Diablo 4 deserved an in-depth look: as we wrote in our campaign preview review, Diablo's ending is all about sharing and comparing and we also wanted to understand how Blizzard It would have been moved a few days after launch, as soon as the game ended up in the hands of the most astute and experienced players. So here we are: we start the game again, this time in the role of a druid, and we delete the ending, that is, the contents that open after the end of the campaign and that represent, in a certain sense, the beating heart of Diablo 4.
Reconfirming our very positive opinion of Blizzard's latest effort, this diablo 4 review We will talk mainly about the ending and its value, but first it is worth making some clarifications.
A few words about the Diablo 4 campaign
In short: the diablo 4 campaign We liked it, despite some shortcomings. It is an adventure in six acts, therefore also quite long, that leads us to explore Sanctuary with a certain margin of freedom, proposing multiple objectives that we can often pursue in the order we prefer. It tells a dark and bloody story, in which we see ourselves following in the footsteps of Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto who is corrupting the inhabitants of Sanctuary, a world she created together with the angel Inarius. Although it does not shine for its originality, the plot of Diablo 4 captures attention with good writing, excellent dubbing in the Spanish version and an interesting cast that includes new characters and old acquaintances that wink at fans of the series .
We especially appreciate some secondary characters, in particular the Horadrim representing three different generations of heroes: the old Lorath, the stoic Donan and the tenacious Neyrelle. Their stories are engaging and complex and cleverly intertwined with the player's quest. The other supporting characters, however, are much more evanescent, often limited to the subplots of the current act, and the same can be said of the antagonists, whose motivations remain confusing and opaque until the end.
As stated, Diablo 4 has no real ending. The current campaign ends satisfactorily, but not too subtly alludes to future updates with which Blizzard will continue the story: some narrative points remain pending, as does the fate of several characters.
Despite this, and a couple of weak central acts that act as filler and artificially lengthen the narrative, we feel like promoting a campaign that is undoubtedly better written and narrated than Diablo III. Moments of long exposition that slow the pace in some situations simultaneously demonstrate a significant dedication to world-building and character characterization, Which was important to get the economy right for a title that must be able to live off of this alone: although the endgame is the heart of Diablo 4, there is a percentage of players who will stop at the campaign without delving too deeply into it. the subsequent contents.
In this sense, the Diablo 4 campaign works and I future updates They represent an effective way to bring players who have temporarily abandoned them back to Sanctuary.
A few words about balance
We would like to point out that our final evaluation of Diablo 4 does not take into account the balancing or, rather, the lack thereof. Balancing titles like Diablo 4 is very difficult, an almost titanic task that requires frequent and multiple updates: it is no coincidence that just a few days after the launch Blizzard took steps to publish a round of improvements and reductions that have reversed the effectiveness of some classes . . In a sense, this temporal imbalance is part of the game: the existence of more or less favored classes over others leads players to create new characters and try different configurations, constantly fueling the player rotation and a growing interest in content that builds on gameplay improvements.
At the moment, Diablo 4 can be played perfectly with all classes. Without a doubt we would have preferred a greater balance between the possible options. build of each class, but it does not seem that there are classes that are more dysfunctional than others, at least not at the medium/low levels of the final contents. It is clear that if there had been such an imbalance that the title could not be played with this or that class, we would have been more severe: that is why we also chose to play with Druid, one of the most criticized classes in the beta weekends -although it was impossible to unlock even its Nature Spirits-, but with which we had no problems completing the campaign and diving into the end of the game, alone and in company.
The problem of balance influences, in any case, the question of skill reset. We raised the issue in our initial review, predicting it would have a major impact on the endgame. In this case two considerations are worth making. First of all, the money needed to fully reset skills did not turn out to be as exorbitant as it seemed: at the end of the game you accumulate a lot of gold and the reset does not empty your wallet as much, also because this feature was not designed to be used continuously.
Second, Blizzard wants players to invest their time in the most important and meaningful builds, but the eventual updates that weaken some abilities (and therefore some builds) may force players to reset one or more abilities, in an attempt to find a new satisfactory build. Since we cannot predict the frequency and impact of these updates, it is difficult to consider the inevitable balance issue as something that could detract from the experience, also because we have not felt the weight of these imbalances. At the moment, in short, there is little point in expressing a definitive judgment on the matter, but it certainly cannot be said that Irvine did not act quickly.
The end: what it is and how it works
Once the campaign is closed, the player can continue exploring the Sanctuary and carry out the activities present from the beginning: side quests, expeditions and basements, public events, the search for Lilith effigies, etc. Completing the first main shipmentHowever, another world difficulty level is unlocked, which strengthens enemies but also improves loot, and opens up a range of activities that allow you to continue growing the character, especially after level 50, when the game board chess is available. Excellencies: On this screen you will be able to better define the builds, choosing various bonuses and Glyphs that give new characteristics and variables to the skill combinations. Glyphs are strengthened by successfully completing Nightmare Expeditions: the latter take place in Expeditions that we already know, but which after using the appropriate Nightmare Seal become more difficult with the addition of various modifiers.
I Nightmare Seals They unlock increasingly difficult or complex Expeditions, launching hordes of enemies at the player, especially elite ones, which can cause loot to drop more frequently. After all, the purpose of the endgame is just that: to upgrade your character using increasingly better loot. The wide variety of parameters randomly associated with loot boxes leads to a constant search for the best items or highest percentages, and new Diablo 4 features, including the ability to extract and imprint legendary powers on common items from the principle, It offers the player enormous freedom of choice.
Other content designed only for the endgame is added to Nightmare Expeditions. unlockedwhispering tree, the Sanctuary map is full of objectives that reward Grim Favors and for every ten favors accumulated you can choose a chest full of random loot. The Fields of Hate and the Infernal Tides are, however, timed events in which enemies drop coins with which it is possible to open special chests: the hate fields They are, however, the only areas of Sanctuary where players can steal collected currency from each other, while the Infernal Tides appear randomly in different places on the map and have us fighting hordes after hordes of enemies. Finally, world bosses appear in specific areas of Sanctuary at timed intervals and are the most difficult content, requiring more players to defeat them, but potentially also the most profitable.
In short, there is no lack of variety in the content, and once a certain level has been reached and the second main Expedition has been passed, another one can be accessed. world level where the best loot is found. The progressive revelation of content and difficulty levels helps retain the interest of the player, who feels stimulated to repeat the aforementioned activities in search of equipment improvements, while at the same time accumulating experience points to unlock new excellences in the game. board: they are not particularly innovative. and original solutions, but that work and attract the player without boring them.
Pros and cons of the ending
In essence, the endgame of Diablo 4 offers a large number of objectives in which in one way or another you gain experience points or loot, and once you reach the maximum level you just have to continue searching for the perfect equipment or grow a new character . The system of Grim Favors It guarantees a good variety of situations, scenarios and challenges in each game, but it is clear that more experienced players will be looking for records to break alone or with friends in Nightmare Expeditions. We really appreciated the variety of content in the endgame, a little less timed content like world bosses and hellish tides, which end up being prohibited to those who cannot connect precisely at those times of the day.
It is clear that at a certain point a feeling of repetitiveness sets in, something natural in this genre of games, but which also depends on the player and their level of tolerance and interest towards this type of titles. In other words, the Diablo fan looking to continually maximize his performance will find in Diablo 4 a gigantic playground in which to spend hundreds of hours: if the skill system It is already satisfactory on its own, except for an interface that, we repeat, is uncomfortable and unintuitive for assigning and restoring nodes, the Excelencias interface further stratifies the experience, providing even more control tools.
The ending of Diablo 4 is much more complex than that of Diablo III, but also less direct, and in this sense the structure open world This iteration of Sanctuary ended up being a bit tight. In Diablo III it was possible to start the game, open a Rift and complete it in a few minutes: this type of approach also and above all favored players who had little time available and who could fit in a quick game between one commitment and another. . In Diablo 4, the vastness of the game world and the complexity of the ending dynamics detract from the experience. immediacy. To reach a Nightmare Expedition, for example, you must first search for the correct Seal in the inventory, then find the entrance on the map, teleport to the nearest Crossing (provided it is unlocked), and then set off on foot or gallop. towards shipping.
The same goes for any other content: the size of the game world, no matter how varied and scenic it may be, works against the immediacy of the game. Diablo 4 is a title you should dedicate yourself to time and consideration: from navigating the world to choosing the endgame content to tackle, including assigning skill points or excellences. Each choice has an important weight and must be considered with a minimum of foresight, to avoid serious errors and useless waste of time and gold.
This type of approach, however, modernizes Diablo 4 significantly, especially given its new nature. live service. The Blizzard title is made to last, and for a long time, but also to be nibbled and picked up at different times, for example when seasons or expansions are released. However, already in this embryonic state, Diablo 4 offers an impressive amount and variety of content and solutions, and none of them refer to the infamous microtransactions: Despite the discouraging prices, the store only sells questionable cosmetic contents that we believe have almost non-existent appeal.
It remains to be seen how Blizzard will strengthen the game in the coming months. He seasons They must offer challenges and additional content that test players, while guaranteeing a variety of rewards for those who have the strength to start or restart the adventure. Battle pass of service. For the moment, we only have to promote Blizzard's latest effort, which everyone feared was the result of hasty development, the most vulgar marketing and the cold and calculating gaze of Activision. Instead, in Diablo 4 we have found the most genuine and passionate spirit of a developer who has created masterpiece after masterpiece: in time we will find out if the guys from Irvine can maintain this momentum.
Conclusions
Tested version PC with Windows digital delivery Battle.net Price 69,99 € Holygamerz.com 8.5 Readers (109) 8.4 your voteAfter having seriously played the finale, we can finally confirm the benefits of Diablo 4 which, between the campaign and extra content, will consume a ridiculous amount of free time for anyone who wants to dedicate themselves body and soul to the growth of a character and the search for the best Loot Sanctuary. Although there are some tricks that can smooth out its rough edges, Diablo 4 already presents itself in its first days as a title of very high quality: if the guys from Irvine manage to support it in the coming months, as they promised on several occasions, Diablo 4 could become the crown jewel of the series.
PRO
- Layered and rich finish
- A solid and satisfactory level of customization
AGAINST
- The open world structure eliminates the immediacy of the game.
- At a certain point, an inevitable feeling of repetitiveness arises.
