The action RPG gets a dose of fresh content and an official release date.
There’s something existentially jarring about seeing a game that’s been freely available for a long time announce a launch date. It’s as if the world that you knew isn’t as solid as you once thought. The latest game to exit open beta is Path of Exile, a F2P action RPG from Grinding Gears Games, which officially launches October 23rd. Not only does it feel that the violent hack’n’slasher is ready for a 1.0 release, but it’s also adding an equally dark prestige class into the mix as well.
Path of Exile aims to be a hardcore action RPG from fans of the genre. Perhaps the most interesting additions to the classic formula are skill gems. Here, skills are functionally similar to the materia in Final Fantasy 7. Each ability levels up independently and can be socketed into equipment, and can be combined with other gems to create new effects. There’s also a single, huge, passive skill tree that’s shared by all classes, adding a massive amount of customization to the players who want it.
If this is all old news to you, then you’ll get a kick out of the new Scion class. To match the brooding darkness of the rest of the game, she’s a noble-born who earns her exile by slaying her husband. She’s complex enough that she won’t be selectable until players get a playthrough under their belt. “She’s actually more complicated to play than a normal character,” lead designer Chris Wilson told Shacknews, “so we don’t want beginner players to immediately choose her.” To complete the update, Grinding Gears is also adding new gems and high-level areas, which should wipe out even veteran players. Better do your finger stretches, there’s a lot of clicking to be done.
Source: Shacknews
