A Critical Thesis on PoE2 [MEGA DOC]

A very in depth, critical thesis of PoE2 I made in hopes to help the devs make PoE2 the best game they can.



https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vT-m-jOy8LDgo_uui2p-AfnFnQq2BHeWuHU5MyAgvgDQCD9_fdrz6EYt4JBoDcuDEbcvnz1U2xYdA5h/pub



It is a very thorough look through almost every mechanic (mostly from the perspective of a Monk, but criticisms of other classes added)



Everything about the doc itself is listed in the document itself, please read the intro.



The 'criticism' is done, but the formatting isn't, you can still read it now.

In spite the name, the goal is to give GGG more perspective and constructive feedback they don't get enough of, rather than just to criticize.

I hope to continue updating it and refining the criticism, please point out any incongruities.

Can't wait for when they completely ignore this amazing feedback in here.

I'm only about halfway through but so far you've managed to touch on a lot of things that have been bothering me about the game design as well. I especially like your thoughts about enemy AI needing a rethink and rework.

Holy crap you’re crazy. You know the chances of anyone from GGG reading even half of that are practically 0? Great effort but I’m afraid in vein.

Dude that a huge effort to put it together - a lot of time and energy. At this point, you should just apply for a job at GGG. You have a better chance to enact these changes from the inside.

I've read the summary and I really like the feedback, but I don't think GGG will take note of any of it.
I've said this a lot about the game that the fundamental aspects of the game are very wrong, but I don't think GGG will correct them cause they are too arrogant and people will just overlook them, but they will become a pain in the ass the more they ignore them.

"

You know the chances of anyone from GGG reading even half of that are practically 0? Great effort but I’m afraid in vein.

Yep. Even summary is too chaotic for someone from GGG to spend their time on.

Anyway, actually: Mark mentioned in some interview that they stopped reading feedback like 2-3 weeks after POE2 launch (and that's when they removed reddit "feedback" thread). So I doubt even well written feedback will be taken into account.

TLDR from Claude AI (chatGPT could not process this big text...(shame)):
This is a comprehensive critique of Path of Exile 2's beta by someone who loves the franchise but sees major issues preventing it from achieving its potential as a 10/10 game.
Main Issues:
Combat & AI:

Enemy AI is extremely primitive compared to games like Elden Ring or Devil May Cry
Bosses rely on bullet-hell patterns instead of engaging melee combat
Dodge roll mechanics are too basic for complex boss fights
Game became too easy after difficulty nerfs, requiring no skill or learning

Level Design:

Random generation is outdated and creates repetitive, uninteresting maps
Lacks meaningful secrets, puzzles, and points of interest
No environmental storytelling or atmosphere compared to other ARPGs/roguelikes

Character Progression:

Skill tree has too many useless nodes and expensive travel paths
Support gems often don't work as advertised with skills
Gear progression is unintuitive for new players
Currency/crafting system needs major overhaul

Story & Writing:

Significantly weaker than PoE1's acclaimed prose
Characters lack development, plot feels disconnected
Player character has minimal dialogue compared to PoE1

Core Philosophy Problem:

PoE2 tries to be Dark Souls + Diablo but fails at both
Doesn't learn from 20+ years of game design innovations
GGG's isolation and focus only on PoE limits their perspective

Author's Recommendation:
PoE2 needs fundamental reworks to enemy AI, level generation, progression systems, and difficulty scaling. Without these changes, it risks being just "another ARPG" instead of the genre-defining game it could be.

Great work! Now if you actually want to have a chance that they read it, turn the summary into a bingo card and post that on the forum/reddit as an advertisement for your thesis