Diablo 3 - Review Roundup
 

Time to look at some Diablo III reviews.
Let's start with two opposing articles from well-known gaming journalists. This isn't technically a review but Rock, Paper, Shotgun's John Walker writes How Diablo III's Solo Experience Reveals A Hollow Game:
On the other hand, Tom Chick at QuarterToThree loved it (4/5):
RPGamer - 5/5
Edge Online - 9/10
Escapist Magazine - 4/5
Video Gamer - 9/10
More information.

pffffff hahahahahha

Money makes the world go round…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkRIbUT6u7Q

I am far past the age to get overwrought about these things, but I find that with Diablo 3 the production values are as one would expect very high, but to me there is something definitely missing. I would have to say that a true skill tree and meaningful character customization would definitely have improved this for me immensely. While I understand Blizzards increasing move towards the belief customization is a hangup and limits ones ability to take different approaches and understand that I may be a dinosaur, I feel much less invested in the game.

Regardless, of how ultimately meaningless and/or limiting a skill tree may be, I feel like I am not really playing for anything more than loot and that is not really enough for me. I could even, although somewhat regretfully, argue that dungeon siege iii scratched the original diablo itch for me than this one. Once again, I acknowledge that i am a dinosaur and that skill selections may be more of an appearance of choice than actual choice, but I feel something is missing herel.

What is missing is the fact that due to allowing you to use any skills you want at any time by simply changing them, you never have any need or desire to play the same class more than once (or once in normal and once in hardcore).

This hurts replay value and how long the game will last for you.

Definitely doesn't deserve a 9/10; a 7 or 8 perhaps. It's really hard to believe they took all this time with development - there's practically no innovation and, in some cases, even regression when compared to its predecessor.

In addition to what the reviewer criticized, I find the inability to travel between acts without losing quest progression cumbersome and annoying. And the controls are maddeningly imprecise for a melee character - I constantly lose focus of my target and find myself walking past and/or around enemies.

Whatever. I really regret my purchase, especially for $65. I should have beat down the nagging voice in the back of my mind with a 10lb hammer rather than succumb to curiosity.

Oh well, I'm having fun with it, laugh all you want…still means I'm having more fun then you:)

The game has good mechanics and looks very good. The only issue I take with is the story which is just weak. Weak when compared to Diablo 2. It's full of plot-holes and exagerations.



How stupid is that? Very stupid. They couldn't come up with a decent story and they had 7 years to do it. The gameplay is very good and addicting as hell. But I just can't find the motivation of clearing levels when the story is that weak, and pvp hasn't been added yet. I'll probably get back into D3 after pvp launches.

I… what? I'd heard the story was stupid but dang. That really takes the cake.

Too bad, I really liked the Diablo world and hadn't gotten far enough in D3 to see that much of the plot.

The more that I read about Diablo 3, the more I want to play older ARPGs; damn, I'm more eager to play Torchlight II, and Grim Dawn when it'll come out…

I'd give it 10/10 personally.

I agree, though, that the skill system hurts longevity - but the way they've implemented Inferno mode and how the AH works means there are other reasons to keep playing for a very long time.

But, even though I disagree with Blizzard about some things, I have to say they've executed what they set out to do - perfectly.

I've played this 60 hours almost non-stop since I got it, and that means it triggered something that only happens to me every 5 years or so.

This is true. You now 'only' have 5 play throughs for the different character classes (counting running through the difficulty levels as a single play). For a £20 game that's very generous.

Agree about anticipation for Grim Dawn, as for Diablo 3, meh.

I learned my lesson with the hypes lately (Witcher2 and co) so went on hold for this game. Scores like 9/10 etc I don't believe anymore. When you play games like me for 30 years you know you can be happy to see 1 real 9/10 per year.

Yes they took long to make this game. Only reason I can see, they had no interest/motivation/inspiration/need money for this game and just went slowly on it, hyping it by using their good reputation for the next generation. I will buy it one day and yes I know its a dumb hack/slash game but Diablo II was also like that.
The real trouble I have is that you need be online. For that reason alone I wait for a 'solution' before I get it, they think their costumers are idiots willing to accept anything by doing this and unfortunately there are a lot of those out there.

I still play a fully modded Oblivion, a 5 year old game that beats most new games at ease. Wonder if I could still play this game if I had to be on-line.

You know, ordinarily I'd agree with you but I've really enjoyed D3's approach. I'd never accept it in a "real" RPG but, given these are action games, I find the opportunity to play with different setups quite enjoyable. I'm not convinced it really affects replayability (not that I find time to replay games) because there are still a large number of skill and rune combinations - while you might experiment with a number of combinations during one playthrough it's different playing a large portion of the game with a different skill/rune combination.

Look, disagree with the online setup to your heart's content but do me a favour and don't call me an idiot in the process. People have different expectations and that doesn't automatically make them idiots.

Just finished Diablo III (Normal playthrough) and thought it was mind-numblingly tedious despite the relatively short length of the campaign, great production values and a very good implementation of core gameplay mechanics. The pure traditional ARPG just doesn't cut it in 2012; at least not as a $60 product with draconian DRM.

And what did you think about the plot? How would you rate that?

I agree that the mechanics and gameplay are great. I regularly find myself clearing maps/dungeons of monsters without even knowing what the hell I started questing for in the first place. In that sense it's very nicely done. But I would have loved for them to put at least 1/10 of the effort they put into everything else, into the storyline and plot. At least for it to be half as decent as it was in Diablo 2.

Much much better than previous Diablos. Each area has a vaguely coherent rationale and the backstory is explained at each stage. The quality of the story isn't anything special - OK, it's pretty bad actually - but there is at least lore for most things if you seek out the journals. Or you can just ignore them and bash through - the choice is yours.

Did you see the Edge quote?!

Wow seriously, that not what I've heard from those having server disconnects! :S

Has Blizzard been splashing the cash? :(

Daniel.

Definitely a no buy for me. The DRM sets a very bad precedent and there are plenty of other good RPGs out there.