PoE 2 EA Feedback from PoE 1 fairly long time player

First of i want to signal that I, like many out there are affected with this problem where PoE 2 (and 1 as i heard, didn't try myself) completely freezes your PC on loading screens, been like that for a while, and i coulnd't find updates on this situation so i tought i'd put a comment on it, even if it doesn't affect my feeedabck.

So i'm a relatively long time PoE 1 player (3.3K hours in around 7 years), clearely one of my favourite games, and porbably the only one i'd call perfect, as it is, despite issues that exists, everything i'm looking for in a game.
This obviously affects my view on PoE 2, but i'll try to give a fair feedback on it.

My veiw on PoE 2 has changed over the years since it was announced, starting from not wanting it to be a thing, since it was supposed to be a PoE1 overhaul, then being relived that it would be a standalone game and didn't realy put much interest in it. Then EA reveal stream happened, and it clearely got my interest, jumped in on day 1 of EA. Now, i wish it actually was not a standalone, but a PoE1 overhaul, here's my feedback :


PoE2 has an amazing gameplay, and can be a foundation for the best arpg in history of the genra. The feel of how it plays is incredible, campain (at least the half we have so far) is nice, sound design if magnificent (as expected since it's already beatyfull in PoE1), amazing job on voice acting.
The new gem system is, even if it has some issues, an improvement over the PoE1 one in my opinion, i love the combo focus dirrection it wants to have.
Boss design is very nice, engaging bossfights, i just wish that there would be more "voiceline mechanics" as there is in poe1, since i love this design so much.
Even if originally i am in fierce opposition to gold, PoE1 currency system being in my opinion the single best system in any game i played, but i'll admit that how gold is implemented, i have nothing bad to say about it.


Now for the critisism i have, i think it's relevant to also say how i aproach the game :

I am a SC trade player who dresses in SSF HC clothes, i enjoy obtaining/crafting my gear by myself, and being tanky, without enjoying not having the option to trade or having my character deleted when i ocasionally die. I play between 3 to 10 characters per league.


My first, and primary, gripe with PoE 2 is crafting : Pretty much nonexistant, it makes the "SSF" experience miserable. Having to collect bases for every slot of equipement there is, in hope that maybe your currecy usage will make somthing good or your reforge hit something remotely usable is awfull, both in feeling and in inventory/stash space managment (specailly if like me you enjoy playing multiple characters that need different gear). Essences feel useless since you're probably ruining your item with Regals/Exalts anyway, and Greater essences are way too rare (i had 3 or 4, can't remember and can't check, in 370+ hours, mostly spent mapping).
The result of this is that i'm actually not using currency to craft, but stockpiling to buy upgrades on trade, which is the opposite result of the intended vision of crafting shown in streams and podcasts (that i must say, i was looking forward to).
Omens, as far as i'm concerned, are not even a thing, since they're so rare and are not specially impactfull anyway, didn't use any crafting ones except the corruption one.

The gem system, even tho having a very good base concept, has some issues :
Fist, a non major one as it's more a "feeling" issue than a practical one, Lvl20 Uncut gems are way to rare (dropped 2 in 370+ hours, mostly mapping, mostly decent juicing T15+). It wasn't an issue gameplay-wise, i never felt like missing damage and cleared max difficulty pinacle bosses without struggle, but it feels bad.
Droprate problem aslo affects socket currency, the max link one feels too rare.

The Other problem i have, and i guess it's only a problem if you enjoy playing multiple character per league, is that getting gem for your next character campain is a pain, since you only drop 18+ gems while mapping, i just whish that you could choose the level of a gem when cutting it, improving reroll character campain experience.

I don't have as harsh critisism as many on mapping, even if i agree that some layouts don't realy feel good, specially combined with league mechanics. It's indeed annoying to have to backtrack in an empty map to kill a rare i missed in a corner, even if it doesn't happen to frequently, it still feels bad. I don't mind having to kill all rares since i'm always clearing my maps almost fully in PoE1, but i can see it being annoying if you're a bossrush enjoyer.
Towers, i think they are fine in function, but runing them still feels pointless and unfulfilling even with the changes. My suggestion would be to make towers miniboss fights with a vaal architect or something thematic to the region.
Speaking aboout maps, i am of the (i think) unpopular opinion that loosing your map on death is fine (by the way, great change you made making them still runnable and not locked like teased), BUT i think that it would be a great opportunity to get rid of the oter punishment for failing that is xp loss, i've always disliked it, and it personally feels way worse loosing xp than loosing a map.
Kind of a "feeling" issue, like max level gems, i've only had 1 lvl100 character in my 3.3K hours in PoE1 (and it was in the most recent Kalguur league)and never felt the need to be 100, but loosing xp is still not a nice feeling.


There's probably some minor praises and criticism i have that slip past my mind as i'm wrinting, but over all that's my feeling about PoE2, as the game itself.

But, PoE2 isn't only a standalone game, it's a game that is supposed to exist alongside PoE 1.
As release of EA, i could clearely have seen myself playing both, reaching my goals in PoE1 league and going to PoE2 for a while, and this being absolutely fine and enjoyble. Now, with recent developements of events, I wish it was the same game, because if PoE2 is going to eat on PoE1 developpement, that feels very bad, as in current state, i'd choose a PoE1 league over PoE2 without question.
Obviously, no resentment hold against GGG teams, it's a totaly understandable situation, and it realy feels bad seing the latest video from Jonathan, as GGG alongside Hello Games are (to my knowlege at least) the most praise worthy studios in the game industry, filled with passionated teams, great comunication and honnesty.
Continue your amazing works, you have my hopes and support, for both POE 1 and 2.

(in a way i'm glad the next PoE1 league is delayed since i can't play the games anyway because of the freeze situation, which i hope will get fixed at some point, even if it's not entierly on GGGs side if i understood correctly. I wish we had a bit more info on that matter, but i guess that's a thing that's being worked on, i'll wait on updates on that to try lauching the games again)