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Path of Exile 2 from Grinding Gear Video games lastly launched into Early Entry every week in the past. I all the time deliberate on getting it, however after attending a preview occasion the place I requested recreation director Jonathan Rogers about Steam Deck help, I knew I needed to play it prior to later. I have been taking part in it during the last week on my Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Xbox Collection X.

Whereas I want extra time to succeed in the endgame and check out the opposite lessons for my full early entry article, I wished to cowl how Path of Exile 2 feels on Steam Deck proper now, really useful settings, ROG Ally impressions, and extra. Word that this text will probably be up to date as I play extra throughout characters and get deeper into the sport.

As of this writing, I’ve put in about 20 hours throughout characters and platforms, and this text consists of impressions and screenshots based mostly on patch 0.1.0d. I created a brand new character simply to check out the latest updates and to see how efficiency has improved within the first act right here.

Path of Exile 2 lag points and gateway choice

Path of Exile 2’s automated server (gateway) choice is one thing you have to test proper off the bat. Earlier than entering into the settings, I seen Path of Exile 2 was borderline unplayable with enter lag and delay. I believed it is likely to be a Steam Deck subject, however I additionally had it on Xbox Collection X. I discovered the automated server choice put me into the Texas gateway as an alternative of 1 close to me.

Once you change your gateway, it generally would not truly mirror till you log off and log again in, however be sure you select a Path of Exile 2 location close to you for the absolute best expertise when taking part in solo. You possibly can view the ping when choosing as proven in my picture beneath. In case you’re taking part in on-line with a pal abroad, I like to recommend choosing a server in the course of each gamers. Once I performed with a pal in overseas, I joined their recreation and it was laggy for me whereas that they had a clean and responsive expertise. 

Path of Exile 2 default graphics settings are usually not good

Path of Exile 2 makes use of NIS upscaling by default. This seems to be horrible not solely on handhelds, but additionally on console. Path of Exile 2 additionally disables HDR by default. You possibly can allow this and apply it to Steam Deck OLED. I examined with it enabled and disabled. I turned it off briefly to match efficiency on the ROG Ally at related settings.

Barring these settings, Path of Exile 2 has some helpful choices to tweak the interface like button prompts choices and HUD scale. Path of Exile 2 has choices for Xbox, DualShock 4, DualSense, and even Steam Deck button prompts. This is not stunning for the reason that crew is engaged on the sport for Steam Deck, however it’s good to see in a brand-new launch. I opted to make use of DualSense button prompts on each my handhelds. 

Path of Exile 2 graphics and show choices on PC

On the graphics and show facet, Path of Exile 2 lets you choose renderer (DirectX 12, DirectX 11, and Vulkan), show to make use of, show mode, allow v-sync (on, adaptive, locked), toggle dynamic decision, regulate decision (with 16:10 and 800p help), upscale mode, picture high quality setting for upscale mode, sharpness, HDR, texture high quality, texture filtering, lighting (shadows or shadows + world illumination), shadow high quality, solar shadow high quality, variety of lights, bloom, water element degree, Nvidia Reflex, foreground fps cap, background fps cap, toggle triple buffering, toggle dynamic culling, regulate goal body price, and toggle engine multithreading.

It’s value noting that Vulkan solely enables you to use NIS or FSR upscaling on Steam Deck. If you wish to use XeSS, you have to use the DirectX12 renderer. I used DirectX 12 as a result of I discovered myself flip flopping between FSR and XeSS. In some situations XeSS seemed higher, whereas I most well-liked FSR for sure results. I did not discover any main efficiency distinction throughout each renderers. 

Path of Exile 2 Steam Deck really useful settings thus far

Earlier than entering into the really useful graphics choices, it’s best to go into the interface choices and ensure the HUD Scale is turned up. I set it to most on Steam Deck and ROG Ally for the reason that default choice had the UI components a bit too small. I additionally advocate turning off world chat. This selection is close to the underside of the interface choices.

With that out of the way in which, I’ve two really useful units of choices for Path of Exile 2 on Steam Deck thus far. Do not count on a improbable expertise although. The efficiency in cities will not be good. Path of Exile 2 can drop to the low 20s and even beneath that originally in cities. 

I like to recommend utilizing fullscreen, XeSS or FSR upscaling set to efficiency, v-sync off, sharpness at round 60%, and all different settings set to their lowest except for texture filtering. I used 8x and 16x right here. I additionally used solely shadow lighting moderately than shadow + GI lighting which is the default. The essential settings listed here are engine multithreading, dynamic culling, and dynamic decision. 

If you wish to play with a 30fps goal, you may disable dynamic decision, however it’s best to count on drops beneath 30fps to the excessive 20s when you play with others on-line. I left it enabled when focusing on 40fps, and it might nonetheless drop to the low 30s throughout a number of the bosses indoors when taking part in with buddies. I additionally wish to be aware that the sport had a problem with its 30fps cap a number of days in the past leading to very unhealthy frametimes. As of at the moment, the 30fps cap works properly. You see some unhealthy body occasions if you simply load into a brand new space, nevertheless it settles down. 

So the important thing takeaway from my testing is to go away engine multithreading and dynamic culling enabled after which ensuring to make use of the efficiency upscaling choice for FSR or XeSS. Dynamic decision ought to be enabled, however count on the decision to drop fairly a bit when you play with others who additionally use effect-heavy abilities and spells. The decision drops much more when taking part in on-line. 

As you may inform, it’s a must to flip issues down all the way in which, and even this is not sufficient to ensure a rock strong expertise when you play with others on-line. 

Path of Exile 2 Steam Deck OLED HDR help

If you wish to play with HDR in your Steam Deck OLED, you may solely regulate the scene and UI brightness after enabling it within the show choices. I ended up 

Path of Exile 2 Steam Deck gameplay impressions

I performed a whole lot of Diablo IV on Steam Deck, however hadn’t touched Path of Exile earlier than taking part in Path of Exile 2 instantly. To date, it’s a tremendous expertise as a recreation, nevertheless it wants a whole lot of work earlier than I can advocate it completely for Steam Deck play. Path of Exile 2 is an ideal match for handheld play, and the Steam Deck’s again buttons improve the expertise fairly a bit, however you may wish to maintain off on shopping for early entry simply to play on Steam Deck till we see a number of extra updates and optimization.

Essentially the most stunning factor thus far is how polished many of the recreation feels in terms of visuals, sound design, music, fight really feel, and I additionally love how briskly the crew is addressing main points. Technical points apart, this is a superb recreation thus far and I am unable to wait to play extra. The truth is, I will go and play for a number of hours at the moment after ending this text. 

Path of Exile 2 ROG Ally really useful settings and impressions thus far

Path of Exile 2 on the ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Excessive) with the GPU reminiscence set to 5GB has been a a lot better expertise than Steam Deck. I initially performed at 720p since I wished the perfect efficiency attainable and likewise to see the way it compares to the Steam Deck working the sport with the identical settings. At 720p, it ran above 60fps constantly within the first act after I examined with a pal and by myself working round, doing non-compulsory bosses, and simply basic fight. It additionally went to the 70s and 80s in some much less busy areas. The city nonetheless drops to the 50s although. I can say that VRR positively helps on the ROG Ally with minor drops right here and there.

I then swapped to 1080p with the identical settings and noticed a drop of about 10-15fps on common. This meant the city was within the 40s and the open world nonetheless held its body price properly. I noticed drops to the 50s throughout effect-heavy boss battles with the identical settings. I did not allow dynamic decision on the ROG Ally for my testing, and I additionally performed utilizing the 25W turbo mode unplugged from the wall adapter. I did not check on 30W, however will do for my full early entry article that covers later acts and extra. 

Do you have to purchase Path of Exile 2 early entry on Steam Deck or ROG Ally proper now?

Proper now, Path of Exile 2 is just accessible by way of paid early entry supporter packs. I can not advocate it completely for taking part in on Steam Deck proper now given the way it performs within the early recreation. If you’re taking part in Path of Exile 2 in your predominant PC or console and need a handheld companion to play on the go on and off, there may be nonetheless a really large caveat to taking part in on Steam Deck with how the picture high quality drops to hit even a 30fps or 40fps goal on the lowest settings. In case you’re pleased with that, you’ll be wonderful early on, however consdier ready for a number of updates and Steam Deck-specific optimization. 

When you have an ASUS ROG Ally although, the reply is a bit totally different. Path of Exile 2 runs and appears lots higher throughout the board. I have not had an opportunity to check out later areas but, however based mostly on the 20 hours I’ve performed throughout platforms, it’s ok on the ROG Ally thus far, however not supreme on Steam Deck. As I stated above, I will be revisiting it by way of each replace to see if there’s a noticeable enchancment on each handhelds. 

Path of Exile 2 is presently accessible in Early Entry on PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X|S, and PC (Standalone, Steam, and Epic Video games Retailer).