Simply put, I found Diablo IV to be a near-perfect action RPG experience. My sorcerer reached level 43 at the conclusion of the main campaign, which is just as well because (without revealing any spoilers) the main story ends on a cliffhanger, setting players up for hours and hours of post-endgame and seasonal content. It was addicting, so much so that I had to focus almost exclusively on the campaign in order not to lose the storyline. The world of Sanctuary is so intricate that, after the Prologue, I spent several hours chasing down side-quests and confronting every enemy unit in sight. Combat in Diablo IV is scaled by both player level and how many friends you're playing co-op with, meaning defeating minor enemies with your friends will never be too easy, while defeating major enemies will never be too hard. Each type of playable character has its benefits - smashing baddies with the barbarian, commanding undead armies with the necromancer, expertly sniping demons with arrows as the rogue - but I found the sorcerer to be one of the strongest during the early game (conversely, I found the the druid to be somewhat weak before reaching level 30). I completed a full playthrough of the campaign in a little over 20 hours with my sorcerer "Bob," equipped completely with fire-based attacks and multipliers from the skill tree. The full price of the base game is $69.99, but if you want to fast-track all the fancy cosmetics, you'll need to fork over more. The push extends to the game's marketing campaign: the studio commissioned a massive Diablo 4-themed mural for a deconsecrated Jesuit cathedral in France in March, teamed up with companies like KFC for merchandise and game tie-ins, and has offered players exclusive windows to play the game in the months leading up to its release. Stewed in a pressure cooker of past franchise failures and expectations, it's an expansive homage to the gothic, heavy-metal sensibility of the first two Diablo games with a colossal open world and shiny new graphics. It's clear that Activision Blizzard believes Diablo IV could answer their prayers. The company needs a win, a redemptive title that proves to core fans that they can listen to criticism, and to the world at large that they're a responsible company. Antitrust officials in several countries may block the deal. It's a lot of baggage for Microsoft, which wants to buy the company for nearly $69 billion - potentially the largest video game acquisition in history.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |