This will seem like a weird comparison, but functionally it’s the 2 big hitters in the ARPG space. The deeper I get into PoE2 the more dramatic the differences between Diablo 4.

The design concepts are really the big deal here, in the macro and micro space.

• Importantly, Diablo 4 has an overworld that is interspersed with timed events (Helltides), PoE2 doesn’t have anything like that as everything is instanced. Helltides are about the closest thing D4 has to PoE2 in construct, which is wild when you think about it.
• Diablo 4 has its end game activities wrapped up in War Plans, a meta progression that covers all end-game activities
  • Tree of Whispers: Meta achievements for loot boxes
  • Dungeons: A large pool of maps with bosses
  • Lair Bosses: Harder enemies with targeted loot
  • Infernal Hordes: Wave based single arenas
  • Undercity: Time-based dungeons with the ability to target types of loot
  • The Pit: Time-based dungeons meant to progress skill gems
• PoE2 has the end-game wrapped up in maps, which are procedurally generated and have one or more of the following events within:
  • Towers: A massive meta progression tree that modifies all other map conditions for better loot and harder difficulty
  • Breach: An expanding circle of enemy spawns that also gives currency for crafting rings/amulets
  • Rituals: Small arena-based events that give access to crating materials + uniques
  • Delirium: Map-based timed runs that increase difficulty over the run and duplicate bosses
  • Vaal: From the last league, a rogue-like dungeon creator.
  • Abyss: Chained enemy spawns that provide piles of loot and access to a cavern with more loot
  • Expeditions: Use explosives to uncover loot boxes or rune events
  • Exiles: Player-like enemies with loot drops based on their class
  • Summoning Circles: Summon bosses
  • Strongboxes: Kill enemies to open a chest
  • Runes: Wave-based events that provide runes + crafting mats
  • Summons: Unfreeze enemy groups.
  • Wisps: Follow them around and they will eventually upgrade an enemy to a harder version
  • Trials: Small rogue-like events that add difficulty markers during progression. Die and restart if you have the rare currency to do so. (Concepts are sound, but the execution is atrocious. These are worse than Infernal Hordes in nearly every conceivable way.)

Diablo 4 has a mechanic where each specific event cannot overlap with another. It is not possible to have Lair Bosses show up in the Pit, for example. If you want to do an activity, you are only doing that activity. This is why Helltides are my favorite content as the random events add some variety. Dungeons are not fun as they all play near identical – rush to the end and kill the boss. Infernal Hordes are likely the worst as they are time-based and unless the RNG gods are on your side, provide next to no loot.

PoE2 is way different. Every map contains 1 or more of any given event. Sometimes all of them (except trials). The meta progression changes some of the mechanics so that they can overlap in even more interesting ways. I’ve had multiple maps where I had bosses on the map, with a pair of Exiles, tripped a Breach and had an Abyss fight at the same time. There’s something to be said about the pure chaos of having 5+ mechanics all going at the same time, surviving it, and then being showered, absolutely showered, with loot drops. And that’s just a random map! The planned events alter some component of the map for pinnacle bosses (think ultra hard bosses). Rituals are something else, where you progress through 5 maps and the boss of each map follows you to the next one. The last boss fight has you fighting at least 5 versions.

It’s like the difference between going to Dairy Queen and then going to a real Ice Cream bar. DQ gives you a limited set of pretty decent options. Hard to get confused there. An Ice Cream bar has hundreds of permutations and options for you, and no two orders are the same.

The net effect is that every PoE2 map has something different to offer, and that something is going to reward you in some fashion. This design principle for end-game activity is focused on always providing more things to do rather than limiting your choice. The main challenge (and 0.5 does a great job of addressing this) is that having too much is about as appealing as having none. You need some guardrails of sorts to get kick started, learn the systems, and then choose to tailor what you want from it.