It’s too early to make a definitive judgment, but after what I’ve seen in beta, Diablo 4 seems to contain an intriguing story. Some of the gameplay elements might be questionable, but the story itself and the way it’s constructed looks fantastic.
Launching the Diablo 4 beta wasn’t easy. I had to wait an hour and a half twice, got disconnected from the server once and also started getting error code 316719. However, I managed to play for a few hours and my impressions are positive, mainly thanks to the fragment of the story that I witnessed. Even side quests can surprise you with powerful moments!
Medal Terror
I’m not romantically involved with the Diablo series; I used to play the second installment and that’s where my experience stops, but the release of the fourth installment should change that. After the beta, I mostly want to discuss the story. Apparently, Blizzard often shows surprisingly drastic scenes. – the camera cleverly switches from the isometric perspective to the side view, without interrupting the immersion. We see crazy people, pure violence, and our hero unwittingly finds himself in the middle of this dark and completely messy chaos.
I don’t want to reveal the details, but the introduction is not done with simple means: the plot is more than a pretext to smash demons, it is a value in itself, motivating the player to fight their way through legions of enemies. During the game, we are often accompanied by strong secondary characters. I liked an energetic girl driven by personal reasons, determined to face Lilith. The good thing is that the companions have personality and will sometimes offer a commentary on this or that, and some tasks require you to take a little detour to talk to them. I hope this formula will prevail throughout the game.
The world of Diablo 4 is dark even without demon interference. Diablo IV, Blizzard Entertainment, 2023
There’s quite a bit of content here, definitely more than I’d expect from a hack’n’slash. Lilith also seems like an exciting villain, so much so that I would be tempted to join her if I had the chance! She is a true daughter of darkness, able to enter people’s heads with the promise of granting wishes or breaking free from the shackles of morality. The backdrop of the story is built with interactive objects and characters (even if they don’t offer quests), and the locations have been carefully prepared: all this occultism (altars, rituals, blood) serves well the story.
I approached the side quests with reservations, but was once again pleasantly surprised. One of the missions is shocking, leading to a scene that may give you goosebumps. Blizzard mean business and use gore convention to show the true horror.
Developed combat, whimsical mage and MMO style
The fight has already given me a lot of satisfaction. My mage, the Lightning Lord, was fantastic, and the single boss fight revealed the need to approach combat with a tactical sense. I only regret the limited character development abilities: apart from learning new abilities (trees are also unlocked over time), there is no increase in statistics such as strength, dexterity or stamina.
She also had mixed feelings about the outfits. Blizzard doesn’t convince me with its sense of style: magic items, for example, looked out of place. Meeting other players wasn’t that fun either. On those occasions, Diablo 4 feels a bit like an MMO, which won’t appeal to fans of single-player campaigns, as well as those who just want to play with friends.
Do you think my magician would impress in a fashion show? Diablo IV, Blizzard Entertainment, 2023
However, these issues don’t change a fundamental conclusion I have about the game: Diablo 4 It has solid foundations to be a tour de force for lovers of dark stories.. Everything is in its place: expressive characters, good comedies (I hope more!), drastic conventions, a seductive and charismatic antagonist, addictive gameplay that sometimes requires a more careful tactical approach, and a dastardly and sinful world who does He pity his own people. I know the Diablo series is very popular, but if someone, like me, hasn’t had much contact with it and is planning to start with part four, after playing the beta, I highly recommend it .