I tried to get into PoE1 with my brother and it was nothing but a boring slog of a grind.
PoE2 feels like a fucking game. It’s kinda great. The thin white ice things from that one boss (you’ll recognize it) was like “Wake up, I’m not a harmless damage sponge!” It feels like I’m playing a game, not trying to get to one at the end.
The controller support at least for melee is also great. Especially after Sony decided the PS5 controller’s Bluetooth function should work on PC.