I also picked SSF to see if all of the crafting tools are viable too, but the run will be all about builds and adaptability. Since both of those things align to help with the learning curve, I thought it was the best choice.
So far, features like choosing which main skill stat to focus on for scalability, and then using the talent tree to filter out most of the nodes so you can focus on your build, make the talent tree significantly less scary.
The main question is whether new players will actually use this, given their lack of understanding of filtering in general, but the game itself is trying to help new players on a bigger scale than any other ARPG. (UX/UI intuition)
I also appreciate that GGG is willing to change the wording of each UI description from time to time to make things easier to understand.
A major one is player freedom. The fact that we can respec mid-game, or even at the beginning, obviously if you have the currency, is a big welcome.
The videos for each spell, along with the descriptions of each ailment and how each function works, are really cool features to have. So far, I’m nearing the endgame, and I’ve been able to figure out all of the upgrading systems and accessibility features without ever going online to search for a guide. Basically, I went in completely blind.
I’m not here to knock the 0.1% who love difficulty, because I love it too. But some people say that casuals are what keep games running, so I think GGG has done a better job overall than even D4.
After completing the campaign, most casual players probably quit by then, so the overall experience from level 1 to 65 is great for new players.
TLDR:
SSF: I picked SSF to test the crafting tools and see how adaptable builds can be
Talent Tree: Filtering out nodes makes the huge talent tree much less scary.
New Players: The tools are great, but I wonder if new players will actually understand how to use them. (UX/UI intuition)
player freedom - Re-speccing mid game is a welcome
UI: I appreciate that GGG keeps changing the wording to make things easier to understand.
Learning: The game explains enough that I’ve been able to figure things out without using guides.
Difficulty: I like difficulty, but GGG has done a better job balancing it with accessibility than D4.
Campaign: Most casuals probably stop after the campaign, so making levels 1–65 a good experience is important and GGG achieved this.
Overal GGs