DIABLO III (X360)
|
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment.
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment. Released: September 2013. Genre: WRPG. Other versions: PC; PS3; PS4. Posted 12th January 2014. By Shane Battams © 2014 |
One of the greatest traits a game can carry is addictiveness. Even if a game isn’t wholly successful, if it keeps you coming back for more and leaves you wanting to play again, then some credit is certainly due. Diablo III, to say the least, is hugely addictive. In fact, it is probably the gaming equivalent of crack cocaine. Much of Diablo III’s appeal lies in the desire to keep playing, hunting down legendary demons to secure that legendary piece of loot. Originally hitting PCs way back in 2011, Blizzard’s action-RPG finally comes to consoles, and much of its appeal remains firmly intact, making it a fun game which you’ll obsess over. It’s also one of the best PC-to-Console ports to date.
Diablo III’s premise isn’t particularly interesting. As with the previous games, it’s all about the attempted invasion of Hell’s forces upon the fictional word of Sanctuary. The story starts with your hero investigating a fallen star at New Tristram, which is consequently raising the dead. Spanning over five distinct acts, the story isn’t hugely interesting, but it’s also accessible to those unfamiliar with the series, which will be almost all players on consoles.
Five classes are available in Diablo III, with two melee-based classes and three long-distance fighters. Barbarians and Monks are your melee-based classes, with differences in strength and dexterity between the two. Wizards and Witch Doctors are more spell-based, with the former utilising the elements while the latter uses voodoo magic. Lastly, The Demon Hunter serves as the rogue, relying on long-distance weapons and using Hatred and Discipline to recharge his abilities. Every class feels different in playing style, as while the melee classes test your dodging reflexes, the more long-ranged classes task you with using defensive powers but dealing damage at the same time.
"What?! One can NEVER have enough loot!"
|
Diablo III lets you be the life of the undead party
|
You can immediately see alterations made to the console port of Diablo III. Now, you can freely move around the map rather than point-and-click, which is a natural change. Another huge change is the addition of the Evade move, executed using the right analog stick. This brings the game closer to a hack ‘n’ slasher, which is fine. Though you start off with a single attack, skills unlocked by levelling up can be assigned to all the face buttons, which feels comfortable. The only negative comes from ranged attacks, and while they aren’t difficult to execute with a controller, picking targets can be quite tricky without a mouse and keyboard. Runes can also be applied to skills, which add specific benefits to said skills. Unlike Diablo II, you can constantly change these as you please. Though it removes some of the challenge from the permanent nature of applying skills, it adds a ton of flexibility to battle, as you swap out runes and skills to fit all the various types of foes.
Diablo III is incredibly addictive, mostly due to the prospect of loot. It’s all about the desire to hunt down tougher foes, with the potential of gaining better equipment. Tougher foes, including bosses, can take a lot of damage, and killing them while gaining better loot is incredibly satisfying. Extra side missions reward more XP and hidden dungeons can yield side missions and special loot, encouraging map exploration. And because equipment visually changes your character, you can see your warrior evolve as you progress. Loot has been tweaked for the console port of Diablo III as well. There is less drop to avoid screen clutter, but to compensate for this and the lack of the Auction House, loot drops are a better on console than on PC. You can also quickly equip items using the D-Pad, a nice feature which quickens the pace. On top of that, eight difficulty levels have been added, and the five Master difficulties increase XP and loot gain.
Blizzard have ensured console gamers get a definitive version of Diablo III, with updates, patches and tweaks, such as the Paragon Levelling system which extends the game another 100 levels (with each level adding bonus gold/loot gain, all making it into the console port. There are also some notable multiplayer additions. The online-DRM of the PC version is gone, but players can still play online co-op with three other players. Like many other loot-driven games, co-op increases the chances of finding better loot, as well as the amount of foes you’ll face, meaning those wanting more challenge with better rewards will want to find others to play with. Playing online is as smooth as can be, even when the action gets incredibly intense, and games can be easily dropped in and out of. More significant, however, is the addition of local multiplayer. Though the camera is a bit restrictive, it’s still a huge coup over PC. And whether local or online, Diablo III is one of the best co-op games.
Diablo III is incredibly addictive, mostly due to the prospect of loot. It’s all about the desire to hunt down tougher foes, with the potential of gaining better equipment. Tougher foes, including bosses, can take a lot of damage, and killing them while gaining better loot is incredibly satisfying. Extra side missions reward more XP and hidden dungeons can yield side missions and special loot, encouraging map exploration. And because equipment visually changes your character, you can see your warrior evolve as you progress. Loot has been tweaked for the console port of Diablo III as well. There is less drop to avoid screen clutter, but to compensate for this and the lack of the Auction House, loot drops are a better on console than on PC. You can also quickly equip items using the D-Pad, a nice feature which quickens the pace. On top of that, eight difficulty levels have been added, and the five Master difficulties increase XP and loot gain.
Blizzard have ensured console gamers get a definitive version of Diablo III, with updates, patches and tweaks, such as the Paragon Levelling system which extends the game another 100 levels (with each level adding bonus gold/loot gain, all making it into the console port. There are also some notable multiplayer additions. The online-DRM of the PC version is gone, but players can still play online co-op with three other players. Like many other loot-driven games, co-op increases the chances of finding better loot, as well as the amount of foes you’ll face, meaning those wanting more challenge with better rewards will want to find others to play with. Playing online is as smooth as can be, even when the action gets incredibly intense, and games can be easily dropped in and out of. More significant, however, is the addition of local multiplayer. Though the camera is a bit restrictive, it’s still a huge coup over PC. And whether local or online, Diablo III is one of the best co-op games.
The build quality of gaming castles really in lamentable
|
Soul Calibur's Voldo decides to embrace his fetishes in a new environ
|
The only criticism you can, perhaps, level at Blizzard is the visuals. Though it’s not the ugliest game out there, Diablo III never particularly pushes the system. This is, in a way, a blessing, as the silky smooth frame-rate never suffers from lag as a result. However, the game’s environments, character models or animation never really stand out. The low-res models which greet you when you pause or buy items from a dealer are a particularly ugly element, a major eyesore. However, the CG cut-scenes which occasionally pop up are absolutely gorgeous, and the condensed HUD is welcome. The audio is pretty good, particularly the chunky and loud sounds of combat, making every strike, spell and attack feel impactful. The ham-fisted voice acting is entertaining, if not good, and the music is mostly quiet, but quite epic when you can hear it.
Diablo III is a game which can keep you busy for weeks and months at a time. Four modes are available, from Normal to Inferno, and each is only unlocked by playing the one before. To reach Inferno, you’ll have to play the game three times, and each playthrough takes a good 20 hours to finish. This may sound repetitive, but map layouts change and extra dungeons appear on higher difficulties, while the more intense nature of fights means each playthrough feels different. And once you’ve used up one character, four extra classes await. 100+ paragon levels, as well as time-consuming extra challenges, push gameplay time. It’s incredible value for money.
Diablo III makes an impactful jump to consoles. A whole host of changes, such as the evade move, interface tweaks and other improvements, help Diablo sit comfortably on consoles. Yet, it doesn’t lose any of its appeal in translation: the hunt for the best loot you can get, as you hack your way through tough monsters and complete lengthy quests to earn it. To some, the game can be seen as simplistic, and those who don’t feel that same urge for loot will probably play through once, and wonder what all the fuss is about. But, to anyone with even a slight sense of addiction in their body, Diablo III is a game which will suck you in and keep you playing for huge amounts of time.
Diablo III is a game which can keep you busy for weeks and months at a time. Four modes are available, from Normal to Inferno, and each is only unlocked by playing the one before. To reach Inferno, you’ll have to play the game three times, and each playthrough takes a good 20 hours to finish. This may sound repetitive, but map layouts change and extra dungeons appear on higher difficulties, while the more intense nature of fights means each playthrough feels different. And once you’ve used up one character, four extra classes await. 100+ paragon levels, as well as time-consuming extra challenges, push gameplay time. It’s incredible value for money.
Diablo III makes an impactful jump to consoles. A whole host of changes, such as the evade move, interface tweaks and other improvements, help Diablo sit comfortably on consoles. Yet, it doesn’t lose any of its appeal in translation: the hunt for the best loot you can get, as you hack your way through tough monsters and complete lengthy quests to earn it. To some, the game can be seen as simplistic, and those who don’t feel that same urge for loot will probably play through once, and wonder what all the fuss is about. But, to anyone with even a slight sense of addiction in their body, Diablo III is a game which will suck you in and keep you playing for huge amounts of time.
|
|
|
VERDICT
Visual: 6/10
Audio: 7/10 Gameplay: 8/10 Longevity: 10/10 OVERALL: 8/10 |