Path of Exile - what Diablo III should have been?

[[JiF]Uncle Stinky]

I saw a note on Steam that a game called Path of Exile just got an update, and looked into it. It's a very good hack-and-slash game, with a free-to-play model that provides only cosmetic items for real cash. In other words, no wallet warriors.

I'm playing a Witch, who can summon zombie and skellies, and I'm choosing the fire path for her specialty.

I am extremely impressed with the game so far. Excellent graphics, good place of play and interesting player skills.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/238960/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-- Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:54 am --

A couple more thoughts now that I've started a second character, a marauder tanky-type.

The game has gems that you socket into items to provide special abilities or buffs. The gems themselves level up as you use them, becoming more powerful. But what's best about them is that they can be freely slotted and un-slotted. No more destroying gems or items. Also, items do not become bound, and you have a large, shared bank vault. So you can save whatever uber gear you find for a later character to pick up.

My marauder has a gem that causes large blobs of molten lava to explode from his sword, doing AOE splash damage when they hit the ground or enemies. Very cool!

And I found an incredibly powerful longsword that does physical, fire and lightning damage.

For some reason, this game seems much more satisfying than Diablo III.

-- Fri Aug 22, 2014 11:46 am --

A few screen shots.

-- Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:16 pm --

I had to post this. My witch just got a new gem that allows her to resurrect a slain enemy as a spectral ally. So you can re-animate all kinds of mobs to serve you, including this very cool ranged magic devourer.