Game: Diablo III
Platform: Xbox 360 and PS3
Released: Sept. 3
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Grade: B+
Smashing hordes of hell spawn to bloody bits is a blast.
Diablo III has been providing this gaming pleasure to PC gamers for well over a year now and has quickly become the fastest-selling PC title of all-time after its release in May 2012. Left in the dark since the original game's release in 1998 for Playstation, console gamers looked on enviously as the Diablo franchise exploded over the next 15 years for the PC.
Finally, the prayers to the lords of hell were answered.
The newly retooled version of Diablo III makes it possible to play the game with a controller, delivering a great experience for newcomers and franchise veterans alike.
Diablo III's story begins 20 years from where Diablo II ended with a star falling into Tristram - the setting of Diablo that has reanimated the dead and bears the foreboding beginning to the prophecy "The End of Days." Diablo III may pack a solid story, but it never derails the combat and role-playing as the game's main focus and greatest achievement.
In the past, Diablo was a series that helped define the burgeoning Action RPG genre into what it is today, and its third chapter is out to prove it. While it does little to improve these tried-and-true mechanics, the execution is impeccable and works remarkably well on a controller.
With spells and skills mapped to the triggers, shoulder and face buttons, the chaotic and gruesome combat of Diablo III works smoothly on a controller. The only exception to this is that unlike with a mouse, you can't simply click on the enemy you want to target.
Instead, your character must face adversaries directly, which becomes especially troublesome when playing as ranged characters like the demon hunter or wizard. When multiple enemies face in the same direction, the game doesn't always target the closest or most dangerous enemy coming at you. The addition of a dodge/roll quickly becomes a necessary change between the PC and console version, but it doesn't always relieve the problem.
Whether playing as the brutish barbarian, lethal-ranged demon hunter, spellbound wizard, fast-striking monk or voodoo-loving witch doctor, slaying hell's minions has never been more fun. Playing with each different character might start off feeling repetitive, but they rapidly diverge into their own unique killing machines.
Quickly leveling up and unlocking new skill types or runes to improve previously unlocked skills provides plenty of room to experiment. The ability to constantly create new configurations allows for variety with how you might build any given class.
Leveling up to gain the next powerful skill, or trying to find the next legendary item, quickly becomes an addictive experience that is vastly improved when playing with other people. Co-op becomes essential at higher difficulties, but it keeps the game refreshing and fun.
As the game progresses, the skill and inventory system quickly become both your best friend and worst enemy. Unlike the well-developed controls that make the chaotic game play possible, the inventory and skill system have problems.
The inventory system accumulates into a mass listing of items, causing some of the better "loot" you find to get lost in the mess. Comparing loot can often cause the wrong item to be selected. Similarly, at higher levels, it can be difficult to tell which skill or rune gets unlocked. Although you will already have unlocked all the runes for some skills, others can be lost in the search.
The controls and certain aspects of the interface can be frustrating and take some time to master, but the makers of the game do an excellent job of retooling the game to work with a controller.
That being said, keeping the game's quality consistent doesn't come without sacrifices, particularly when it comes to visuals. While the sound design remains top-notch, character models and environments simply lack the finesse of their PC counterparts.
Despite its flaws, Diablo III remains an absolute blast to play and creates a smashing success for Blizzard's first venture onto a console platform in well over a decade. It may not be perfect, but with a group of friends, the imperfections rarely get in the way. Some players may wait for the PS4 and Xbox One versions, but this is one dungeon crawler you won't want to miss.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
