Is It Worth Buying the $30 Early Access Supporter Pack for Path of Exile 2?

• Price of the Test Access
• About the Game
• New vs. Veteran Players
• Is It Worth Purchasing?
• For Observers

Price of the Test Access

It’s important to know that spending $30 does not only buy you the test access; it also comes with equivalent in-game currency. Essentially, this $30 is just buying you currency. As players of Path of Exile know, the game’s stash is very important. Therefore, the $30 currency can build several essential stashes, such as:

• Premium Stash: Allows you to list items for trade with other players, worth $4.
• Currency Stash: Used to store in-game currency. Path of Exile has a variety of currencies, and without a currency stash, the stacking limit is between 20 and 40, which can quickly fill up your stash. So, having a currency stash is essential, worth $7.5.
• Map Stash: Worth $15. Although we don’t know how many maps there will be in Ascension, each map occupies a slot, which can easily fill up the stash, so I believe a map stash is also indispensable.

After purchasing these three stashes, we are close to spending $30. Of course, if you’re lucky and find a stash on sale, you can exchange the premium stash for a larger premium stash, making it even more cost-effective. Additionally, the cosmetics and stashes from poe1 will be inherited in poe2, which many veteran players find very worthwhile. This is something you can also consider.

About the Game

First, regarding the testing duration, this test is at least for a period of over six months. The game itself is free, but if you don’t want to spend the $30 to purchase it, you will have to wait at least six months to play. If you really want to play, I can only say that buying early means experiencing early.

New vs. Veteran Players

Some new players may think that the gameplay is similar to poe1, and that veteran players will have a significant advantage. In fact, while veteran players do have some advantages, they are limited to talents, equipment affixes, and certain gameplay aspects. I think the idea that there is a significant gap is unnecessary. Although poe2 retains some gameplay from poe1, these mechanics are quite straightforward and direct, making them easy to understand and suitable for new players, while also giving veterans a nostalgic feeling. Moreover, the gameplay mechanics are completely different from poe1, meaning the advantage for veteran players is minimal. Poe2 focuses more on mechanics, as it is an action game. There are no continuously usable movement skills during combat, and players cannot move as quickly as in poe1. Movement is primarily reliant on your character's legs. Additionally, poe2 emphasizes boss battles and the chaining of skills and dodging, which makes it a completely different game compared to poe1. Therefore, while veteran players may have some advantages, they are not substantial.

Is It Worth Purchasing?

Honestly, before watching the press conference, I was quite concerned about the quality of the game. Why do I say this? Because last year and earlier this year, I participated in two offline playtests, and each time I felt it was quite poor. However, since those were offline playtests and not even considered tests, I was relieved after watching the press conference. At least it looked completely different from the playtest; the actions appeared more fluid, the attacks smoother, and all the current settings seem very reasonable.

Currently, the test phase only includes the first three chapters of the story, but the later content is quite rich. From what I know, all previous closed tests only tested the first three chapters, and no one has experienced the later content. This is something that players who want to get ahead of others will be eager to familiarize themselves with. Moreover, spending $30 will allow you to play for at least a hundred hours, which should attract many single-player gamers. I think this is reasonable; as a grinding game, poe1 has set a benchmark for many games, proving that it has done exceptionally well in the grinding genre. Additionally, there are already many fans of poe1, so it is very reasonable for poe2 to focus on boss battles as an action game to attract players from other genres. In my view, spending $30 to get in is very cost-effective, especially since I have been playing GG’s games for over ten years, and their reputation is excellent.

For Observers

Of course, there are also players who wish to continue observing. For those players, I recommend checking out other people's live streams to gather information and learn. By watching streams, you can not only gain practical tips but also see the experiences and feedback from other players, which will help you make a better decision about whether to dive in. Additionally, live streams are a platform for interaction, allowing you to engage with other players and get more advice and information, helping you make an informed choice.