HOW GOOD IS LAST EPOCH?? - Last Epoch

Summary

Karion shares his thoughts on the recently released Last Epoch, an action RPG game that strikes a balance between Path of Exile's complexity and Diablo's accessibility. He praises Last Epoch for its carefully designed mechanics, finely-tuned character progression, and class diversity, offering both depth for dedicated players and approachability for casual ones. While acknowledging some outliers like the Ward mechanic needing adjustments and a relatively lighter endgame, Karion highly recommends Last Epoch (rating 8.5/10) for its exceptional build customization and unique class experiences, particularly for players seeking to craft their own builds.

Takeaways

• 😃 Last Epoch is a very good action RPG game that strikes a balance between complexity and accessibility.
• 🔑 It combines the intricate character building and fine-tuned mechanics of Path of Exile with the pick-up-and-play nature of Diablo.
• 🧠 The classes have deep complexity, but the damage and defense scaling is carefully controlled, allowing for builds that deviate from the meta without being severely underpowered.
• 🌟 The game delivers on key aspects like class identity, respec flexibility, and tackling content without feeling overwhelmed.
• ⚠️ Some outliers exist, like the Ward mechanic, which can grant excessive temporary health without proper capping.
• 🎯 While the endgame content is currently limited, the monolith system appropriately rewards playing at higher difficulties.
• 📝 Boss mechanics and telegraphing need some refinement, especially in preparation for planned pinnacle bosses.
• 🌐 The offline mode is well-implemented, allowing seamless play across devices via Steam.
• 💰 Despite server issues at launch due to unexpectedly high player numbers, the developers have delivered a solid experience.
• 👍 Overall, Last Epoch is highly recommended, especially for those who enjoy creating their own builds and exploring new class identities.

Q & A

What is Last Epoch?

Last Epoch is an action role-playing game (ARPG) that falls somewhere between Path of Exile and Diablo in terms of gameplay complexity and accessibility.

How does the author describe the complexity of Last Epoch compared to Path of Exile and Diablo?

The author states that Last Epoch has a high level of complexity similar to Path of Exile, with carefully designed mechanics and finely-tuned character details. However, it also shares Diablo's approachability, allowing players to pick up and play at their own pace.

What does the author think about the class design in Last Epoch?

According to the author, each class in Last Epoch plays very differently, even within the same subclass, offering a diverse range of playstyles. However, some classes are better than others.

How does Last Epoch handle character scaling and balance?

Last Epoch strikes a balance between Path of Exile's tightly tuned defenses and Diablo's more relaxed character scaling. It avoids extreme multipliers for offense and defense, allowing players to experiment with different builds without feeling too underpowered.

What does the author think about the Ward mechanic in Last Epoch?

The author believes that the Ward mechanic (temporary HP) is well-designed, but it should have a cap based on a percentage of the character's health, as some abilities can grant excessive amounts of Ward, making characters overpowered.

How does the author evaluate the endgame content in Last Epoch?

The author acknowledges that while the endgame content in Last Epoch is not as extensive as some players might expect, the Monolith system provides an appropriate challenge and rewards for playing at higher difficulties.

What concerns does the author have regarding the bosses in Last Epoch?

The author's main concern is with the timing and telegraphing of boss abilities, as some bosses can hit players before the animation plays, which can be problematic for high-difficulty bosses that can potentially one-shot characters.

How does the author feel about the trade and offline modes in Last Epoch?

The author praises the trade system and the well-implemented offline mode, which allows players to seamlessly transfer their save files between devices using Steam.

What is the author's overall impression of Last Epoch?

The author gives Last Epoch an 8.5 out of 10 rating, describing it as a fantastic game that delivers on what an ARPG should offer, particularly in terms of build diversity and class identity.

Does the author plan to continue playing or streaming Last Epoch?

While the author is currently focused on a Fortnite project, he plans to play and potentially stream Last Epoch during off-times and create a video showcasing his strength-stacked Beastmaster build, which he considers one of the best in the game.