Despite facing controversies since its early access release due to monotonous gameplay and a lack of endgame depth, Path of Exile 2 has maintained a steady update cycle every three to four months. Remarkably, the game reached a new peak in concurrent player count following the release of Patch 0.5.0, Return of the Ancients, on May 29.
According to long-term analysis by POECURRENCY.com, this massive player resurgence is primarily driven by the introduction of the highly engaging Runes of Aldur league mechanic, alongside a comprehensive overhaul of the heavily criticized original endgame systems.
However, does this mean the sequel has finally achieved perfection? After analyzing recent community feedback and social media discussions, POECURRENCY.com clearly states that it has not, as there remains significant room for improvement.
For players who are still hesitating to jump in, this review highlights the major drawbacks to avoid; for those already playing, it serves as a space to find common ground regarding the game’s current state.
Campaign & League Mechanics – Not Good, Not Bad
To be honest, Runes of Aldur league mechanic in POE 2 0.5.0 is already much better than in previous updates: you can get to know the essence of the mechanic directly from Act 1, without having to wait for the mid-to-late game; and the newly added Runeshapes, as a type of skirmish loot buff, allows you to experience the fun of crazy kills and carnage in the early stages.
This is definitely beneficial for casual players, especially those who want to try different builds in a league, as the overall build options will be very diverse, and the amount of POE2 currency obtained will also be substantial. As you progress a little further, you’ll encounter the unique shield mechanism Runic Ward, found in Return of the Ancients, which further ensures your safety during your exploration.
The biggest problem lies here: to maximize the defensive effectiveness of Runic Ward, you have to sacrifice some of the defensive affixes that already exist on some items, such as elemental resistance and damage reduction, which makes encounters that require you to have diverse defensive attributes very difficult for you. To regain these defensive affixes, the only option is to invest more PoE 2 currency in modifying them.
This is generally impossible in the early stages of a league, but don’t forget POECURRENCY.com, your very loyal game helper. You can visit there and buy cheap POE 2 currency whatever you need. We promise safe and fast delivery, ensuring your high-quality craft builds won’t be delayed. Once you use this to improve the biggest flaw in this league system, you’ll be greeted with smoother and clearer campaign progression and map layout.
For example, many campaign areas now include added cues to help you find your way, with the most obvious being in Freythorn. Meanwhile, interactions between characters and specific items in the campaign have been optimized. For instance, the levers in The Matlan Waterways have been removed and replaced with pressure plates that only require a light tap, making the entire campaign flow extremely fast.
Endgame Updates – Large but Lots Bugs
After discussing the league system and campaign content, POECURRENCY.com will now introduce the changes to the endgame in POE 2 0.5.0, which has long been criticized by players. First, it’s worth acknowledging that this update is the largest and most extensive endgame update since the sequel’s release, demonstrating a high level of commitment. However, in practice, it’s riddled with bugs.
When you complete all Acts and interludes and just enter PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients endgame, you’ll be overwhelmed with tasks: unlocking towers, traveling to Fortress, completing encounters, activating nodes in Atlas passive skill tree, and unlocking Masters of the Atlas. Each task is crucial, so you can’t miss any exploration actions, which can be very frustrating for players who have difficulty making choices.
In this situation, players’ FOMO will be amplified infinitely. On the one hand, they worry that they will not be able to experience all the mechanics in this league, and on the other hand, they feel regretful for not focusing on farming specific loot or currency. Therefore, POECURRENCY.com considers this to be the first bug in POE 2 0.5.0 endgame.
Another very obvious bug is that in some newly added map missions, your character may die or be unable to progress. For example, to unlock Jado, you need to first unlock Ancient Vaal Vault, which requires a Tier 6 Waystone. Obtaining Waystone itself is not difficult, but controlling the effective affixes within it is very difficult. If you are not careful, you may die in the final boss encounter.
In addition, many players on Reddit have reported similar issues in PoE 2 Return of the Ancients Abyss quest line. After delivering a Waystone that hasn’t been modified with currency, they are frequently blocked by boss encounters and get stuck in a failure state. Therefore, all players are hoping that GGG will fix this major issue in a future patch or hotfix.
The biggest bug in this updated endgame is the continued inability to reverse nodes on Atlas passive skill tree. While points in Genesis tree passive can now be freely activated and reset, this doesn’t work on Atlas skill tree. This is extremely troublesome for both beginners and experienced players, and the investment required is very high, making endgame even more difficult.
In conclusion, POECURRENCY.com’s evaluation highlights that Patch 0.5.0 Return of the Ancients delivers far more innovative features and engaging gameplay than previous major updates, making Path of Exile 2 finally feel like a full-fledged release.
However, notable shortcomings remain in its lack of depth and somewhat unbalanced difficulty curve. Moving forward, it is hoped that the developers will address these balance issues and bugs ahead of the official 1.0 launch to provide players with a more polished and complete ARPG experience.
