Close Menu
Diablo 4 review roundup: A soulful return - - News | diablo 4 review | GamesHorizon

Diablo 4 review roundup: A soulful return

Tanay SharmaBy Updated:9 Mins Read Reviews

Through the years, Diablo established itself as one of the best ARPGs in the modern gaming world. Though Diablo 3 had a bumpy ride that may have divided the community a little, its sequel’s reveal showed a lot of promise. We’ve been anticipating its release for quite some time now, and now that the reviews are out, let’s see how the title fared in the hands of seasoned gamers.

Diablo 4 takes you through Sanctuary’s ruined nation as it enters a new dark period. The universe is in danger of being consumed by Lilith, the evil influence of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, who has been freed from exile. Only you and your fellow explorers are in a position to stop Lilith from destroying Sanctuary.

On June 6, Diablo 4 will be playable via PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

“A stunning sequel with near perfect endgame”: IGN

IGN highlights Diablo 4’s familiar mechanics that bring few innovative ideas yet manage to bring out the best in the series. Based on their playthrough, if you were hoping Diablo 4 would revolutionize the ARPG industry with significant changes to the genre, you’re probably going to be let down in that particular area.

Blizzard seemed satisfied to play it safe by introducing clever but expected modifications to the model, such as more customizable skill trees and more varied playstyles across its recognizable character classes. In the eleven years since Diablo 3, this franchise has a lot of catching up to do. Whether it’s stealing combat ideas from Path of Exile or online gameplay from Lost Ark, Diablo 4 doesn’t actually do anything entirely new.

Regardless of the narrative, Diablo 4 looks and sounds terrific. Sanctuary rarely disappoints in terms of visual beauty, thanks to the infrequent but stunning CGI cutscenes. Also quite impressive are the more frequent in-engine cutscenes that take place in between key plot missions, the intricate and obscenely damaged surroundings found in dungeons, and the planet itself.

The class mechanics that become available at different stages during the campaign play a part in making each option feel distinctive. For instance, the Sorceress has access to the enchantment system in Act I, allowing you to enhance the functionality of a few of their spells by enchantment.

The pathways you might choose to take a character down can also be significantly influenced by gear. For instance, after finishing a task for a psychotic tree, you can receive a magical pair of trousers that heals you gradually when you are close to foes, necessitating a change in your build from one that emphasizes long-range combat to one that emphasizes close combat.

But the best thing about Diablo 4’s endgame triumphs is that they’re all based on a live-service framework that will let the world, meta, and activities change over time. It remains to be seen whether or if that model will be regularly updated with content to maintain user interest. But even without it, the default ending experience is compelling enough on its own.

“Diablo IV confidently delivers gameplay that has been carried forward and refined from both Diablo II and III”: GameSpot

GameSpot’s experience with the game fairly shows how impressed they are with almost everything the title has been capable of. According to them, although the single-player campaigns in Diablo games have always had a narrative, you’d be forgiven for assuming that the game’s main focus—dungeon crawling—is just contextualized by those earlier plots.

Each unique locale is displayed in stunning visual detail, and Diablo 4 has a delightfully macabre aesthetic that is appropriate for its brutal plot. The use of discreet color pops to draw attention to spots of hope and kinship that contrast with the overall painting of dread and fear in the landscape does not attempt to address some of the concerns mentioned in Diablo 3 overly.

Diablo 4’s inexpensive cost to respec and endless chances to do so promote experimentation. Contrary to Diablo 2’s more severe method, you can totally modify your build at any time for a modest in-game gold charge. You can approach your skill tree with a different idea, or simply make some minor modifications to prepare for a challenging fight.

At this point, Diablo 4 cannot but be compared to earlier entries in the franchise. However, it is a game that has been developed with a keen understanding of what made each one either beloved or despised. 

“If you love ARPGs and enjoyed the combat of Diablo 3 and the atmosphere of Diablo 2, I think you’re going to love this game”: Ars Technica

Ars Technica’s initial skepticism starts to wear off as they play through the game and go on to adore many parts of it. Based on their experience, maybe the most annoying change Diablo 3 made to the franchise was the transition to a friendlier, brighter appearance. Of all, the game was still about massacring demons, but it borrowed at least one too many World of Warcraft visual cues.

The horror is back in Diablo 4. It’s grim, bloody, and terrible in both presentation and tone. It’s evil in the most ideal sense. Its color schemes are subdued, primarily brown and red, but that’s okay in this case because it complements the scene. The scenery and art design in Diablo 4 is, without a doubt, a success.

Because Diablo 4 is an open-world game with a loosely linear plot, you can choose to focus on different main quests and side quests at your leisure. The main story will eventually lead you through the game’s five zones, though you can always enter one of the 120 dungeons or take part in other side activities. The landscape is enormous, and it is an “open world,” but it’s open in the sense that “you can seamlessly traverse the entire map” (sometimes through tunnels) rather than “you can climb any mountain you see.” After all, this is still a Diablo game. About two-thirds of the way through the campaign, you are given a horse to aid your movement.

The skill trees that were abandoned in Diablo 3 in favor of a relatively respec-friendly ability-and-rune system have been brought back in Diablo 4. The return of skill trees makes me happy, and putting together a great build with lots of related synergies is quite simple. Nevertheless, the skill tree is actually a collection of “skill twigs,” as mockingly referred to by fans. Each active skill essentially has an upgraded node and then an option between two other upgrades. I’m done now. In some ways, Diablo 4’s system for skill improvements is even more limited than the one in the first game.

diablo-4-combat-screenshot

Combat is top-notch, as one would expect, with strong sound effects enhancing the entertaining, dazzling skills to create an enthralling cacophony of mayhem. It has never felt better to click on creatures till they are defeated. A dodge button provided to each class furthers the deliberateness of the fight, which feels a little slower and less superheroic than it did in Diablo 3. Instead of merely face-tanking damage while you mindlessly pound against a foe, you’re supposed to bob and weave around enemies. Sometimes, especially if you’re using a controller, it almost feels more like an action game.

Compared to the launch edition of Diablo 3, the loot in Diablo 4 is significantly better. In Diablo 4, legendary goods are fairly frequent, but perhaps not in the way you might expect. As you increase your “world tier” (basically, the difficulty level), your chances for rarer uniques and “sacred” versions increase. However, the game’s 120 custom dungeons are another source.

“A mechanically perfect romp through a shallow world”: Engadget

Engadget writes in praise of the game while also pointing out some aspects that might serve as a downside to many players. Such as the possibility of annoying microtransactions in the future. 

According to them, while world bosses and camps are more enjoyable to defeat, they are significantly less common than the rest of the game’s content. The post-campaign increases the number of activities available, such as in helltides and nightmare dungeons, but does not introduce any materially new activities. Occasionally, though, you’ll come across some intriguing lore, a clever bit of environmental storytelling, or a named enemy who will drop an item with a special flavor text.

Diablo 4 is filled with examples of how the people who devoted years of their lives to creating it shared the same goals. Just consider the design of the characters. Obviously, the goal was to give players the freedom to create characters that resemble their ideal versions of a druid, barbarian, sorcerer, rogue, or necromancer. Each class in Diablo IV can be visually customized to an almost absurd degree. In addition to all of the goods, you can change your character’s skin tone, eye color, tattoos, haircuts, and other traits.

One final point they make is that they played Diablo 4 without any of the microtransactions the finished game will have. If you haven’t been keeping up with that aspect of the game’s development, last year, they wrote about Blizzard’s ambitions for Diablo 4’s monetization. In essence, Diablo 4 is a full-priced game with seasonal passes and an in-game store. According to Blizzard, none of the cosmetic items available for purchase in the store or earned by completing the paid season pass track will provide “direct or indirect” gameplay advantages. 

The studio was also careful to point out that while there will be “more diversity of choices, not necessarily better choices,” for character customization, the shop and season pass will do just that. They’re okay with this structure after Diablo Immortal, but they’re aware that a season pass will turn off certain players.

The Good and the Bad: What does the game deliver?

Diablo 4 review roundup: A soulful return - - News | diablo 4 review | GamesHorizon

Positives:

  • An absorbing tale of grief and redemption that is told through a compelling story with a cast of interesting characters
  • Adaptable role-playing systems enable you to experiment with a range of workable builds
  • A huge map filled with stunning locations that are fun to explore
  • The main story’s multi-layered boss battles provide a satisfying challenge.

Negatives:

  • Standard dungeon boss battles are mediocre affairs.
  • During cutscenes, the camera swoops in, exposing visual limitations.
Share.

Tanay is a writer at GamesHorizon. He wears many hats - musician, gamer and interactive storyteller to name a few. He's pursuing a Master's in Behavioural Sciences and holds a Bachelor's in Human Centred Design. You'll often find him taking tough life decisions in unreal worlds. Some of his favourite game studios include Quantic Dream, Rockstar Games and Telltale Games.