1. Path of Exile (PoE). 1. Path of Exile (PoE). 25 best hack'n'slash hames of all time (2023)

October 19, 2023

1. Path of Exile (PoE)

Path of Exile, released in 2013, is a phenomenon among the games described. This is the only hack'n'slash in this ranking that was offered completely for free on the day of its release and is a fully-fledged representative of its genre. Even more legitimate than many competitors that are available for a significant amount of money. This is the true king of the genre!

The adventure begins on a ship that sails to the shores of Wraeclast - a dark land abandoned by the gods, serving the ruler from the island of Oriath as a place of exile for various convicts. We take on the role of a bandit, representing one of six classes (marauder, witch, ranger, trickster, templar, and shadow). However, those who think that the objective of the game is to achieve redemption and become a hero would be mistaken. The protagonist isn't going to deny being quite a troublemaker – on the contrary, he or she will use their killer talents to survive in Wraeclast and even attain a position in the local society of degenerates.

What does this mean in practice? Embark on an adventurous journey through a treacherous continent, battling progressively stronger adversaries, unraveling the mysteries of an uncharted realm, and harnessing the power of enchanted armors. The gameplay is reminiscent of MMO games like Guild Wars - we have villages and other safe locations where we interact with other players and team up with them, and then we move into the wilderness for an adventure.

Speaking of hack'n'slash mechanics, the term "Diablo clone" perfectly applies to Path of Exile, which is often used to describe games of this type. The work of Grinding Gear Games is more reminiscent of the second installment of the Blizzard series. The equipment, controls, part of the interface, and sounds are strikingly similar. And this isn't a criticism - almost every title in the genre can be said to imitate Diablo, and Path of Exile does it more efficiently than many of its rivals while not being afraid of original ideas.

Particularly intriguing are the active skills, which come in the form of magical stones that we put in various elements of equipment and then develop in the most natural way - using these abilities as often as possible. And there is the infamous skill tree - a monster that doesn't fit on the screen, which somewhat blurs the differences between character classes, allowing even a witch to learn how to swing an ax efficiently. However, contrary to the impression that the "for free" aspect of Path of Exile may give, it isn't a title for everyone. The level of difficulty is high, and the major challenges are only for veterans of the genre.

The true revolution in the game came with the introduction of the expansion, The Fall of Oriath. The developers have added six new acts, completed the storyline, enhanced the graphics, and introduced a significant amount of new content. All of this is accessible to everyone, and it's absolutely free. It feels like searching for a needle in a haystack to find another developer team that cares so much about their craft, diligently striving to enhance it. Regular leagues offer temporary servers where new mechanics are tested. If they are adopted, they become part of the actual game, and there is no shortage of people to test the game.

In this way, the adventure in Wraeclast essentially never ends, even if we have a fully developed character, especially considering the online mechanisms operating in this title. In short, it's a sin not to try Path of Exile if you're a fan of the genre. And don't be afraid - in this free-to-play game, those who spend the most money on microtransactions aren't the ones who lead the rankings. There will certainly be no shortage of those willing to have fun. Looking at the announcements of Path of Exile 2, it looks like the king will be on the throne for a long time to come.