PoE1 had the best story since PsT and it stands as the best RPG story ever (yet to try Disco Elysium which I hear is as good).
But I'm surprised that people can replay it -- for me the endless path dungeons was a tiresome grind of trash mobs. I think that dungeon and religious zeal around balance where players would find their favorite weapon and/or class nerfed with each subsequent patch killed PoE2. Which is real shame because the engine was perfected by the end of PoE2. That and so much of the PoE ruleset is based on a critique of the D&D ruleset I never agreed with. Still, a fantastic game for two playthroughs.
And the story of PoE2 wasn't nearly as strong and the attempts to improve it actually made it worse -- at one point one of the super secretive gods decides to set up fireside chats where they reveal all of gods the closely guarded secrets. Which really departed from / ruined the idea that gods were conspiring to keep the truth from the world.
Like others I really like 5th ed even if prefer 2nd to any other. Most people focus on how some of best the elements of 2 and 3.5 were brought back but I also see some welcome aspects of (much maligned) 1st edition. Namely, the rule of cool is the one rule that matters. In first edition you just kinda explained if what you wanted to do and if sounded plausible or creative enough the DM would rule that it worked.
Enjoying @blindhamster 's reviews of Solasta but those graphics are still keeping me away. Wish they had gone the PoE route just using hand painted art in place of close ups of uncanny 3D models.
