Blizzard’s latest instalment in the long-running dungeon crawling, loot collecting and demon-slaying action-adventure series is finally here. After it being over a decade since the release of the last mainline game of the series (We don’t talk about Diablo Immortal *shivers*), Diablo IV is a new highpoint for the franchise.
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By taking all the improvements made in Diablo III from continuous content updates and gameplay tweaks, on launch, Diablo IV is the complete package. For those seeking grindy loot-based combat with expansive and fine-tuned build options across each class Diablo IV has you covered.
Do you want an intense and grounded story (filled with gory cutscenes), that delves deep into the lore of the world setting of Sanctuary? Well Diablo IV checks all the boxes for new and returning players alike.
While my time in the world of Sanctuary has been brief (around 10-15 hours at the time of writing), the experience has been a positive one, both while playing the game solo or adventuring through hell on earth with friends.
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With that being said there are some very positive aspects of Diablo IV and some not-so-great ones, but hopefully, Blizzard’s shortcomings will be overtaken by the solid base that Diablo IV already has. But as they see the road to hell is always paved with good intentions.
Diablo IV- The Highway to Hell
Diablo IV is set 50 years after Diablo III: Reaper of Souls building upon the conclusion of that game as the world of Sanctuary was left in a bit of a state.
Diablo IV in part focuses on the main plot threads that are left unresolved at the end of Diablo III mainly the fate of the Prime Evils, the powerful demonic beings, who wish to take over the world of Sanctuary and the destiny of the young promising Lorath the Haradrim, a key character introduced in the previous game.
Within Diablo IV the Prime Evils have impacted the world greatly resulting in the grim and terrifying atmosphere we find in the game. On top of that the people of Sanctuary have suffered massively from the actions of the Reapers and the ongoing demonic threat, leaving many NPCs as terrified shells of themselves or devout followers of The Cathedral of Light.
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According to a press release from Blizard about Diablo IV’s story:
“The state of Sanctuary and the open world aspects were influenced by the presence of these powerful entities. The world became a bleak and dangerous place, with countless religious sites destroyed, and humanity struggling to rebuild and survive amidst the chaos.”
Although there are areas of safety (there are in-game Hubs for trading and storing items), the rest of Sanctuary is a grim desolate landscape filled with hordes of the undead and other horrible creatures. The variety of dungeons, as well as a loads of side quests that are offered to the player, also serve to flesh out the world and allow more of an insight into the common folks as well as the overarching “world-ending plot”.
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The decision to focus on more of an “intimate plot” is an intentional one with Creative Director Sebastian Stepien explaining that the goal was to create a more “grounded” plot than Diablo III. As said in order to achieve this, the story revolves around the normal folk of Sanctuary rather than “politics, kings, or another high-fantasy theme.”
However, with the return of Lilith the co-creator of Sanctuary, the daughter of Mephisto, Lord of Hatred, and the Queen of the Succubi, Sanctuary is a bit messed up. The player takes on the role of “the Wanderer” who after a ritual gone wrong is connected to Lilith in some way. With this, they are given the task to save sanctuary from her return and bringing a unique form of “salvation” to humanity (which involves lots of flaying and organs ending up outside the body).
Diablo IV- Rip and Tear Gameplay
The Gameplay is what you would expect for Diablo IV revolving around gradually obtaining stronger equipment by slaying increasingly difficult enemies by exploring and looting various procedurally generated dungeons and ruins. Weapons and gear, as always with games like this, have increasing rarity which is a general indicator of their power.
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The big draw of the game in my opinion comes from the class customisation that is available. I decided to go for a Barbarian as my starting class, which is fun as hell hacking and slashing down enemies with a number of one and two-handed weapons, that the player can have equipped all at once. There is no bigger thrill than drawing aggression for the rest of your party (or charging head-first into battle while playing solo), while swinging in a flurry of blows cleaving enemies to pieces as a hulking barbarian.
Each class has their own unique twist, whether it’s buffing your ranks of undead minions as a necromancer or slinging spells and augmenting your abilities as a sorcerer. These big differences go a long way to allow a distinct playthrough to take place every time you choose a different class.
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The Gear you get from the above-mentioned looting and slaying can be further customised with help from the local blacksmith and runes/runewords that can give weapons special enhancements. The random gear you get can also lead to a pivot in playstyle with unique abilities assigned top random gear. Changing your current class abilities is also a breeze with you able to use a chunk of gold to undo all your skill point upgrades so you can use them to pursue different routes in the class skill tree.
Diablo IV- The Long Road to (Possible) Ruin, with Microtransactions
Now although I’ve said a lot of positive things about Diablo IV there is one problem it partially shares with its predecessor Diablo III and the black sheep of the family Diablo Immortal, an in-game item shop. Yes, Diablo IV is not free from the oppressive money-grabbing microtransactions that are present in most AAA games in 2023.
However, so far, they seem like a supplemental option rather than an essential part of the game. Although there are some armour sets priced at $30 and horse armour available for between $16-$20, these have been clarified as being cosmetic-only sets meaning they give players no advantage in-game or mechanically.
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Still, players are paying $60, or if you buy the ultimate edition of the game $100, to then be prompted to buy more digital currency or items. While not as shocking as Diablo Immortal’s “free-to-play, spend-to-continue” model it is still worth noting Diablo IV’s storefront is not the only way Blizzard is planning on enticing players to spend money on their favourite IP. A cosmetic battle pass is going to be made available on launch for players, with an option to have an “accelerated” season pass which gives players a fast track of 20 levels also available.
Overall, Diablo IV is a solid a well-executed experience that has hundreds of hours of content as part of the base game. With what I’ve played so far of the story and side quests and the simple but effective gameplay loop combined with the immersive and interesting story brought this newest instalment of this almost 30 year old franchise to be one of the best games of the year so far.
What are your thoughts on Diablo IV? Do you think that it’s the Best in series? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
8/10
Diablo IV was played and reviewed on PC with a code supplied by Blizzard
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