Diablo 4has been drawing a lot of comparisons between itself andPath of Exiledue to the latter’s heavyDiablo 2inspiration and their shared ARPG roots, which the upcoming launch ofPath of Exile 2exacerbated. While there is common ground between these two series, they have quite different approaches to the ARPG core gameplay loop of looting as well as hacking ‘n slashing one’s way to victory. These series have evolved in their own respective ways when it comes to their endgame offer, withDiablo 4and other games in the series reinventing themselves as each title is released andPath of Exileimproving its formula over the course of more than 10 years.
Path of Exile 2’s early accessis coming on November 15 of this year, making the release of Vessel of Hatred and this milestone for GGG’s action RPG a one-two punch for fans of the genre. However, it also means that Vessel of Hatred is being heavily scrutinized ahead ofPath of Exile 2’s launch, for better or for worse. In the case ofDiablo 4’s new endgame content, Grinding Gear Games has a few things to note, particularly with the Kurast Undercity time trial.
Diablo 4’s Kurast Undercity is The Epitome of Choose-Your-Reward Endgame
Why Kurast Undercity is One of The Best Endgame Approaches in Modern ARPGs
Available toward the end ofDiablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred campaign, Kurast Undercity is one of two new pieces of endgame content in the game, with it being a timed trial that can scale both in difficulty and rewards. Players can run Kurast Undercity as is for a standard experience, but for those who have mastered the various new Torment difficulty levels and optimized their builds’ potential, there’s a lot to unpack. In fact,Diablo 4not only allows players to tone up the difficulty with the addition of multiple modifiers, but it also allows players to customize the type and quality of rewards they get.
The harder the run, the more punishing the modifier, and the less time available, the more and better loot players will get. Since the whole experience is completely customizable, players don’t have to fear wasting their time and resources as it can happen withPath of Exileendgame Maps- especially since Kurast Undercity rewards Wanderers with a bunch of items even if they fail the run. This is a very healthy approach to endgame content because players always walk away with something, and since the runs can be quite quick once the activity has been mastered, it can have an extremely positive loot-to-time-investment ratio.
Why Path of Exile 2’s Early Access Should Draw Inspiration From Diablo 4
This is not always the case inPath of Exile, which can be quite demanding in terms of currency investment for high-end content such as T16 or T17 Maps, and unless one is using gear with farming-specific affixes, the best loot is usually toward the end or even after the final boss. However, players only have 6 attempts to clear each Map if playing solo, which can feel quite punishing, especially for newcomers. In general, the learning curve forPath of Exileis pretty steep, and endgame content can quickly snowball into frustration.
In Kurast Undercity, time penalties can be and feel harsh, but they reward good buildcrafting by providing even better loot andclass-specific Uniques in Diablo 4.
As such,Path of Exile 2could use an endgame mode that is more akin to the casual-friendly and highly customizable Kurast Undercity, even if running it is not free like inDiablo 4, and instead requires currency. This is somethingPath of Exilewould also benefit from, but with the spotlights being set onPath of Exile 2for now, it would make sense to implement it there first.Path of Exile 2has many classes(more thanDiablo 4) and is likely to be as complex as the original title, and an activity like Kurast Undercity could be a breath of fresh air for veterans as much as it can be enticing for new players.
Diablo 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or explore an expansive end game and shared world where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle world bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play, cross-progression, and couch co-op on Xbox.This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
