Shacknews Best Early Access Game of 2024 - Path of Exile 2

While Path of Exile was often referred to as a Diablo-like, the sequel really got out from under Blizzard’s shadow and crafted an identity of its own. Hitting early access in the beginning of December, Path of Exile 2 essentially ran into our Shacknews Awards deliberations with a steel chair.

Where Path of Exile 2 really sets itself apart from its predecessor is in its combat design. Action RPG combat can feel a bit monotonous once you’ve properly built your character and learned all your abilities, but PoE 2 keeps players on their toes through inventive combat design. Enemies are relentless, and there’s a wide enough variety amongst foes that players have to constantly adapt their strategy and style.

In just a short few weeks, Path of Exile 2 captivated us with its frenetic combat and horde of valuable gear, creating a perfectly addicting gameplay loop as we head into the holidays.

As an early access title, Path of Exile 2 will receive more classes, story content, and dungeons by the time it hits full release. Still, the barebones version of this game has provided as much fun as any other title in the genre in recent years.

Be sure to read over the rest of the Shacknews Awards in our Year of the Games: 2024 feature.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_