This is my take on how the game is, where it's been and where it's going as of the recent talks about the end game accessibility, and some random stuff that i wanted to discuss about. There exists a clear distinction between two approaches to Path of Exile as a game. I attribute this mostly to the recent rapid growth of the game around Breach league, but it has always existed. It is seen in genre's title ARPG as 'Action' and 'Role-Playing Game'. If you want to know more, you can check out U4GM.

The popularity of MOBAs, as well as the 'Action' portion of Path of Exile, could be attributed to the ease of access for orthographic games. The mechanical ability of players in games like DOTA2 and League of Legends has come to the point where players expect more mechanical depth from their games than previously. The problem is there is only so much complexity you can add before you lose the majority of your playerbase.

Either because they are mechanically unable to keep up or the realities of online gaming affect their performance. This is the gradient upon which you need to gate content based on difficulty. The problem with Path of Exile is that items obliterate that gradient completely. And that is by both nature and design.

Path of Exile as a RPG is a game about items and knowledge. This is why everything is an item and corner case knowledge abounds. Trying to play Hardcore blind is akin to playing a Rogue-like. The goal is of the player is to acquire wealth. The reason for this goal is other players. This is why Path of Exile is an online only game. Items only hold value when you can hold it over someone else. So U4GM has more cheap PoE Items for trade.

And the only way to be able to do that is to ensure scarcity. An item's value comes from it's rarity, not it's power. Both approaches to the game are valid. There is a reason the genre is called ARPG after all. This is just what happens when those two approaches meet.

Something to consider though, is that 'Action' games quickly realized that twin-stick controls provides a better experience than mouse and keyboard. Hyper Light Drifter, Ruiner, Bastion, etc. There are a lot of 'Hack and Slash' games that provide a more cohesive experience that is more finely tuned to provide an engaging combat loop, without having to worry about randomly gaining access to content. If you'd still prefer to play mouse and keyboard, Torchlight 2 is a good option. The variety of mods ensures that you'll find something that you can enjoy playing.