One thing that has not been mentioned for the benefit of folks who have not bought the game yet is Engagement. It is similar to D&D 3 and up where you got attacks of opportunity on opponents who tried to move past you in melee. In PoE, you can Engage one opponent by default, and more with talents. When you Engage them, the two of you are basically stuck in with each other, and they cannot move away without taking an immediate free attack from you that comes with a huge bonus. Naturally it works both ways, and the monsters will engage you as well.
Here is an example. The Wicht in the middle of the screen has engaged Fenrir, my Ranger's wolf companion. The red line that arcs from her to him shows that she has engaged him. Likewise, Fenrir has engaged her as well, so he has a green arc going to her. Finally, to the right of the Wicht is the party fighter Eder, who has also engaged the Wicht. (green is always for good guys, red for the enemy)
I kind of like it. It ensures that enemies "get stuck in" with your front line fighters, and keeps them from just running past them and attacking your squishy mages in the rear.
That is what is going on in this pic. The front liners on both sides are engaged with each other in the center, while the squishies in the rear are flinging spells and arrows. So tactics and thinking really works, it isn't just a bunch of characters rushing around pell mell hacking everything that moves.
Granted, it is not so fun when the front line has to step to either side when the mage uses an area spell that would otherwise fry them as well - like Rolling Flame - and the baddies get at the squishy mage before the front line can get back in place. Then the mage is stuck in melee with an enemy slugger. But it should cut both ways, and it makes the game interesting.
This post has been edited by SubRosa: Sep 3 2015, 06:44 PM