Way too hard

I imagine some of the reactions ahead of time before writing this. I'll hear that if I don't like it I can go and play something else, that I have no skill, and/or that I am a whiner. I get that this is "dodging" game and I am probably simply bad at it. Ok, those who feel inclined to just dismiss any feedback that isn't their opinion, please indulge and have fun of me or look down on me.

Yes, it is pretty clear to me now that the game is for "elite" players; streamers, pro players, people who have the luxury to be able to play all day while others work. If that's what GGG targets and wants, well that's just the way it is then I guess.

Hoping that GGG is actually interested in attracting more players and normal people, I'll give my 2 cents opinion.

So my experience so far is:

- I never find useful loot, and what I find is usually more suited for other classes. Tons of useless flasks. I even found a chest guarded by a really tough boss that killed me like 15 times before I finally managed to kill him, and guess what... the chest was empty, absolutely nothing came out of it when I opened it. That was quite the reward for persevering.

- Considering the difficulty of the bosses, the skills are really underwhelming. These combats drag forever, you barely make damage while one hit from the boss will take half of your life and the next one will likely be fatal. You just can't afford to dodge in the wrong direction, which obviously you will do. At least I do: for me personally, it's impossible to dodge perfectly and guess the direction of every hit without a failure for 5-10 minutes with the game throwing dozens of them at you relentlessly. One life potion is far from saving you very long, which is an issue when the fights take forever. And if you think you had a hard time the first 50-75% of the fight, you'll rethink things entirely when the boss gets enraged or starts calling allies for the last 50%-25% of the fight.

- I spent a long time replaying maps several times to level up a few times because I just couldn't get past the 2 bosses in Mausoleum of the Praetor and Tomb of the Consort. Personally I didn't find the fights fun at all, nor rewarding actually. But ok, I persevered thinking that this was a bad moment to get through to be able to go to the next map. Little did I know, I immediately ended up facing a third one: Lachlann (I think that is the name). What on earth is this joke ? He just killed me like 30 times or so. I am giving up. What am I supposed to do ? Play the 2 previous maps in loop for 2 days to level up 5 times and hope that it will be easier ? Come on. There is a balance problem in my opinion. The game should not throw you things that your current level and gear can't handle.

So yeah, I am barely at the start of act 1 and will probably stay stuck where I am.

In my opinion, it is fine to have hard bosses in the endgame for pro players. But this here is an entirely other level, I can't even start playing the game. I had absolutely no fun, and I didn't even feel happy when I did beat the last 2 tough ones before Lachlann.

To be clear, I was not expecting POE 2 to be like POE 1. But I think the game should be accessible. Or is it really only for pro players and people who don't work ?

I agree 100% !

The loot is terrible and this constant dodge roll in boss fights it's not skill just a lame scenario. Atm i am in Act 2 and i died 10 times in Bone yard bosses cause you avoid 200 dodge mechanics. I also try the ascendance boss and he just touch me 1 time and i'm dead. 10 times and i already got bored to do the 8 steps again and again just to touch me once and be dead.

So what i need to do? Do all the maps again and again hopping to take one loot? This called fun? I hit a wall and i can't progress at all.

I don't mind the 100 euros pre-order i usually spend a lot on cosmetics in PoE, Diablo etc but it let a bittersweet taste cause if the game was a bit easier i could spend much more here but i believe i will drop them in D4 transmogs.

I played POE1 year after released, Yesterday I posted "Game too hard". This game was top of my list for a long long time. Crafting was amazing and customizable build option was best of best but since POE2 starts nothing left. especially this Down of the hunt league most players playing Lightning skill and most players throwing Spear and Huntress. I never experienced new league mechanic is so stupid and so slow. No more Action RPG it is Slow RPG game. most game along with POE1 that i love to play is mots actions with jump into the monsters and destroy it but POE2 i am running around trying survive like a chicken rather that fighting and POE2 is so laggy i died 99% of times with game freeze to death. very hard to completed the maps without restating the game which my computer was top specs year ago spent 3500 on it last year. It makes sense if this game designed to be 80 plus players otherwise GGG need to reconsider their direction how POE2 will stand out from other ARPG games.