We didn't beat Diablo in six hours but we did find out there is
no cow level
It's been a long time since
role-playing game Diablo possessed our computers, and now, after
more than a decade, the Lord of Terror has returned.
Diablo III shines with an aura anointed by game developers
Blizzard, who were also behind popular Warcraft and StarCraft
franchises. And it's obvious they know exactly where the appeal
lies - swarms of almost ceaseless enemies, trigger-happy combat,
huge explosions and beautifully rendered graphics and
cutscenes.
Set 20 years after the end of the last Diablo II: Lord Of
Destruction expansion, Diablo III tasks your chosen hero to stave
the arrival of evil to the world of Sanctuary. The game now offers
five classes of heroes to choose from: The Demon Hunter, the Monk,
the Witch Doctor, the Wizard and the returning Barbarian, each of
them with their own unique play-styles and skill sets.
Levelling up your character is easier than before thanks to the new
easy-to-use skill system, and that's not all - attacking is also
easier as you only need to hold down your mouse button to keep
fighting. On the whole, gameplay feels smooth and streamlined and
even novices can get into the game quickly.
Throw in the new graphic engine for a more detailed and creepier
ambience where enemies come from all around and you can see where
the polish for Diablo III lies.
And while I can see how the Koreans managed to beat Diablo in six
hours, I prefer to savour each kill.
However, for all the bells and whistles, there's a sense that
you've seen this all before. Even with the streamlining and
improvements, Diablo III feels like a rehash of previous
versions.
Furthermore, characters (both good and evil) and locales from
previous games make their return, but it never really feels like an
amazing moment when you see old friends and familiar places again -
at points you'll even wonder why you're not seeing something
new.
But the true weakness of the game is its writing - we're served
with bland dialogue and the unimaginative return of old foes. If
you're here for an epic story of good versus evil, or a
groundbreaking saga, Diablo won't be what you're looking for.
And another thing: Diablo III requires a continuous Internet
connection even in single-player mode, so those who have
intermittent Internet issues should take note. Some players are
also reporting server connectivity issues. However, I did not
encounter any during my playtime.
Despite the bad, like the other Diablo games gameplay has always
been about the hack-and-slash; and Blizzard did well not to fix
anything that wasn't broken.
Besides, when you're on multiplayer mode fighting alongside
friends, you'll be having too much fun to notice the flaws.
If you've played Diablo or Diablo II before, Diablo III is more of
the same - a very familiar addiction.
Even without game-changing upgrades, you'd still be thinking "10
minutes more" while hacking demons and, suddenly it's another hour
or more. This is not something many games can boast of.
And for the fans: There is no cow level. Moo-ve along.
Rating: 4/5
