Developer/publisher Blizzard Entertainment
Format PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series
Release 2023
As with Diablo III before it, Blizzard has spent the time since Diablo IV’s launch erasing parts of its original identity, finding solutions to vital problems players discovered after it was released. Without wavering from the core mission statement – an action RPG about slaughtering thousands of demons – it has by now been changed to the extent that it almost feels like a sequel to itself. And with Vessel Of Hatred, the game’s first expansion, Blizzard does another major pass on its creation, oiling its mechanisms further. At this point it feels correct to say that Diablo IV has entered a new era.
Diablo IV wasn’t exactly broken when it debuted in 2023, but for it to be a replayable, seasonal RPG, plenty needed retuning. Taking a character from level one to level 100 was a grind, and every item description felt like reading a manual in the wrong language, often only to discover that the buffs and bonuses imparted were absurdly context-specific. Coming from a studio known for making approachable games in familiar genres, it was a steep climb for low reward, and Blizzard had the audacity to ask us to suffer through it every three months when a new season arrived.
Those who stayed the course, though, finally got a more tangible reward with this May’s aptly named fourth season: The Season Of Loot Reborn. With more legible and powerful loot, this massive overhaul altered the shape of Diablo IV, giving us much more motivation to experiment. Two new crafting systems led the way, allowing us to customise gea...
Format PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series
Release 2023
As with Diablo III before it, Blizzard has spent the time since Diablo IV’s launch erasing parts of its original identity, finding solutions to vital problems players discovered after it was released. Without wavering from the core mission statement – an action RPG about slaughtering thousands of demons – it has by now been changed to the extent that it almost feels like a sequel to itself. And with Vessel Of Hatred, the game’s first expansion, Blizzard does another major pass on its creation, oiling its mechanisms further. At this point it feels correct to say that Diablo IV has entered a new era.
Diablo IV wasn’t exactly broken when it debuted in 2023, but for it to be a replayable, seasonal RPG, plenty needed retuning. Taking a character from level one to level 100 was a grind, and every item description felt like reading a manual in the wrong language, often only to discover that the buffs and bonuses imparted were absurdly context-specific. Coming from a studio known for making approachable games in familiar genres, it was a steep climb for low reward, and Blizzard had the audacity to ask us to suffer through it every three months when a new season arrived.
Those who stayed the course, though, finally got a more tangible reward with this May’s aptly named fourth season: The Season Of Loot Reborn. With more legible and powerful loot, this massive overhaul altered the shape of Diablo IV, giving us much more motivation to experiment. Two new crafting systems led the way, allowing us to customise gea...
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Edge Uk (Digital) - 1 Issue, Christmas 2024