PoE was my first CRPG (keep that in mind I guess, I can't compare to other CRPG). If I had to sum up my impressions I would say that it made me want to play many more. PROS: - I enjoyed the grim setting much more than the generic, forgettable fantasy stuff every game has. - Visuals and music are very nice. - As a turn-based combat hater, real-time with pause combat was a breath of fresh air. - System rules feel much more natural than tabletop oriented ones IMO. - Side quests are mostly interesting (very few of them felt like filler) and you're often left wondering what would've happened if solved it in another way. - Story companions are interesting and varied. - Character building (both leveling and the way you behave) gives you strong incentive to replay the game: right when I finished my first playthrough, I wanted to start over. CONS: - Main quest story, while interesting enough, felt a bit rushed in the end (from act 3). The fact that you can go to DLC anytime is weird considering the feeling of urge the main quest tries to convey. DLC has a great rhythm though. - I picked Hard difficulty (2nd highest), and it felt a bit too easy: very few fights are challenging and force you to use all tools at your disposal. I didn't enchant my gear at all and didn't feel the need for it, and in most fights I would not use my high level spells because I felt I would be wasting them, which led me to barely using them. You are also overleveled for most of the game unless you do no side quests at all (level scaling option does not really help). Bottom of the line : do not start with anything less than Hard. - Some features are annoying, as you end up doing unnecessary travels. Limiting the camping supplies : forces you to go back to town whenever you are out. Attacks on your stronghold : you mercenaries are useless so you have to go back each time. - When picking your class, you have no clew what you'll get. So you need to check 3rd party to plan ahead.
