Summary
While it may seem strange to those familiar with bothStardew Valley’s cozy farming sim vibes andDiablo 4’s gritty and violet world that may be a middle point where these things can meet, that is exactly whatPath of Exileis trying to do with its latest League.Path of ExileLeagues are essentially the equivalent of new seasons in live-service games, with them entailing new mechanics and loot to entice players to delve into the content and provide some form of milestones to achieve within the League. In this specific case, Grinding Gear Games introduced a lot of new elements in its Settlers of Kalguur League, which is not only an incredible release forPath of Exile, but also ties its story and setting withPath of Exile 2’s.
This is because players are quite literally tasked with building a new town, which is one of the settlements inPath of Exile 2. The contrast is rather apparent, asPath of Exilehas long been considered thespiritual successor toDiablo 2given the latter’s influence, but Settlers of Kalguur asks players to focus their resources on building the town of Kingsmarch while also farming plots of land and finding workers to sail the sea to fulfill shipments to other ports.
Stardew Valley and Diablo Players Shouldn’t Sleep on PoE’s Settlers of Kalguur
Why Path of Exile’s Settlers of Kalguur is The Perfect Blend of Cozy Sim and Action RPG
Stardew Valleyis known for its homey and welcoming world, where players flee the oppressive city and corporation life to instead tend to their newly inherited farm.Path of Exilemay not be as warm and cheerful in its core gameplay loop, which instead may appeal toDiablo 4fans more, considering it’s rooted in its action RPG origins, where loot is sought-after in various forms - from Chaos Orbs to 6-link Uniques. Yet, Settlers of Kalguur is founded on managing resources, the town itself, its workers, their wages, shipping cargo, farming, and more, becoming thecozy life simof ARPGs.
There are many layers to Settlers of Kalguur. Players will have to find workers with varying skill levels to tend to jobs ranging from Smelting to Mining, with Farming offering another great venue for resource generation. Farming is what ties in thecomparisons withStardew Valleythanks to the location in Kingsmarch including a few plots of land where players can decide which crops to farm, which can then be shipped to generate currency. Gold, on the other hand, is used for getting loot, upgrading the town, or paying the workers' wages.
This is another aspect of Path of Exile’s new League that ties into its sequel, asPath of Exile 2 uses Goldas a currency, and now it made its way into PoE for the first time via Settlers of Kalguur.
Settlers of Kalguur Shows Farming Can Take a Whole New Meaning in Path of Exile
What follows is thatPath of Exile’s Settlers of Kalguurcan be played quite differently from usual releases, which typically made their gimmicks centered on the hack-and-slash nature of the game. Instead, Settlers of Kalguur allows for a much slower pace when managing resources, workers, and the town, imposing no time limit on players. There was anotherPoELeague that focused on farming, in a way, and it was aptly called Harvest; however, unlike Settlers of Kalguur, Harvest took the fight to the land players were farming.
As such, now is the perfect time to dive intoPath of ExileforStardew Valleyfans, as the Settlers of Kalguur League has started very recently and is already quite popular amongPoEplayers thanks to its many improvements, like the new Currency Exchange feature. Likewise, Settlers of Kalguur’s theme is opposite that ofDiablo 4’s Season 5, called Infernal Hordes, which is all about a wave-based survival mode with unique boss fights. In this case,Path of Exileoffers the best of both worlds without giving up its identity in the process.
Path of Exile
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile is an online Action RPG designed around a strong online item economy and deep character customisation. It is set in the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast. Scarred by mysterious catastrophes of the past and inhabited by creatures of nightmare, the very environment challenges exiles who dare explore it. You play as the Duelist, Witch, Ranger, Templar, Marauder, Shadow or the Scion class. From forsaken shores through to the city of Oriath, explore Wraeclast and uncover the ancient secrets waiting for you.You are an Exile, struggling to survive on the dark continent of Wraeclast, as you fight to earn power that will allow you to exact your revenge against those who wronged you. Created by hardcore gamers, Path of Exile is an online Action RPG set in a dark fantasy world. With a focus on visceral action combat, powerful items and deep character customization, Path of Exile is completely free and will never be pay-to-win.
