Diablo IV

I loved playing this game. The campaign was gripping and intresting. The world is beautiful and the characters are well voice acted and don't make me want to fall to sleep when they talk. Exploration is fun, the mobs are cool. The cutscenes are so good. The end game and devs messing with the games balancing was irritating though and so despite spending £100 on it at launch, I took my 10 days of gameplay and left my save ti rest. Maybe I'll come back if seasons and expansions are decent and thr devs stop messing with the balancing. Having to change my character around after learning my play style and sorting my gear was such a pain. Still the devs have said they will support this game for years to come. So I am sure I will dive back in with a new class at some point.

I eagerly awaited for the release of this game, hoping for a return to the franchise's glory days. The initial couple of weeks of gameplay were promising, but over the course of more than 80 hours, I witnessed a rollercoaster of experiences. Here are the pros and cons: Positives: The main story is pretty good and kept me engaged. I liked it and it's one of the good things about this game. Combat is both satisfying and immersive, with lots of different abilities for each class. You can customize your character's appearance a lot, which is cool. It's much more extensive compared to the old games. The open world is huge and looks amazing, it maybe the best-looking action RPG to date. Playing with friends on consoles in co-op mode is a blast and easy to do. Negatives: The inventory and stash system is a mess, and it's difficult to keep track of your items. The implementation of the stash, which accesses every player's items even if you don't interact with them, is strange and it's just bad design. The view is too zoomed in, making it hard to see everything clearly, which takes away from the beauty of the game. There aren't enough different types of enemies, and the boss fights aren't as challenging as I hoped. Once you finish the main story, there isn't much to do in the endgame. Having to be online all the time is annoying, especially if your internet isn't reliable. I really hate when they do this in single-player games, this should not be a thing. The shop is overpriced and predatory, it was designed in a way that makes it unclear what players are getting for their money. Additionally, the inability to purchase items from the rewards you get upon completing the battle pass is just plain greedy. The first season of the game was disappointing, and Blizzard has been slow in fixing the bugs and adding in new content. They said they'd fix things by season 2, which seems like too long to wait for simple improvements. It doesn't seem reasonable that a simple adjustment like adding a separate inventory tab for gems would take them months to implement?! Overall, Diablo 4 has its ups and downs. If you're a fan of the series, you'll probably enjoy it, but it's not the groundbreaking game some were hoping for. It seems like they want to turn it into a live service game, which is why it has the always-online requirement. Personally, I'm not a fan of this, and I worry it might hurt the game in the long run.

Before diving into my review, I want to clarify that I'll be focusing on my initial playthrough as a Rogue class, culminating in reaching Level 100. The first 30 hours of my Diablo IV campaign were nothing short of spectacular. What struck me immediately was how enjoyable the experience was; grinding didn't feel like a chore. Surprisingly, the side quests were well-crafted, keeping me engaged throughout the game. As a seasoned Diablo player, I noticed a significant improvement in gameplay. While the core mechanics remained familiar, they felt more fluid, and every spell and ability had a meaningful impact. This enhanced gameplay kept me on my toes, providing challenges from all angles. Playing on the PS5, I was treated to a spectacular visual experience. The game's graphics were not only visually stunning but also delivered stable frame rates, which greatly contributed to my enjoyment. However, it's worth mentioning that I encountered occasional minor issues when connecting to the server, leading to occasional lag, despite having a stable internet connection. In conclusion, my initial playthrough of Diablo IV as a Rogue class, reaching Level 100, was a truly enjoyable experience. The game's well-crafted side quests, improved fluid gameplay, and stunning graphics on the PS5 made for an engaging and immersive adventure. While there were minor server-related hiccups, they didn't detract significantly from the overall experience. Diablo IV has shown that the franchise still has plenty to offer, keeping both veterans and newcomers thoroughly entertained.

The moment I created my character in Diablo IV, I knew I'm in for a ride. The dark and gritty atmosphere it presented was something I really needed in a Diablo game. Graphics were a major selling point for me when I picked this game up. I'm not a huge fan of dungeon-crawling RPGs, but D4 had me invested for hours on end trying to find that perfect build for my Necromancer and Sorcerer. I even attempted a hardcore run, but alas, I barely made it past Lvl. 30. I've only played D2, so all I remember were faint glimmers of demons like Mephisto and Baal. Diablo IV is a really good game, but it's becoming a victim of Blizzard's incessant need for live-service updates. There's going to be major changes every season, but the game will always remain the same. Overall, Diablo IV is a game I'm willing to play casually. If they find a way to make the grind bearable, I'd welcome it back with open arms.

Alright. I've played enough hours to pretty much judge the state of the game. This is pre-season Diablo 4, so my thoughts may change depending on the state of the first season. Keep in mind, whether you agree or disagree, ARPGs live and die by its Seasons. Just take a look at PoE and see why its still up and running to this day. So, let's begin. PROS: 1. D4 has exactly the same combat flow and fluidity of Diablo 3. It's fast paced and visceral. And THAT'S how it should be. It's fun and responsive. And with the right build you can add several hours of fun on your playtime. The aspect system. The aspect system provides a way for you to keep playing a specific build. On other APRGS, when you find a different legendary item, it will change your build to the point it is not playable. But with the aspect system, I can transfer legendary powers from one legendary item to the next. The Tree of Whispers. This is a "bounty" system that you can participate after the campaign. It has far more variety than D3's bounty system. World Bosses. The three current world bosses may be pushovers, but they give a decent amount of rewards to help boost your character up. Hopefully in the upcoming Season, a new world boss will be introduced and he wont be so easy to take down. A far better Paragon system. The Paragon system in D4 is far superior than D3. Every point you earn can be invested on several "boards" you can choose. And these boards can change the way your class performs. Want more Fortify and Overpower? There is a board for that. Want more damage on your 2-handed Bludgeon Weapon? If you got the points, you can . The Butcher. Blizzard did this demon right. He was a joke in D3, but here, he is entirely in a whole different level. If he ambushes you at a time you are unprepared or under-leveled, he will destroy you. This puts a certain fear or anxiety whenever you are deep within a dungeon with no easy means to escape. CONS: Hardcore is litteraly unplayable. No, I am not whining that I died 4 times in HC. I just think that its lame that out of the 4 characters I lost in HC, 3 of them died due to disconnect issues. So, if you have any plans in playing HC in D4, I suggest you wait till the servers are stable. The Renown system. Honestly, screw this pile of trash. This wouldn't be included in my CONS list if it carries on to a new character. Bu no. it doesn't. Spent hours collecting all the Lilith statues and finishing the renown rewards for the 4 paragon points? Great job. Wanna make a new character? Sure, but you gotta do that ALL OVER AGAIN! F that noise! The EXP crawl grind. Now, I do not mind exp past level 70 to be slow. In fact I expected it to be like that. However, there isn't anything fun to do end game to gather vast experience. Nightmare dungeons? LAME. Tree of Whispers? After the second or third cycle, you'll be gouging your eyes out on the sheer repetitiveness. Dungeon farming? Unless Blizzard adds a reset dungeon button, its gonna be soul-crushingly slow. Uninteresting bounties. Now hold on. You might think that this contradicts point number 3 in my PROS list. Well, not really. I did say it has more variety than D3, however, I didn't say it was fun. It's both monotonous and boring. So, in conclusion, D4 is still a really good game. Its got a solid campaign, an easy way to build your character, and lots of variety to get exp and rewards. Its got some lows in it such as monotonous boring content grinding, but this is to be expected in APRGs. I guess I was a fool to expect such a change from Blizzard. Oh well. If you are a fan of ARPGs, get yourself D4.