM Review
4 Jul 2026 at 12:38am
One month after the release of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5, it has become increasingly clear that this is the strongest update the game has received so far. After hundreds of hours of gameplay and testing nearly every endgame mechanic available, the overall experience feels far more complete than previous patches. Whether players are experimenting with different farming methods, optimizing their Atlas progression, or collecting valuable POE2 Currency, the game now offers an impressive amount of freedom and replayability. While several systems still require refinement before Version 1.0, Patch 0.5 is undoubtedly a major step in the right direction.
The Endgame Finally Feels Complete
Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of Patch 0.5 is the complete transformation of the endgame. Earlier versions often encouraged players to repeat the same profitable strategy over and over again, but that is no longer the case. Multiple farming methods are now capable of producing worthwhile rewards, allowing players to choose activities they genuinely enjoy instead of simply following the most efficient meta.
This increased variety makes long play sessions much more enjoyable. Switching between different mechanics keeps progression fresh, and nearly every system feels capable of contributing meaningful loot. The endgame finally resembles the expansive experience many players hoped Path of Exile 2 would eventually become.
Atlas Tree Improvements Make Choices Matter
The redesigned Atlas Tree is another major success.
Unlike previous iterations where passive points often felt insignificant, every investment now noticeably changes gameplay. Specialized farming strategies receive meaningful bonuses, making the tree feel impactful rather than decorative.
However, one glaring problem still exists.
There is currently no convenient Atlas respec option.
This becomes frustrating when a single passive choice unintentionally weakens an entire farming strategy. Certain Abyss interactions, for example, can reduce monster density because of passive selections that cannot easily be reversed. Rather than waiting months for balance updates, players should simply be allowed to adjust their Atlas choices whenever necessary.
A respec system would greatly improve experimentation while encouraging players to try different farming styles throughout the league.
Build Diversity Has Never Been Better
One of the most refreshing aspects of Patch 0.5 is the incredible variety of viable builds.
Previous leagues often revolved around only a handful of dominant characters, leaving little room for creativity. Today, players can browse community statistics and find numerous successful classes, ascendancies, and skill combinations capable of completing difficult content.
Although perfect balance has not yet been achieved, the overall diversity represents a huge improvement over previous patches.
That said, another issue has appeared.
Player power currently exceeds the available challenge.
Many well-designed builds can defeat bosses almost instantly with relatively modest investment. While becoming stronger is always satisfying, enemies should still present meaningful resistance. Either endgame encounters need to become significantly harder, or player damage should be reduced to restore a healthier balance.
Tablets Need a Complete Overhaul
Despite all the positives, tablets remain the weakest endgame mechanic.
Their biggest problem is complexity.
Each tablet contains multiple modifiers, variable roll ranges, and dramatically different market values. Properly pricing every drop requires far too much effort, causing many players to simply ignore the trading process altogether.
As a result, the market suffers from limited supply because valuable tablets never get listed.
Buying them is equally frustrating.
Instead of quickly acquiring several items from a convenient marketplace, players must constantly travel between different hideouts, enduring multiple loading screens just to purchase a few tablets.
Compared to Path of Exile's Scarab system, tablets feel unnecessarily complicated while offering very few advantages.
A complete redesign would greatly improve both trading and gameplay.
City Maps Bring Back Old Problems
City maps introduce another controversial mechanic.
Although they provide excellent bonuses—including stronger tablet effects and additional tablet slots—they unintentionally recreate one of the least popular gameplay loops from previous patches.
Rather than naturally exploring the Atlas, players are encouraged to rush through maps searching for the next city because rewards become dramatically better inside city zones.
This effectively turns ordinary maps into travel routes instead of meaningful content.
Cities also interact poorly with systems like Grand Mirrors and Head of the King placement. Planning optimal layouts becomes surprisingly tedious, requiring players to repeatedly enter and leave interfaces just to maximize efficiency.
Removing the exclusive city bonuses would likely solve most of these frustrations while preserving cities as rewarding optional content.
Biomes Add More Management Than Fun
Biome bonuses also receive mixed reactions.
Although they provide powerful modifiers through Atlas interactions, they mostly increase preparation time instead of improving gameplay.
High-end players often feel obligated to seek specific biome combinations for maximum efficiency, while casual players rarely pay attention to them at all.
If a mechanic adds complexity without creating interesting decisions, its long-term value becomes questionable.
Replacing biome restrictions with permanent Atlas choices would simplify mapping while preserving strategic depth.
Grand Mirrors Should Become Tradable
Grand Mirrors are another mechanic that interrupts gameplay flow.
Because Delirium remains one of the strongest endgame farming systems, players frequently spend long periods searching for Grand Mirror spawns before beginning their actual farming sessions.
Instead of relying entirely on random generation, Grand Mirrors could function as tradable Atlas items similar to Breachstones or Head of the King.
This simple adjustment would reduce downtime while creating another valuable trading opportunity for dedicated players.
The Game Needs More Difficult Content
Although Patch 0.5 dramatically improves progression, the overall difficulty remains surprisingly low.
Bosses have gradually become easier across multiple updates, allowing optimized builds to eliminate encounters within seconds.
The game still lacks truly aspirational challenges comparable to Uber Bosses from the original Path of Exile.
Introducing optional high-difficulty encounters would provide experienced players with meaningful long-term goals while leaving casual progression unchanged.
Likewise, recent reductions to Delirium difficulty have removed one of the few genuinely challenging mapping experiences available. Optional difficulty scaling could satisfy both casual and hardcore audiences without compromising either group's experience.
Small Quality-of-Life Changes Matter Too
Not every criticism involves major systems.
Recent adjustments requiring three Omens instead of one for optimal map crafting simply increase preparation time without making the process more engaging.
Changes like these add unnecessary friction rather than meaningful gameplay.
Reverting them would help players spend less time preparing maps and more time actually enjoying endgame content.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Patch 0.5 deserves tremendous praise. The endgame is more diverse, Atlas progression feels meaningful, and build variety has reached its healthiest state so far. At the same time, several mechanics—including tablets, city bonuses, Grand Mirrors, and overall difficulty—still need refinement before Version 1.0 arrives. If Grinding Gear Games continues listening to community feedback and improves these remaining systems, Path of Exile 2 could easily become one of the defining ARPGs of its generation. For players preparing for future leagues or planning to cheap POE 2 Exalted Orbs, the future looks brighter than ever, and Patch 0.5 proves that the game is steadily moving toward an outstanding full release.
The Endgame Finally Feels Complete
Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of Patch 0.5 is the complete transformation of the endgame. Earlier versions often encouraged players to repeat the same profitable strategy over and over again, but that is no longer the case. Multiple farming methods are now capable of producing worthwhile rewards, allowing players to choose activities they genuinely enjoy instead of simply following the most efficient meta.
This increased variety makes long play sessions much more enjoyable. Switching between different mechanics keeps progression fresh, and nearly every system feels capable of contributing meaningful loot. The endgame finally resembles the expansive experience many players hoped Path of Exile 2 would eventually become.
Atlas Tree Improvements Make Choices Matter
The redesigned Atlas Tree is another major success.
Unlike previous iterations where passive points often felt insignificant, every investment now noticeably changes gameplay. Specialized farming strategies receive meaningful bonuses, making the tree feel impactful rather than decorative.
However, one glaring problem still exists.
There is currently no convenient Atlas respec option.
This becomes frustrating when a single passive choice unintentionally weakens an entire farming strategy. Certain Abyss interactions, for example, can reduce monster density because of passive selections that cannot easily be reversed. Rather than waiting months for balance updates, players should simply be allowed to adjust their Atlas choices whenever necessary.
A respec system would greatly improve experimentation while encouraging players to try different farming styles throughout the league.
Build Diversity Has Never Been Better
One of the most refreshing aspects of Patch 0.5 is the incredible variety of viable builds.
Previous leagues often revolved around only a handful of dominant characters, leaving little room for creativity. Today, players can browse community statistics and find numerous successful classes, ascendancies, and skill combinations capable of completing difficult content.
Although perfect balance has not yet been achieved, the overall diversity represents a huge improvement over previous patches.
That said, another issue has appeared.
Player power currently exceeds the available challenge.
Many well-designed builds can defeat bosses almost instantly with relatively modest investment. While becoming stronger is always satisfying, enemies should still present meaningful resistance. Either endgame encounters need to become significantly harder, or player damage should be reduced to restore a healthier balance.
Tablets Need a Complete Overhaul
Despite all the positives, tablets remain the weakest endgame mechanic.
Their biggest problem is complexity.
Each tablet contains multiple modifiers, variable roll ranges, and dramatically different market values. Properly pricing every drop requires far too much effort, causing many players to simply ignore the trading process altogether.
As a result, the market suffers from limited supply because valuable tablets never get listed.
Buying them is equally frustrating.
Instead of quickly acquiring several items from a convenient marketplace, players must constantly travel between different hideouts, enduring multiple loading screens just to purchase a few tablets.
Compared to Path of Exile's Scarab system, tablets feel unnecessarily complicated while offering very few advantages.
A complete redesign would greatly improve both trading and gameplay.
City Maps Bring Back Old Problems
City maps introduce another controversial mechanic.
Although they provide excellent bonuses—including stronger tablet effects and additional tablet slots—they unintentionally recreate one of the least popular gameplay loops from previous patches.
Rather than naturally exploring the Atlas, players are encouraged to rush through maps searching for the next city because rewards become dramatically better inside city zones.
This effectively turns ordinary maps into travel routes instead of meaningful content.
Cities also interact poorly with systems like Grand Mirrors and Head of the King placement. Planning optimal layouts becomes surprisingly tedious, requiring players to repeatedly enter and leave interfaces just to maximize efficiency.
Removing the exclusive city bonuses would likely solve most of these frustrations while preserving cities as rewarding optional content.
Biomes Add More Management Than Fun
Biome bonuses also receive mixed reactions.
Although they provide powerful modifiers through Atlas interactions, they mostly increase preparation time instead of improving gameplay.
High-end players often feel obligated to seek specific biome combinations for maximum efficiency, while casual players rarely pay attention to them at all.
If a mechanic adds complexity without creating interesting decisions, its long-term value becomes questionable.
Replacing biome restrictions with permanent Atlas choices would simplify mapping while preserving strategic depth.
Grand Mirrors Should Become Tradable
Grand Mirrors are another mechanic that interrupts gameplay flow.
Because Delirium remains one of the strongest endgame farming systems, players frequently spend long periods searching for Grand Mirror spawns before beginning their actual farming sessions.
Instead of relying entirely on random generation, Grand Mirrors could function as tradable Atlas items similar to Breachstones or Head of the King.
This simple adjustment would reduce downtime while creating another valuable trading opportunity for dedicated players.
The Game Needs More Difficult Content
Although Patch 0.5 dramatically improves progression, the overall difficulty remains surprisingly low.
Bosses have gradually become easier across multiple updates, allowing optimized builds to eliminate encounters within seconds.
The game still lacks truly aspirational challenges comparable to Uber Bosses from the original Path of Exile.
Introducing optional high-difficulty encounters would provide experienced players with meaningful long-term goals while leaving casual progression unchanged.
Likewise, recent reductions to Delirium difficulty have removed one of the few genuinely challenging mapping experiences available. Optional difficulty scaling could satisfy both casual and hardcore audiences without compromising either group's experience.
Small Quality-of-Life Changes Matter Too
Not every criticism involves major systems.
Recent adjustments requiring three Omens instead of one for optimal map crafting simply increase preparation time without making the process more engaging.
Changes like these add unnecessary friction rather than meaningful gameplay.
Reverting them would help players spend less time preparing maps and more time actually enjoying endgame content.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Patch 0.5 deserves tremendous praise. The endgame is more diverse, Atlas progression feels meaningful, and build variety has reached its healthiest state so far. At the same time, several mechanics—including tablets, city bonuses, Grand Mirrors, and overall difficulty—still need refinement before Version 1.0 arrives. If Grinding Gear Games continues listening to community feedback and improves these remaining systems, Path of Exile 2 could easily become one of the defining ARPGs of its generation. For players preparing for future leagues or planning to cheap POE 2 Exalted Orbs, the future looks brighter than ever, and Patch 0.5 proves that the game is steadily moving toward an outstanding full release.
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