Diablo 4 had the best launch of any live-service game I’ve ever seen. That’s not to say it was perfect; there were some issues with server stability, and questionable design choices linger. Nevertheless, I have spent a lot of time in Sanctuary over the past week. I’ve spent even more time thinking about Diablo 4: what skills should I focus on to improve my character? Is it better to use a different specialization? How much choice is the Paragon board actually giving me?
These questions linger now that I’ve played enough of the game to give fully fleshed-out thoughts rather than initial impressions. Yet, that’s the issue when talking about a live-service game: it will change regularly. The Diablo 3 people fell in love with after the Reaper of Souls expansion was nothing like the Diablo 3 that I played at launch. Likewise, I expect the same to happen here; Blizzard already acknowledged that they’re working on not one but two expansions already!
Some of the issues we have with the current state of Diablo 4 may be remedied shortly. Yet, most of the game’s problems come after we’ve spent 50 hours playing the game. I want to be clear, too. This isn’t one of those circumstances where the game gets good once you’ve crossed the ten-hour mark. I’ve had a blast from the beginning, even with characters that aren’t as enjoyable to level as others.
And while, yes, the ARPG genre is one where it’s designed to have its players spend hundreds of hours playing the game. In the case of Diablo 4, things feel set up to where you can get your money’s worth from the campaign alone and pop in regularly. That’s the sweet spot for the game and one that feels obvious, considering who Blizzard is targeting with their design choices.
Diablo 4 Is a Game That Caters to the Masses, Not the 1%
It’s hard to believe, but the vast majority of people that are playing Diablo 4 haven’t beaten the campaign. There are several reasons for this, actually. The first and most common is that people don’t have enough time. Regardless of what you see online, everyone is not already at max level. The second reason? It’s way too much fun distracting yourself in Sanctuary with various side quests, world events, and objectives.
While there were concerns about making Diable an open-world game, those concerns were lifted immediately. It’s an absolute blast to venture off the beaten path and follow the breadcrumbs and markers that appear on your map. Venturing through dungeons and cellars (a one-room dungeon) is always a good time. Doubly enjoyable at the game’s strongholds, which serve as a kind of scenario-based dungeon in the open world. Once you complete them, you unlock new content specific to that region.
There’s also renown to level up, which is done by discovering the Altars of Lilith in the world (these also increase the power of your characters), completing dungeons, and finding new areas on the map. It’s worth doing once, even if it’s not the most exciting content in the world, as a change of pace, encouraging the player to explore the world. However, the notion of having to do this every season is depressing. Blizzard has remained quiet on this matter; here’s to hoping they come to their senses.
Surprisingly, side quests are a highlight of optional content due to how well they pair with the main story. Honestly, though, I wonder if I’d enjoy them as much as I did if the campaign’s storyline wasn’t as enjoyable as it is.
Lilith Is the Villain We Deserve
After a rocky development, Blizzard officially announced Diablo 4 in 2019 with the “By Three They Come” cinematic. It made one thing abundantly clear from the start: this would be a darker, bloodier experience than Diablo 3. We first saw the game’s antagonist Lilith, featuring her majestic entrance. However, we don’t experience that grand entrance as we play through the game. Instead, we see glimpses of Lilith through flashbacks. We learn about her plot and its potential impact on the world of Sanctuary through dialogue and exposition. The same is true of Inarius, a former archangel who had a hand in creating Sanctuary and a former lover of Lilith.
These are the major lore characters we encounter in Diablo 4. Blizzard opts for a more subtle approach instead of beating us over the head with them. We spend far more time with characters that live in Sanctuary. As a result, the story feels more intimate and nuanced. Diablo 3 felt like a big-budget blockbuster that goes nowhere. Diablo 4’s writing won’t win any awards, but its climactic moments, particularly that beautiful eight-minute cutscene near the end of the campaign, hit harder because of this.
This narrative choice to focus more on the characters in Sanctuary rather than the larger-than-life lore characters helps make side quests feel special. It’s an additional look into what motivates and drives the important players in the story.
The Classes of Diablo 4, for the Most Part, All Feel Pretty Great
Now, most people aren’t going to care about the story. They’re here to become an unstoppable god and mow-down hordes of enemies at will. I’m happy to report that you can accomplish that in Diablo 4, even at an early level. What’s even more enjoyable is that you don’t have to follow meta-builds or tier lists to do so.
Blizzard is still in the figuring-out phase of balance and tuning; certain classes have received very warranted nerfs, while other classes are still awaiting buffs. Don’t let that convince you that you won’t be able to clear content if you’re on an “underperforming” class or build. All five classes have a distinct style of play that’s enjoyable. Some are a little rougher in various areas of the game. There’s going to be something for everyone’s preferred style of gameplay.
I’ve Been Staying Up Late Thinking of Ways To Improve My Character and Build
Possibly my favorite thing about Diablo 4 is the questions the game asks about building your character. Everything about your character, from the gear to the skill trees and Paragon points, is one big puzzle with multiple solutions. Does it have the number of answers the upper echelon of players would like? No, but that arguably makes it more challenging to balance the game. One legitimate issue, however, comes with those Paragon points.
In a nutshell, these are different ways to improve your character after obtaining the maximum skill points at level 50. They’re used further to enhance your character’s effectiveness at high-level content, but they’re not the most exciting things in the world to obtain. More often than not, you’re just increasing the numbers on your character sheet. While high-level characters can obtain Aspects (different enchant style modifiers to your gear), it still feels slightly lacking compared to the enjoyment you get from working through your skill tree and picking talents and abilities.
It was so much fun to mess around with skill points and try something new, whether I heard a friend mess around with something or I saw people talking about a “broken” build. At higher levels, though, this becomes far more difficult. The amount of time and resources needed to not just re-roll your skills, Paragon points, aspects, and enchants, but also ensure you obtain the right ones, is just too high.
Let’s Talk About the Cash Shop
Yes, Diablo 4 has a cash shop. Yes, it is exclusively cosmetic items that don’t affect gameplay. While this makes it an easier pill to swallow, it’s still disappointing to see the price of some of these items. There’s also the issue of the upcoming Battle Pass, which we don’t know much about.
It’s frustrating to see this in the game, but on the bright side, it’s far more bearable than everything offered in Diablo Immortal. While it doesn’t detract from my personal experience, it’s still an upsetting indication of a trend in live-service gaming. There will always be ways to attempt to get players to spend more money beyond the price of admission.
Diablo 4’s Gameplay Loop and Grind Is a Blast but Has Its Fair Share of Issues
The best compliment I can give Diablo 4 in its current state is that the more complex and deeper you go, the more issues arise. I’ve touched on some of them: do we have to re-do our renown grind every season? Why is it so difficult to re-roll builds and gear on higher-level characters? Why does improving my high-level character feel like I’m just adding numbers to my stat sheet? It honestly feels like nitpicking, but these are all valid questions and ones I hope Blizzard addresses. However, these are all questions that most players aren’t going to be asking, nor are they ones that will deter me from playing the game regularly.
Blizzard needed this game to succeed, and it absolutely does. It’s not a perfect experience. Most hardcore enthusiasts of the ARPG genre won’t be pleased with its current state, either. Additionally, some questionable quality-of-life decisions make you scratch your head. Still, despite all of this, Diablo 4 is an absolute blast. It may not be the best game of the year, but it will likely be the game I spend the most time playing this year.
