Path of Exile 2 is the new action RPG from New Zealand studio Grinding Gear Games, the team behind Path of Exile. The game has been in Early Access on Steam since 6 December 2024, and version 1.0 launches as a free-to-play title on 11 December 2026. I fought my way through the dark world of Wraeclast and show you why the game is so exciting for ARPG fans and where it still falls short.
Table of contents
Rating and verdict
For me, Path of Exile 2 is one of the best action RPGs of recent years. Combat is much weightier and more tactical than in its predecessor, bosses demand real dodging instead of mindless clicking, and the build system offers a depth that hardly any other game in the genre can match. On top of that comes a really dense, dark atmosphere.
It is not perfect, though. The endgame grind is heavy, some systems are hard for newcomers to understand, and balance sometimes shifts a lot after patches. Around 77 percent of reviews on Steam are positive, which fits this picture well: if you like ARPGs and bring patience, you get a huge amount of game here, and from 11 December even for free.
What we liked
✅ Weighty, tactical combat with strong boss fights
✅ Huge build variety with a giant skill tree
✅ Dense, dark atmosphere and great effects
✅ Regular big updates, free-to-play from 11 December
What bothered us
❌ Very heavy endgame grind
❌ Hard to get into for newcomers
❌ Balance sometimes shifts strongly after patches
Score: 80 %
How we rate
- 90–100Legendary
- 8080–89Very good
- 70–79Good
- 60–69Okay
- 50–59Mediocre
- < 50Weak
At PlayInsider we rate every game individually and always against the expectations of its genre. We judge the story of an action game or adventure by its narrative quality. In a simulation or management game, on the other hand, what counts is what the genre typically offers. This keeps our ratings fair and comparable within a genre.
Path of Exile 2 review: gameplay
Path of Exile 2 plays like a classic top-down action RPG: you explore areas, fight hordes of monsters and collect loot. The big difference from the first game is the pace. Instead of clearing entire screens with one click, you have to consciously dodge attacks, use the dodge roll deliberately and learn boss patterns. The boss fights in particular are among the game's highlights.
After the campaign, the endgame awaits with the Atlas, where you play increasingly difficult maps and improve your gear. This is where it is decided whether Path of Exile 2 grips you in the long run. Many players on Steam praise exactly this motivation and report very long sessions, but also criticise that progress in the endgame demands a lot of time and repetition.
Classes, skills and builds
As in its predecessor, the heart of the game is the build system. Skills sit in skill gems that you combine with support gems, plus a huge passive skill tree. This creates countless combinations, from melee fighters with heavy weapons to casters who wipe out entire groups of enemies with area spells. If you like tinkering with builds, there are hardly any limits here.
The downside: many systems are barely explained. Newcomers quickly turn to guides to avoid ending up in a dead end. Grinding Gear Games has made a lot more accessible with updates, but Path of Exile 2 is not a beginner-friendly game.
Graphics, sound and atmosphere
Visually, Path of Exile 2 takes a big step forward. Areas range from rain-soaked graveyards and deserts to lava caves and icy landscapes, all with lots of detail and strong lighting and particle effects. The mood is consistently dark and mature. Music and sound effects underline the impact of combat; voice-over is available in English only.
Tech and Steam Deck
Technically the game now runs stably, but the frame rate can drop in big fights with lots of effects. On Steam, Path of Exile 2 is verified for Steam Deck and offers full controller support. You can find the exact system requirements in the table below this text; the game needs around 100 GB of storage.
Version 1.0 and free-to-play launch
On 11 December 2026, Path of Exile 2 leaves Early Access. Version 1.0 then launches as a free-to-play title, so you can jump in without paying. Grinding Gear Games will present the full version in detail at ExileCon 2026 in Auckland; the keynote airs on 6 November at 1 PM PST (7 November, 10 PM CET) on Twitch and YouTube. If you register on the official website in advance, you get cosmetic rewards.
Price and availability
Early Access currently costs 27.75 euros on Steam. From 11 December 2026, Path of Exile 2 is free to play, and Grinding Gear Games then earns money with cosmetic items and supporter packs. At Instant Gaming it is mainly worth looking for deals on supporter packs.
- PC (Steam, Windows), Steam Deck verified
- PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
- Voice-over in English
- Text in German, English, French, Spanish and Japanese, among others
Trailer
System requirements (PC)
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 | Windows 10 |
| Processor | 4 core 2.8GHz x64-compatible | Intel Core i5-10500 or AMD Ryzen 5 3700X |
| graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or ATI Radeon RX 470 (mind. 3 GB VRAM) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, Intel Arc A770 or ATI Radeon RX 5600XT |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| storage | 100 GB | 100 GB (SSD recommended) |
