Diablo 4 is a confident and wonderfully dark RPG
Let’s be clear from the get-go: Diablo IV knows exactly what it is and wants to be. It’s taken many of the standout parts from previous entries, left behind the lesser ones and come out with one of the most accomplished and addictive RPGs in a long time.
Fans who thought Diablo III didn’t quite hit the dark tone the series called for will be happy to see Blizzard doubling down on one of the darkest game worlds around, full of gripping stories and gloom-ridden NPCs, each with a hard-to-hear tale to offer.
Your quest to stop Lilith, daughter of hell, from destroying the world kicks off with a shocking turn as you save a town from demons only to be drugged, almost murdered by a butcher and force-fed flesh petals. Yes, it’s pretty grim.
Lilith is a great example of a more fleshed-out villain for the RPG experience. While we won’t get too far into spoiler territory, it’s safe to say we weren’t completely against her motives by the end, which in itself is a testament to the work that’s gone into elevating the typical Diablo story into something more textured and much larger.
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And it looks gorgeous, with lush CGI cutscenes which are among the best of anything Blizzard has ever produced and in-game moments that look equally stunning in their own right.
Everything in the world of Sanctuary looks rich and tangible in a way other entries in the series have slightly missed the mark on. We were intrigued to venture into every camp, mine, lost forest and wherever else we saw a glimmer of mystery.
This is all the more impressive when you realise just how big the game's world map is. It's simply huge – not in an overwhelming Ubisoft tower hunt kind of way, but you’ll have your work cut out if you want to explore every nook and cranny. But you’ll want to, as the call is hard to resist.
From NPCs throwing quests your way to world events popping up that can offer unique gear, there’s always something ticking over and feeding the urge to explore one more area. This is made all the more enticing with the introduction of mounts, so you can gallop across the width and breadth of Sanctuary that much easier. Who doesn’t love a noble steed?
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Side-quests, of which there are many, include the usual mix of fetch quests and hit lists – which still have their place undoubtedly – but thankfully there’s also a lot more capsuled mysteries to be found.
They’re intriguing and often have some rather bleak stories to tell, all of which serve to better expand the world and the long shadow cast by Lilith as you search for her, usually one step behind.
There’s all manner of other places filled with monsters to explore, and dungeon-crawling has never felt so fun thanks to Diablo IV creating a host of characters which each offer something unique. From the dungeon-stomping Barbarian to the swift and sneaky Rogue, there’s plenty for everyone to build their perfect character – and with a deeper skill tree, there's so much more nuance in how you’ll build them out along the way.
Our personal favourite classes were the Druid, a versatile character with his animorph abilities who looks absolutely badass, and the Necromancer because who doesn’t like draining the life of their enemies while an army of Skeletal Mages wreak havoc on the battlefield?
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Loot is obviously a big deal and you’ll want to find the best weapons and armour around, and every boss fight, world event and quest leads to more and more – each with unique stats and yet more ways to build out your character into your own individual demon hunter.
Juggling what loadout is best is all part of the fun, and Aspects are a new addition that offer a fresh extra layer to that management. Passive abilities that can upgrade your abilities, increase your stats and more, Aspects are mainly found through dungeon-crawling but you can also extract them from items and attach them to new ones at the blacksmith.
Diablo IV is the culmination of everything Blizzard has set up before to make one ultimate experience. The world is stunning, drowned in a beautiful soundtrack that makes even the smallest moments feel epic. With a deep character system, satisfying combat and an endgame that feels like only the start of your adventure, it's hard not to recommend.
Dig in, experiment with classes, fight some demons and loot some dungeons. You won’t regret it.
Platform reviewed on: Xbox Series X
Diablo IV is out now on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
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