Diablo 4: Blizzard’s Return to the Underworld review

There’s something about Diablo’s vibe that’s simply irresistible. In these games, the lure of demonic temptation mingles with the spirit of crusade and the hero always walks the thin line that separates the two. In Diablo 4, the dichotomy between good and evil, heaven and hell has never been more foggy, mainly thanks to a villain, Lilith, who is hands down the best in the franchise. You will enter churches of light and explore temples where blood is the only tribute capable of satiating the mother of demons an intoxicating mix of prohibitions and purity always and in any case corrupted by the fragility of man.

Aside from philosophical speeches, there is no Diablo without it a deep class system and after almost 80 hours of playing we can say that we have barely mastered two of them. We need to take a necromancer to the endgame level and we’ve started a new campaign with the sorcerer we’ve seen and tested the rest of the classes in between the various beta events and server tests and we can tell you that each has a very strong identity and a truly unique set of skills that will (potentially) place completionists for nearly 500 hours of content if they want an endgame level character for each class. Almost everything fans love about the old Diablos (especially the second one) is present in this fourth chapter, the real revolution lies in the way the developers managed to enrich the experience without distorting it.

For example, each new Necromancer ability is not only perfectly themed, but placed along thematic branches of the skill tree that combine classic powers like corpse blasts with first-timers like decomposition. The layers are more than those of a millefeuille cake with very high customization potential and we’re already seeing a bloom of guides to maximize one aspect rather than the other. What surprised us the most is the sometimes appalling difference between one class and another in terms of playstyle, approach to progression, and response to command input. Playing a barbarian or a druid seems like you’re holding two different titles united only by the same storyline.

However, the story is where Diablo 4 will manage to win the most favors, especially among new players. The game is structured in such a way that to explain even for those who have never heard of the Diablo universe all necessary background to understand what is happening and to embark on a path motivated both by curiosity and the need to survive. Lilith, the mother of demons, wants to retake Sanctuary, the land where Diablo takes place, and to do so she needs sacrifices, certain items and allies willing to do anything. As you traverse Sanctuary’s many realms, you’ll find that Lilith’s strategy is far more complex than many other villains of the past. She doesn’t want to dominate she wants to awaken a primal consciousness in his subjects and go beyond the age-old battle between angels and demons that has always plagued these lands.

Where all the above elements come together in a beautiful serenade of stripping is in the most challenging battles, both in the story missions and in the so-called world bosses, of the bad guys you’ll encounter in the open world of Diablo 4. The main battles are never silent, they are always an opportunity for dialogue with the villains you face and a test of your most powerful builds. The system really is little punitive in its reorganization possibilities of skill trees, so if one strategy or skill set doesn’t work, try others, the game just encourages it.

However, the campaign is only part of what Diablo 4 has to offer, and here we have to open the very dangerous endgame chapter. A necessary starting point: the rural experienceof the classes, of the evolution of every character you’ll find is so well done that, in our opinion, it is worth the purchase price alone of the game because it offers tens of hours of fun that does not age and, above all, is scalable with regard to the dedication that the player invests. However, Diablo is known for its highly replayable endgame and whether what we experienced immediately after ending the main campaign is fun and represents a challenge that matches the level players reach at the end of the story, we can’t yet comment on the longevity of the game in general. We know there will be a battle pass and season system (in addition to the inevitable shop), but not how much the new seasons will add in terms of activities and progression once maxed out.

We repeat; just the main campaign, the classes, the items, the stories and the exploration it offers are a very strong reason for us to do that Give Diablo 4 a chance. Only for those looking for an experience with guaranteed longevity, we recommend the release of a detailed roadmap and a season or two to understand the quality and frequency with which the title will be updated. If you are a fan of the saga, you will have a smile on your face for at least 60 hours during your first campaign also thanks to the fact that the iconic skills of many classes of the old chapters have been moved to the first branches of the skill tree, a perfectly fitting choice that immediately puts useful tools in the minds of those who play, also giving time to to perfect them. If, on the other hand, you have never approached this series and are looking for an adventure with a compelling story, excellent progression and really satisfying combat, the fourth chapter of the Sanctuary saga might be for you. Blizzard bet big on this title and we’re glad to see the bet paid off.

– by Riccardo Lichen