Last Epoch vs. Path of Exile: Which ARPG Should You Play?
Deciding between Last Epoch and Path of Exile (PoE)? The answer hinges on what you’re looking for in an Action RPG (ARPG). Last Epoch offers a more streamlined and beginner-friendly experience with robust itemization, while Path of Exile provides unparalleled depth, build variety, and a vast endgame, albeit with a steeper learning curve. If you value approachability and innovative crafting, Last Epoch is a great starting point. However, if you crave near-infinite complexity and a truly massive world, PoE is the undisputed king. Let’s dive into a detailed comparison to help you make the right choice.
Core Gameplay and Mechanics
Both Last Epoch and Path of Exile are rooted in the classic Diablo-esque ARPG formula: slaughter hordes of monsters, collect loot, and customize your character to become a powerful force of destruction. However, the devil is in the details.
Last Epoch: Streamlined and Accessible
Last Epoch emphasizes clear and concise design. Its skill system allows you to specialize skills, transforming their functionality in meaningful ways. The itemization is deep but relatively intuitive, with a robust crafting system that allows you to directly influence the stats and affixes on your gear. The game also focuses on deterministic crafting, meaning less reliance on RNG when improving your equipment. This appeals to players who enjoy crafting and theory crafting.
Path of Exile: Depth and Complexity at Every Turn
PoE, on the other hand, is known for its overwhelming complexity. The passive skill tree is a sprawling web of nodes, offering thousands of potential character builds. The item system is intricate, involving currency items used for crafting and modifying gear. The endgame is incredibly deep, with a vast Atlas of Maps and countless challenges to overcome. While the sheer depth is a major draw for many players, it can also be incredibly intimidating for newcomers.
Accessibility and Learning Curve
This is where the two games diverge most significantly.
Last Epoch: Beginner-Friendly and Intuitive
Last Epoch is designed to be more accessible to newcomers. The developers have focused on creating a smoother learning curve, with clearer explanations of game mechanics and a more intuitive user interface. The skill system is easier to understand, and the crafting system is less reliant on RNG. While there’s still plenty of depth to explore, it’s presented in a more digestible way.
Path of Exile: A Mountain to Climb
Path of Exile is notorious for its steep learning curve. The game throws a massive amount of information at you from the very beginning, and it can take hundreds of hours to truly understand all of its systems. The passive skill tree alone can be overwhelming, and the itemization and crafting systems are incredibly complex. While there are many online resources and guides available, be prepared to invest significant time and effort to master PoE.
Content and Endgame
Both games offer extensive content, but the nature of that content differs.
Last Epoch: Solid Foundation with Room to Grow
Last Epoch has a solid campaign, a diverse range of classes and skills, and a robust endgame system centered around the Monolith of Fate, offering increasingly difficult challenges and rewards. The Arena provides endless waves of enemies for those seeking leaderboard glory. Although its overall content volume isn’t on par with PoE yet, Last Epoch is a live service game that is consistently expanding its offerings.
Path of Exile: A Decade of Content
Path of Exile boasts over a decade of content updates, resulting in a staggering amount of things to do. The Atlas of Maps provides an ever-expanding endgame with countless challenges, bosses, and rewards. Seasonal leagues introduce new mechanics and content every few months, keeping the game fresh and exciting. The sheer volume of content in PoE is unmatched in the ARPG genre.
Visuals and Performance
Last Epoch generally has a decent aesthetic, with clearly displayed loot. However, the style of the game is far from the polish that AAA games often provide. Path of Exile is a very graphically intensive game that will struggle on older machines.
Last Epoch: Improving Visuals
Last Epoch is graphically less demanding than Path of Exile.
Path of Exile: Improving Optimization
Path of Exile is a graphically more intensive game.
Monetization
Both games utilize different monetization models.
Last Epoch: Buy to Play with Cosmetics
Last Epoch is a buy-to-play game, meaning you purchase the game once and have access to all of its content. The game is monetized through cosmetic purchases, such as character skins and skill effects. The developers have stated that they will not introduce pay-to-win elements. The Game Director has been quoted on the forum that “Cosmetics like skill effects, armors, pet’s, everything that impacts only visually are not P2W, this is the best way to monetize a game ensuring continuity in the Live Service.”
Path of Exile: Free to Play with Microtransactions
Path of Exile is free-to-play, but it is supported by microtransactions. While you can play the entire game without spending any money, many players choose to purchase cosmetic items, stash tabs (which provide additional storage space), and other quality-of-life improvements. The stash tabs, in particular, are often considered essential for serious players, which some would argue places the game close to a pay-to-win model.
Community and Support
Both games have dedicated communities.
Last Epoch: Growing and Engaged Community
Last Epoch has a growing and engaged community, with active forums and Discord servers. The developers are responsive to player feedback and frequently interact with the community.
Path of Exile: Massive and Experienced Community
Path of Exile has a massive and experienced community, with a wealth of online resources and guides available. The game also has a strong competitive scene, with regular races and events.
Ultimately, the choice between Last Epoch and Path of Exile depends on your personal preferences. If you’re new to ARPGs or prefer a more streamlined experience, Last Epoch is a great choice. If you’re a hardcore gamer who loves complexity and depth, Path of Exile is the undisputed king. Regardless of which game you choose, you’re sure to find hours of entertainment slaying monsters and collecting loot. Consider also exploring the research and discussions within the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org to understand the broader context of game design and player engagement in titles like these.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Last Epoch pay to win?
No, Last Epoch is not pay to win. The game is monetized through cosmetic purchases, which do not affect gameplay.
2. Is Path of Exile pay to win?
While Path of Exile is technically free-to-play, many players consider stash tabs to be essential for serious play. The cost of these tabs can add up, leading some to argue that the game is borderline pay-to-win.
3. Which game has better itemization?
Last Epoch’s itemization is more streamlined and deterministic, making it easier to target specific stats and affixes. Path of Exile’s itemization is more complex and RNG-based, but it offers a wider range of possibilities.
4. Which game has a steeper learning curve?
Path of Exile has a significantly steeper learning curve than Last Epoch.
5. Which game has more content?
Path of Exile has a massive amount of content, accumulated over a decade of development. Last Epoch has a solid foundation, but it is still growing.
6. Is Path of Exile solo friendly?
Yes, Path of Exile is solo friendly. You can complete all of the content without playing with others, although trading can be very helpful.
7. Is Last Epoch endless?
Yes, Last Epoch has endgame content that is replayable. The Arena is an example of a endless activity.
8. Can you unlock all timelines in the Last Epoch?
Completing all Quest Echoes for a Timeline unlocks the next timeline and grants you the opportunity to choose a Blessing.
9. Which is better Diablo 3 or Path of Exile?
Considering all the details, Path of Exile features a top-notch character progression system, a rewarding experience, high replayability, a friendly player base, and many fun ways to complete the game, making it a strong contender.
10. How many hours does it take to beat Path of Exile?
When focusing on the main objectives, Path of Exile is about 30 Hours in length.
11. What is the hardest class in PoE?
The Shadow is probably the hardest of all PoE characters to play.
12. Do you need to do side quests in Last Epoch?
You can skip any side quest that grants only XP and Gold. Others offer very valuable things such as Passive points or Idol slots.
13. Is PoE worth playing in 2024?
Yes, Path of Exile continues to be a leading ARPG, offering extensive content and constant updates, making it a worthwhile game to play in 2024.
14. Can I play Path of Exile casually?
Yes, you can play Path of Exile casually. While the game has a lot of depth, you can enjoy the story mode and low-level maps without getting bogged down in the complexities of the endgame.
15. Is Last Epoch replayable?
Yes, Last Epoch offers endless replayability through its Monolith of Fate system, Arena, and extensive character customization options.