Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
I’ve been through hell and back and enjoyed every minute of my hellishly addictive journey in Diablo IV.
It’s been 11 years since Diablo III, and fans of the franchise have been waiting a long time to take hordes of demons and take on Lillith in Diablo IV, and that day has finally come.
Diablo IV builds off the lore of the first three games, but coming in as a person who has no idea what the hell went down in Diablo’s fictional world in previous entries, I was happy to see I still could jump in and enjoy this game.
In the game, you play as one of five classes, Druid, Necromancer, Barbarian, Rogue, and Sorceress, and you will build that character into forces of evil slaying a machine.
Your main objective is to stop Lillith, the daughter of Mephisto (no, not that guy in the MCU) and Lord of Hatred, who has been summoned through a dark ritual after being banished for eon by her lover, Inarius, a rogue angel.
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
The forbidden romance between the two led to the creation of Sanctuary, the fictional world where the game takes place, and their son Linarian, the first of new beings called Nephalem. Other angels and demons would follow suit, producing Nephalem, who also made their own offspring, populating Sanctuary.
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
Lillith’s return brings pure chaos as monsters of all kinds begin to infest the world, as the Lord of Hatred makes her presence felt by leaving her mark on the impressionable inhabitants of Sanctuary, turning them into cultists.
Diablo IV Brings Demon Slaying To A New Open World
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
You can also easily get lost on the map becuase while this game does have main story missions you can follow to complete the campaign, there is no specific order you have to follow them.
Once you get through the game’s prologue, you will immediately notice the world of Sanctuary is vast. Diablo IV introduces a new open-world format to the franchise.
The game’s primary campaign will have traveling to five locations, Kehjistan, Scosglen, Hawezar, Fractured Peaks, and Dry Steppes. Each has its unique feel and throws different kinds of monsters, demons, and human enemies at you.
You can also easily get lost on the map becuase while this game does have main story missions you can follow to complete the campaign, there is no specific order you have to follow them.
While on my journey to slay Lillith, I admired the dark/ but beautifully twisted world, which is a character in the game. From the snowy mountains, ice caverns, and rainy marshes, great detail went into bringing Sanctuary to life.
So Much To Do
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
Diablo IV’s replayability is on the high side, thanks to endgame content, plus the announcement of seasons that will introduce more content to the game.
During my review period, I found myself easily straying off the beaten path (the game’s campaign), completing sidequests, and completing dungeons which help you build renown in each of the five Sanctuary locations.
Acquiring legendary loot or taking on tough challenges like a world event or strongholds are fun distractions that will keep you from completing the primary campaign.
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
In a stronghold, you must complete a set of conditions before taking on a giant boss that can be just as challenging as any other bosses you will encounter throughout the game.
Once you defeat the stronghold’s boss, the area becomes a safe haven to level up your equipment, craft elixirs, and do other tasks to build your character.
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
Diablo IV’s replayability is on the high side thanks to endgame content, plus the announcement of seasons that will introduce more content to the game.
So after you take out Lillith, there is still plenty of work to be done in Sanctuary for what seems will be for years to come.
Final Verdict
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
When I first booted up Diablo IV, it was a bit overwhelming, and that’s understandable; this is my first foray into the action RPG franchise.
I had to learn how to build up my Druid, specifically becuase one particular boss was handing me my a** because I went about leveling up my build in an odd way.
While boss encounters with a poorly built-out class can be punishing and will have you screaming at your television screen, especially if you’re a first-timer, I can assure you it’s just as rewarding when you slay that spawn of Lillith after finding the right abilities.
Thankfully you can easily respec your character because it’s an option available to you as soon as you hit level 2, so I was able to hit the reset button and turned my Druid into a complete badass.
I’m usually not into games like Diablo IV, which requires some serious grinding and features a map like Sanctuary, but I found myself addicted, wanting to do more in the game.
A Very Addictive Experience
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
During my time with the review build for the game, I spent over 30 hours (additional 20 hours in the beta) and barely scratched the game’s surface, not nearly putting a dent in the game’s 100-plus dungeons and numerous other activities to do.
I didn’t roll credits during my time with the game. However, I still managed to do so much, like challenging strongholds and numerous sidequests and took on some of the most challenging bosses I have faced in a long time in a video game. Becuase of that, I could walk away confidently, feeling this was a fantastic game. I can’t wait to play it at my own pace with no time restrictions.
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
Diablo IV is my Elden Ring, and I can see myself playing this game numerous times over with the other classes and with friends. I can’t wait to explore the game’s dungeons, take on all the world events, collect more legendary gear, take down all the strongholds, and finally, roll credits.
It would seem I have devoured a digital version of Lillith’s blood rose petals because I AM HOOKED.
One concern is mainly the microtransactions plaguing the mobile version, Diablo Immortal. The shop was not live during the review build, and the game will have a season pass, so we have no clue how bad microtransactions will be regarding spending real money on cosmetic items for your character.
Still, that should not be too concerning because Diablo IV is an impressive entry into this beloved franchise.
Diablo IV launches on Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PS4, PS5, and PC through Battle.Net. You can learn more by heading here.
*Review key for PS5 provided by the game’s publisher*
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Photo: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
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