Launching an online fantasy RPG is far from a sure thing. Some have an initial spark but quickly fizzle, others never register much at all with fans. Path of Exile from Grinding Gear Games drew loads of attention from a self-hosted crowdfunding campaign, and since launching just over a month ago has seen huge success as an actual game.
Here are some of the details:
With over 4 million and counting registered users and more than 250,000 daily users, Path of Exile saw 1.5 million unique players log in following the end of its Open Beta. Path of Exile has also garnered a wealth of critical acclaim across the globe, including top scores from leading game sites such as IGN and GameSpot.
These are some huge numbers for an indie online game to manage at initial release. Here are some of the features:
• A dark and deep action RPG set in a dark fantasy world
• Unlimited character combinations with the game’s gigantic skill tree
• Combine skill gems to create unique combat strategies
• Explore a dark and gritty world rendered from a fixed 3D perspective
• Download and play for free, but never pay-to-win
• Explore randomly generated levels for nearly infinite replayability
• Craft weapons, magic items and even end-game maps to become more powerful
• Cooperate or compete with thousands of other Exiles in a persistent online world
• Ascend online ladders in every game mode
• Battle in PvP tournaments for worldwide recognition
• Steam and Twitch integration
While I have only played a small amount of the game, the word of mouth on RPG and other gaming forums is tremendous. The singular ‘complaint’ I hear is the cry for more content – meaning that gamers are so drawn in they are playing through the game and want more. That is a pretty ringing endorsement, especially from some gamers I know who never seem satsfied with any game!
Here is a gameplay trailer for Path of Exile:
As noted the game is free to play – so head to the official site and grab it now to see what you think!