Recent reviews by BallsInAssDisease

So far so good, I've put many a hour in and I like what I see. This game scratches the Economy/Simulation itch I've had for years. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FOR NEW PLAYERS. (Including myself).

The new player experience seems to go as follows:

You will inevitably be pulled into an alliance in Null-Sec and probably receive a new player ship package from them to get you started. You will be told to 'find what you want to do and specialise in it', which is sound advice but with a game so wide as Eve asking a new player to immediately pick an avenue and stick to it is a hard ask.

Once you commit your initial SP into something you want to peruse, chances are you'll find something else you want to do as well; well, here, you're SOL. You either have to wait the literal days/weeks/months of training time or (as intended) spend real money to acquire SP. You will be SP-poor for the first 3-500, even 1000 hours.

To compound to this, if you want to attempt something with your Corp or solo, you'll be told to use X ship or Y fit, which again brings you up against the brick wall of SP/training time.

Basically, as a new player, it feels like you're being penalised for not creating your account years ago and training up to the 5M SP Alpha cap.

Now I understand this is the intention of the game, so I'm not really sure what my conclusion is here but it sure is frustrating!

Unless you have the patience of a saint, or a lot of free time (like me), I can't recommend this game.

The game is really great, but progressing is hard. The game also doesn't hold your hand AT ALL.
'end game' from what I can tell is:
Level up farming
Make good food
... Thats about it. 30~ hours and I can't get past level 12 danger dungeons.

I wanted to like it, as I'm a huge fan of POE1 but it's not even remotely the same game. The 'souls-like' tag they originally pushed had me concerned as someone who doesn't play Souls games (and isn't very good at them).

They've heavily leaned in to this idea. I made it to about the end of act two (in ~7 hrs.). Combat consists of DODGE, attack DODGE DODGE repeat. Mobs hit absurdly hard, even common white mobs and the bosses are a challenge. Mechanically they're not too difficult but the curve comes from the fact there is borderline no gear drops, and player power is heavily restricted.

POE1 used to be the game I'd pick up and run a couple maps and be brain dead while listening to an Audiobook or watching a TV show. In this state, POE2 will never be that game and that's ok but it's not for me.

RIP

Unfinished game, goes on sale a month or two after release. What a joke

Great game, but the fact it takes them 2+ weeks to fix a massive login issue that prevents a portion of the player base from logging in to the game for those two weeks ruins it.

Terrible customer service as well :)