Trailer Impressions: Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath

I’ve been a big fan of Path of Exile since 2013, but no previous update to Path of Exile will be able to match the significance of this upcoming 3.0 patch known as the The Fall of Oriath. Previous to this trailer, PoE players expected Act 5 to be included in patch 3.0, but what we got in this trailer was instead incredibly mind-blowing; Six New Acts! Yes, that means they will be adding in Acts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in patch 3.0, which is currently scheduled for a June 2017 official release. The other major significance to this patch is the elimination of multiple difficulty (Cruel/Merciless) playthroughs of the same content. Who wants to play through the same set of Acts three times? This has always been a major problem with ARPGs, even with our very beloved Diablo 2. This new patch will only require a single playthrough of the content to reach the endgame map system, but the resistance penalties will not go away and instead be explained through the story.

It is also worth noting that Acts 6-10 will be revisiting Acts 1-5 as part of story progression, but as I have I seen through demos, the content and enemies will not be the same, providing a different experience even through familiar locations. Patch 3.0 boasts 24 new bosses, as well as a new Pantheon system to acquire special powers from Gods. I continue to be amazed by the work of Grinding Gear Games, and the fact that Path of Exile is a free to play game with no pay-to-win mechanics is astounding. I’m glad that Xbox One players will now get to experience this also for free.

Now we have to wait till June…grrr.