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Diablo III
PC
Once More Unto the Brink...
4/5 stars
Why mess with a good thing when you've proven in the past you know your audience? I would say Diablo II is one of my most-played games and that Diablo III would easily surpass it in terms of replayability. Of course, this all comes down to how much you enjoy the hack n slash genre. For me? This is the type of the game I can pop in any time and play a few hours. It may not be as deep as other games, but I would argue it's plenty of fun.
Presentation: If you've played any Diablo games in the past, you know what to expect. Pretty much a top-down hack n slash game where you use the mouse for 80% of the action (moving, attacking, menu) and some hotkeys for the rest (potions, your special attacks). There's not a lot that has changed, other than improvements in the graphics, but Diablo III is not going to challenge many games - even before I updated my graphics card, my built-in crappy one was able to run this. Still, I did notice a nice increase in sharpness and the way shadow and light played across the game once I upgraded.
You can once again choose from a variety of player characters, the only two I've tried out is the Demon Hunter (classic ranger class using crossbows or bows) and the Barbarian (Tank all the way). There is also the Monk, Witch Hunter and Wizard, which I haven't played yet, but wouldn't be surprised if I check out somewhere down the line. Each class has specific weapons and armor they can use - and are barred from using.
You can also choose your difficulty class ranging from Easy to Inferno (not unlocked until to hit the 60 level cap). I started on "Normal" and have progressed to "NIghtmare" on my original character. As you increase in difficulty, enemies become much more difficult, but your loot becomes much better. One of the cool things I like is that your storage box is shared across all your characters - so if you find a great piece or rare armor, you can save it for another character you create. Granted, you have to unlock space using gold, but it's worth it.
This game also has plenty of unlockable trophies that, as far as I can tell, just make it so you can design a really cool banner for your character. I don't know if that's much incentive, but, hey, it's there. There is also an auction house where you can spend real-world money on in-game items - mostly to complete that ultra rare set of armor, I'm sure. I haven't even attempted to check it out, nor have I don't anything in the multiplayer mode.
Story: Although you would think Diablo III would be short on story, I actually think they did a pretty good job. There are only a few cut scenes, but they are mighty impressive - the CGI is outstanding. Most of the chapters are presented in a hand-drawn sketch type of way, which also looks pretty good.
In the world of Diablo, there are Angels and Demons and the world of the humans are caught in between. For the humans are actually all descendents of the Nephalum - offspring of the two races with power to challenge them both. However, most humans don't realize the power they hold. Heaven and Hell made a pact to stay out of the affairs of man - a pact Hell has broken, but to prevent a full-on Apocalypse and angels have been kept in the dark, with only Tyrael coming to the aid of man.
After several attempts to corrupt mankind, it was thought the demons had been stopped during the finale of Diablo II, in which the Barbarian's home at Mount Arreat was completely destroyed. Yet 20 years later, the elderly scholar Deckard Cain, along with Leah, his only living blood relation, has found a disturbing revelation - just before a huge shining light smashes into his church.
Thus you enter - the dead have risen and Tristram is once again under attack. You have to rescue Cain, find the source of this mysterious light and why it has caused these incidents. Of course, that's not the whole story - the source of the light is not a meteor, but a man - a man with no memories, but who seems very stoic and powerful - and also remembers other pieces of light falling as well. Thus, you are sent on a quest to recover this man's sword, which will hopefully uncover his memories as well. This quest reveals much: a cult who worships a demon, Leah's mother, a famous witch, alive and well and the rising power of demons that once again threaten the world: Belial and Azmodan. But this is all just a prequel to the ultimate battle between heaven and hell - the outcome of which depends entirely on your success.
I have to say, I found the story much better than I was expecting. There's a twist I saw coming a mile away, but the ability to talk to characters, find "lore" books and such really expand upon the core story.
Gameplay: Besides what has already been said, gameplay takes some RPG elements: you have a set number of stats, Dexterity, Strength, Intelligence and Vitality - each stat improves attack, defense, magic and life. Certain classes benefit more: Barbarians get the most out of strength, while the Demon Hunter relies on dexterity. Your character can be outfitted with a variety of weapons and armor: Boots, Leggings, Belt, Gloves, Helmet, Shoulders, Armor, Greaves, Amulet, Two Rings, Shield (Optional) - each one provides and armor bonus, with magical versions providing boosts in stats or certain abilities (like health globes providing more life or dealing damage to melee enemies).
Magical items range from blue items, which have on or two stat boosts, to yellow "rare" items that have several stat boosts. There are also set (green) and legendary (bronze) items, but I have yet to run across either. Weapons range from simple swords and bows to character-specific weapons, such as the Demon Hunter's hand crossbow (which can be dual-wielded, highly recommended).
As you gain levels, you also unlock several abilities and runes. Many of these rely on either magic or "hatred" to use - meters that either refill over time or refill when you kill an enemy or the like. These attacks can be used to shred a group of enemies, escape from battle or simply deal more damage. I admit I haven't used too many different abilities, though on higher levels it sounds as if they become much more critical to survival. Whether I play that long, I can't say. Runes are passive abilities that you unlock when you level up. Depending on whether you're focused on attack, defense or something in between, these add another level to gameplay.
You also have the ability to hire three followers in the game: a Templar, good for healing and attack, a scoundrel - a ranged attacker and the enchantress - magic with the ability to buff/fight off crowds. Each character also has their own story to tell. Towns have a variety of vendors, and you always have your trusty blacksmith (and later a Jeweler) to help you out. You can even craft Legendary items... provided you have the correct ingredients. Although gold is still hard to come by early in the game, I don't think it turns out to be a big issue, as you find better items than you can buy most of the time - crafting often gives you the best overall option, at least early on, as well.
The great thing that keeps you coming back to Diablo III is that both the enemies and dungeons are randomly generated each time. You can run into rare enemies at any time - blue enemies usually show up in groups of three and are stronger versions of the typical enemies, while "gold" named enemies are even stronger. Each have their own abilities (Jailor creates a wall of stone around you to prevent escape, while electrical enemies give off a damaging ring of electricity each time you hit them). Luckily, they usually drop some nice stuff for you to use as well. So even after "beating" the game, you really aren't finished - you can come back again and again to fight new versions of enemies, explore a new dungeon or simply look for a better item than you have already.
Overall: If you've played and enjoyed any Diablo game in the past, Diablo III is the next logical step. Here is my caveat: Blizzard requires an internet connection at all times - even when you're playing alone. I can say that in all my hours of playing, I was only dropped once. Still, even one drop is too much. Plus, the game can be put on hold while Blizzard "updates" it - another knock. It's annoying, but it's not a game breaker, however, it is what prevents me from rating it any higher.
Presentation: 4/5
Story: 3.5/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
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