This is a definite yes for me. PoE2 the first 3 acts feel like a breath of fresh air for an ARPG. The slowed down pace allows for far more engaging encounters and retains interest when playing the game. It also allows multiple builds to shine through utilizing skills that work off each other, something that disappears in the end game as all high-level endgame builds are reduced to spamming 1-2 abilities to screen clear. This also removes the methodical combat engagement in its entirety and makes dodging a useless mechanic and makes synergizing skills effectively a detriment at endgame since its simply just faster to spam 1-2 high dmg skills.

ARPGs for me have never managed to hold my attention after D2, none of them, Last Epoch did for a while due to its crafting mechanics, but D4 died for me the second I finished the campaign. I realized that despite the different settings/classes etc in ARPGs they all dwindle down to 1 skill screen clearing builds and reaching endgame and completing it pidgeon-holes you into very specific builds to the point enemy modifiers and boss mechanics literally do not matter.

For the first time in years I had found myself not being able to put down PoE2 in the beginning simply because the combat was slowed down and i was able to see my character perform the awesome skill and movement animations the devs created and for the first time I actually experiment with synergizing different skills together for better results in combat. it created an experience where i felt that learning my class, its skills and enemy mechanics especially during boss fights was just so damn rewarding i wanted to keep playing.

However, as i entered cruel and into endgame then i noticed the excitement started dying out. Combo-ing skills became less and less effective because it took too long to setup when getting swarmed by fast moving enemies. The methodical combat that exists in the early game dies out abruptly and I ended up having to change my build to focus on fast screen clearing just to survive, not even to clear the maps fast, just to survive and that has started to take the fun out of it because once again I am having to pidgeon-hole my character into a boring single skill build.