[GameSpot] - New Path Of Exile Expansion, Ultimatum, Adds A Hardcore Gauntlet Mode

[343iBot]

During the latest developer livestream focusing on Path of Exile, developer Grinding Gear Games showcased the next expansion coming to the online free-to-play action-RPG, known as Ultimatum. In the upcoming update, coming to PC on April 16 (with console launch the week after), a new league event will let you jump into a challenging activity that focuses on wave-based encounters for rare loot.

The Ultimatum expansion centers on the new NPC named the Trialmaster, who comes from the Vaal civilization. Upon meeting him in Act 2, you can engage in a new trial event, which appears sporadically across Path of Exile's maps, that tasks you with facing off against waves of monsters. After specific intervals, you're given a unique reward and the offer to continue fighting. Choosing to take the prize from your completed fights will end the trial, but pressing forward with the trial will lead to tougher battles for better rewards.

During a preview for the latest on Path of Exile, Grinding Gear Games studio head Chris Wilson explained some of the newest content and the other updates coming to existing content. The Trials in the Ultimatum expansion offer some easy rewards initially. Still, if you push yourself too far into the activity, you'll run the risk of losing your haul of rare loot. If you fail to complete the trial, you'll lose all the special rewards acquired from the challenge's various milestones. Trials can last up to 10 different milestones, with each becoming more difficult than the last.

While previous expansions have already featured activities with high risk and high reward gameplay, Ultimatum focuses on quicker encounters that let you jump right into extended fights. While the new league content is open for all players once they reach Act 2, the activity's content offers the best rewards when played at endgame level. Along with new gear, the league also adds in eight new gems for you to add to your gear.

Besides the Ultimatum activity, other league activities have also been reworked to offer new rewards and rebalances. For instance, the dungeon exploration Delve activity, which has you explore a deep cavern with an automated trolly to mine resources, has been reworked to offer more incentive for players of all skill levels to dive in. Along with Delve, content from the Betrayal, Bestiary, and Blight leagues will see rebalances to offer better loot. Furthermore, traders and vendors have also been tuned to have better gear and recipes for players.

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Along with the Ultimatum expansion, Grinding Gear Games also showed off new gameplay for Path of Exile 2, aiming to build off the foundations set by the current game and present a new campaign. While the sequel is still a long way out, Path of Exile 1 will still continue to receive new expansions and events for the foreseeable future.

For more on Path of Exile 2, be sure to check out our impressions of the latest gameplay demo.

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