# Path of Exile 2 vs Last Epoch

As of 11 November 2026, 76% of 169,256 player reviews recommend Path of Exile 2, and 76% of 107,193 recommend Last Epoch.

> 76% of Path of Exile 2’s reviews recommend it and 76% of Last Epoch’s, and players come to both for deep builds. Path of Exile 2 is the harder, slower game with heavier combat. Last Epoch is the easier one to learn, with crafting you control and loot that’s simple to manage.

## In short

Last Epoch suits players who want deep builds and crafting they can learn without a wiki, and who are happy to play solo. Path of Exile 2 suits players who want tougher, slower fights and bosses that reward practice, and it costs nothing from 11 December.

## At a glance

| | Path of Exile 2 | Last Epoch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Released | 6 December 2024 | 21 February 2024 |
| Price at launch | $0 | $34.99 |
| Developer | Grinding Gear Games | Eleventh Hour Games |
| Publisher | Grinding Gear Games | Eleventh Hour Games and Krafton |
| Players recommend it | 76% of 169,256 reviews | 76% of 107,193 reviews |
| Our reading | 80 most helpful and 40 latest reviews, read 8 November 2026 | 80 most helpful and 40 latest reviews, read 8 November 2026 |

## What players praise

### Path of Exile 2

- **Combat feels weighty and tactical.** Enemies punish careless positioning, bosses reward learning their attack tells, and every hit lands with weight.
- **The dark world looks striking.** Players praise the grim atmosphere, the sound design and the visual effects.
- **Hard fights make wins feel earned.** Dying is part of the loop, and learning a boss and beating it on a later try is what keeps players coming back.
- **Any class can use any skill.** Skill gems and weapons aren’t tied to a class, and respecs are cheap enough to try new builds.

### Last Epoch

- **Every skill has its own tree.** Each skill has a specialisation tree and respeccing is cheap, so players test many builds without a guide.
- **Crafting puts you in control.** You choose the affix you want and add or upgrade it, though a fracture can still ruin an item.
- **Loot is easy to manage.** A built-in loot filter, one-click sorting and searchable stash tabs cut down the inventory busywork.
- **It sits between Diablo and Path of Exile.** Players find it easier to learn than Path of Exile and deeper than Diablo, with tooltips and an in-game guide in place of a wiki.

## What players criticise

### Path of Exile 2

- **Loot and crafting feel too random.** Useful rares are scarce and crafting works like gambling, so upgrades often come from trading or a lucky currency drop.
- **Crashes and lag still hit some players.** Players report hard crashes, freezes and network hitches, and some AMD graphics cards need an older driver.
- **Deaths cost a lot.** In the endgame each death costs 10% of a level’s experience, often with maps and loot, and some one-shot deaths give little warning.
- **The endgame grind wears thin.** Map modifiers stack penalties, only a few builds clear maps well, and many find the trials punishing.

### Last Epoch

- **A paid class cost it players’ trust.** Many feel promises of free content and cosmetic-only purchases were broken when a paid class followed the studio’s sale to Krafton.
- **Servers and multiplayer have struggled.** Multiplayer arrived late, and players still report queues and disconnects.
- **Performance and bugs persist.** Frame drops in crowded fights, freezes and bugged skills keep coming up in reviews.
- **The endgame loop repeats.** Fixed map layouts and slow blessing rolls make the loop of echoes and bosses wear thin for many.

## Which to pick

- Pick Path of Exile 2 if you want slower, demanding fights and deep builds, and don’t mind a long grind and some luck in your loot.
- Pick Last Epoch if you want deep builds and crafting you can learn without a wiki, and are happy to play solo.

## Questions

### Is Last Epoch better than Path of Exile 2?

Players rate them about the same. As of 11 November 2026, 76% of Path of Exile 2’s 169,256 reviews recommend it and 76% of Last Epoch’s 107,193. Last Epoch wins on ease of learning and crafting, and Path of Exile 2 on the weight and challenge of its combat.

### Which is easier to learn?

Last Epoch. Its players say a first build comes together without a guide, and its tooltips and in-game guide explain the systems. Path of Exile 2’s early acts are hard without a guide.

### Which has better crafting?

Last Epoch, by its players’ account. You pick the affix you want and add or upgrade it, though a fracture can ruin an item. Path of Exile 2’s players say its crafting works like gambling.

### How much do Path of Exile 2 and Last Epoch cost?

Last Epoch is $34.99 on PC. Path of Exile 2 becomes free-to-play at its full release on 11 December 2026, and until then it’s in paid early access.

## Sources

235. Grinding Gear Games, Path of Exile 2 full release: https://pathofexile2.com/fullrelease
238. Steam: Path of Exile 2, store page and user reviews: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2694490/
245. Steam: Last Epoch, store page and user reviews: https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/

Page: https://creativecult.digital/compare/path-of-exile-2-vs-last-epoch