“Brutally destroy demon's from the depths of hell while mashing Left Mouse click."
HOW I PLAYED: I played Diablo IV on PC. The game was obtained digitally through Battle.net. I ran the game at 4K with a locked 60fps on an RTX 3080, adjusting textures from max to high due to memory limitations.
STORY — 16/20
INTRO
Focusing on Lilith was a great choice. The storyline is compelling and elevates beyond the typical "Diablo RETURNS Somehow" narrative, leaving a promising opening for DLC. I thought Diablo IV did a great job of setting the new tone right out the gate when you enter your first town and do your first "dungeon".
CUTSCENES
The cutscenes are engaging and well-produced, adding depth to the narrative. Each one enhances the story, making it more immersive. The opening cinematic is excellent and movie worthy, but I was disappointed that this was the same cinematic shown at a Diablo event years prior when they announced the game.
WORLD BUILDING
The world-building is rich and detailed, effectively setting the dark and somber tone of the game. The environment and lore are well-crafted, providing a solid backdrop for the adventure. It builds on the Diablo game lore without retconning a bunch of previous events.
OVERALL STORY
Overall, the story works well and keeps players invested. The bosses have clear motivations and purposes, making the narrative cohesive and engaging. It was nothing amazing but it was still better than most games launching as of late.
GRAPHICS — 12/15
CHARACTER MODELS
Character models are a significant improvement over Diablo III, showcasing detailed designs and smooth animations. The visual leap is substantial and appreciated. It is a little disappointing that you can put such amazing detail in your character and 99% of the time they will be covered up in armor and you won't even be able to appreciate the detail you put in.
ENVIRONMENTS
There is a lot of diverse biomes and area's in Diablo IV, I think they all look great. But like my previous criticism on the story, there just weren't any area's that really made me go "wow". Elden Ring has really ruined me for this as it has set the bar so high!
SPECIAL FX
The special effects and animations are impressive, spells and special abilities look amazing. I feel that sometimes there are issues with colours clashing against backgrounds and these effects.
AUDIO — 12/15
AMBIENCE
The main theme in Kyovashad is somber and sets the tone perfectly. The darker atmosphere of D4 is well-supported by the audio design, creating an immersive experience. I really love a lot of the ambient background music that plays throughout the game.
BOSS MUSIC
The boss music is fitting but could be more impactful. It serves its purpose but doesn't stand out as much as it could. They need to step it up and really make some operatic bangers for the boss music... hopefully in the future DLC or expansion 🤞.
SOUND DESIGN
The sound design is solid, incorporating series classics while enhancing the darker tone of the game. The variety of sounds keeps the audio experience engaging. The dialogue is top tier and having cast Ralph Ineson (Lorath) was SO GOOD!
PERFORMANCE — 10/10
FRAME RATE
The game runs smoothly at a locked 60fps on 4K with maximum settings, minus the texture adjustment due to memory limitations. Performance is stable and consistent.
***UPDATE***
I upgraded to a 1440p 165hz display, and I was able to run Diablo IV at 165hz no issues with my current setup.
STABILITY
Despite expectations, server queues were minimal even during the busiest launch times. Continuous updates have improved performance, ensuring a smooth experience. I was genuinely shocked for a Blizzard game to not have huge server delays.
GAMEPLAY — 35/40
CONTROLS
The controls are intuitive and responsive, providing a satisfying gameplay experience. The transition from ranged to melee characters is smooth and enjoyable. If you have played Diablo III you should be comfortable with the controls in Diablo IV as they are mostly the same with slight improvements.
MECHANICS
The mechanics are well-designed, with Quality of Life improvements over previous games. The gameplay is fun solo but truly shines in co-op, offering an amazing multiplayer experience. But I love the addition of the dash and adding a mount for faster travel was a welcomed addition to this ARPG classic.
PACING
The pacing is excellent, keeping players engaged without unnecessary downtime. Progression feels fair and rewarding. There was only one chapter where I felt it was a bit unnecessary when it came to the story as a whole. But nothing too egregious, you definitely don't have to spend an hour chopping down your dead wife's tree with a QTE event... 👀
UI/UE
The user interface is clean and functional, making it easy to manage inventory, skills, and other gameplay elements. I appreciated that you can either center the main bar or put it to one side.
BOSS QUALITY
The bosses are challenging and true to the Diablo style, though some AOE mechanics can be frustrating for melee players. World bosses add a fun MMO experience. I wish there were more memorable bosses as they were one of the elements I enjoyed most in the game.
ENEMY VARIETY
There is a good variety of enemies, keeping encounters interesting and challenging. My favorite part of the game was the Helltides or Nightmare Dungeons as there are insanely high density of enemy mobs. And building up your character to just demolish huge enemy mobs feels so satisfying.
GAMEPLAY VARIETY
The gameplay offers a mix of activities, from dungeon crawling to world events, ensuring a diverse and engaging experience. There are a ton of side missions you can do if you get fatigued from grinding Nightmare dungeons or Helltides.
REPLAYABILITY
The game’s replayability is high, with different character classes and builds offering varied playthroughs. The co-op experience enhances the desire to replay the game. Plus with Seasons you can challenge yourself and create a new character type and see if you can level to 100 before the season ends.
BONUS — 3/4
Blizzard has done a great job offering some essential accessibility options like Remappable controls, Colorblind options and Audio call outs. Kudos Blizzard!
OVERALL — 88/100
Diablo IV is a great game and a must-play for fans of the series or those looking to try an action RPG. It is definitely the most approachable game of the series and really forgiving for newcomers. Brutally destroy demon's from the depths of hell while mashing Left Mouse click.
TLDR: 88/100 (GREAT) Diablo IV improves on its predecessors with a compelling story, stunning visuals, and refined gameplay. It’s a highly recommended action RPG that offers a fantastic co-op experience and high replayability.
PICK UP Diablo IV HERE:
PlayStation: Amazon.com
Xbox: Amazon.com
GamePass: Amazon.com
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