If you played the first part, then of course it is worth it. The developers definitely deserve support! I really liked the first part. Of course, I am now happily playing the second one. The potential is huge. One of the best games. Knowing these guys, you can expect a lot of improvements and content.
You don't have to play in hardcore mode. That's for the hardcore fans.
I really wanted to play a game of this genre. I also play on Playstation and there is not so much variety. I tried the normal Path of Exile and played it for a couple of days, maybe I was overwhelmed by the gigantic skill tree they had.
Keep in mind that the performance won't be the highest. It will be better on a good computer. On PlayStation you'll have to play in performance mode with low settings. But personally I still like it on the console. I even liked the controls better on the joystick.