Diablo 4 review: The road to hell is paved with reinventions

[ad_1]

Blood! Loot! Numbers! Cows! Diabo is a series with a storied legacy, built on strong pillars that have held up the ARPG classic for years now. It’s a name that still holds some well-deserved clout, even if Diablo Immortal (and, to a lesser degree, Diablo 3) soured that reputation in the minds of fans. With Diablo 4 almost here, Activision Blizzard has a chance to get your mind off stolen breastmilk, cancelled PvE modes, union busting and struggling acquisitions with a good ol’ fashioned bloody brawl.

Diablo 4 is a game that, from the get-go, was clearly meant to harken back to the Diablo 2 era: dark and dire, unafraid to throw the grim reality of a demonic invasion around, and keen to splatter heavy religious overtones across your face. Diablo 3, while good, always felt more like a fantastical epic. Diablo 4 nails a return to grisly, Hadean form – but, perhaps fittingly, it is betrayed. Betrayed by puzzling design decisions, betrayed by bugs, betrayed by issues that range from simply aggravating to totally devastating.

With that in mind, let’s start with what Diablo 4 does well. I will not spoil the narrative, but if you played any of the betas you’ll know that both the world of Sanctuary and the characters within it are syrup-rich with personality. Diablo 4 is a metal album, sure; packed with climactic moments and great battles against ghastly foes and dire odds. But it’s also sad. Damn sad. Tragedy flows through Sanctuary as you’d expect in a world where the threat of demonic incursions is a reality to be dealt with. There’s not a spot on the world that seems a decent place to live. Every inch of Diablo 4 is Port Talbot, Wales.

[ad_2]

Source link