Last Epoch
The ARPG genre has been thriving in recent years, with tons of new titles coming out that push the boundaries of what these games can do. With how much of a time investment it takes to get deep into an ARPG, you may want to choose just one to play, which may lead you to ask which one is the best fit for you.
Today, we’ll be looking at some of the differences between Last Epoch and Path of Exile 2. Each game has its strengths and weaknesses, but both are definitely worth playing, and it’s worth trying them both out yourself to see which one you enjoy more. We’ll compare them both across a variety of categories, like combat, endgame, and quality of life, before deciding a winner.
8 Combat
Tie
Combat is at the heart of an ARPG, and both of these games have outstanding combat in their own right, but on different ends of the spectrum. Last Epoch is more fast-paced, with each class having several mobility skills to get around maps quickly and blow up packs of enemies.
On the other hand, Path of Exile 2’s combat is a lot slower and methodical, mainly due to its almost Soulslike design philosophy. Bosses have more telegraphed attacks than what is typical for an isometric ARPG, so combat encounters have you dodging as much as attacking. Ultimately, which game has the «better» combat is up to personal preference.
7 Build Variety
Last Epoch
Despite Path of Exile priding itself on its build depth through its Skill Gem system, creating a viable build can feel constricting, as you’ll often be drawn to one or two skills per Class/Weapon, with the rest of them being unviable at later stages of the game.
Last Epoch’s build variety and complexity are simply on another level. Each class’s skills have their own skill tree, and these have a number of different ways you can take a skill and mould it into something completely different. When you add in passive points, Uniques, and Idols to the mix, there are tons of strong and viable build options for each Class and Class Mastery, so you can really go wild.
6 Difficulty
Path Of Exile 2
As mentioned above, Path of Exile 2 has a much more methodical approach to combat, which also means that most encounters are more difficult. This difficulty can sometimes be frustrating, but the satisfaction when you finally take down a boss that’s killed you a dozen times just isn’t found in Last Epoch.
Of course, if you prefer the power fantasy approach that most other ARPGs take, where you become so strong that you blow through maps in seconds, annihilating everything in your path, Last Epoch will let you do that. However, outside of Last Epoch’s pinnacle boss, Uber Aberroth, nothing is as challenging as almost every boss found in Path of Exile 2.
5 Story/Campaign
Tie
Story has never been a selling point for an ARPG, and both Last Epoch and PoE2 understand that. Neither has a particularly great story, but for a few different reasons. Last Epoch’s story certainly has an interesting premise, incorporating different timelines that you travel through, but the dialogue and writing aren’t the most engaging.
On the other hand, Path of Exile 2 has interesting lore and worldbuilding that expands upon the first game, but the story itself is pretty light. The writing is decent enough, but there just isn’t a whole lot of it.
Despite their stories, both games actually have decent campaigns, but which one is better again comes down to your preference. Last Epoch has a slightly shorter campaign that is a lot faster to get through, thanks to its alternate leveling paths, while PoE2 has an engaging campaign and fun (for the most part) boss fights, but takes longer to get through.
4 Endgame
Path Of Exile 2
Endgame content is essential for an ARPG, and Path of Exile 2, despite still being in Early Access, has a variety of endgame content to enjoy. Last Epoch has been slowly receiving updates to its endgame systems, but even with all of these updates, there’s more to do after you beat the campaign in PoE2.
While making a second or third character is definitely more enjoyable in Last Epoch due to its faster campaign and build diversity, it doesn’t technically count as endgame if you’re starting over, even if it does add dozens of hours of content to the game. For now, PoE2 has a deeper series of endgame content to progress through.
3 Quality Of Life
Last Epoch
Last Epoch has tons of quality of life features that make the overall user experience much smoother, especially compared to PoE2. The most readily apparent difference is bank management; Last Epoch lets you create as many tabs as you want for a small bit of gold, and you can sort through your tabs with ease, while PoE2 makes you pay real money for comparatively fewer features.
Respeccing your character is another big aspect that Last Epoch makes easy. At any time, you can change around your Skill tree nodes, and you can respec your passive points by talking to an NPC in town for a very small cost. You can even change your Class Mastery for a larger bit of gold, which is more than PoE2 lets you do, locking you into your Ascendancy once you’ve chosen it.
2 Loot/Crafting
Last Epoch
Finally, loot is one of the most important aspects of an ARPG, and Last Epoch is phenomenal in this regard. Upgrades drop frequently throughout the campaign and endgame grinds, letting you feel your character making steady progress.
The item crafting system is also so simple, but so effective for upgrading or creating the perfect item, as you’re always encouraged to spend the currencies you pick up rather than waiting to trade them for something else.
On the other hand, Path of Exile 2 item upgrades are few and far between, especially in the early stages of the campaign, which can lead to you struggling through maps that you would have no problem with if you got luckier with your drops.
This definitely places more of an emphasis on the trading system, but since there’s still no good way to facilitate trades in-game, and a lot of players prefer the Solo Self-Found playstyle anyway, trading isn’t the solution PoE2 wants it to be.
1 Verdict
Last Epoch
While both games are great in their own regard, Last Epoch excels in more categories than Path of Exile 2, so we’ve dubbed it the winner. Of course, which game you like playing more is entirely up to you, and both games have their own strengths and weaknesses.
If you are deciding which game to play, definitely check out both games, if you can. Last Epoch is perfect if you like crafting your own builds and slowly but surely making progress on your character, with frequent steps up in power throughout the campaign. On the other hand, you might prefer Path of Exile 2 if you like more difficult combat and gaining power slowly, but that feels more earned.
