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Essays 13 November 2021, 13:00

6 Things Diablo 4 Needs to Learn from Diablo 2

Diablo 2 might not be perfect, but it's still a classic game, which did a lot of things really well. I'm probably not the only one who would be happy if Diablo 4 borrowed some specific solutions from the cult-classic part two.

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For some reason, Diablo 2 has been tested for the last 21 years on thousands of computers. For some reason, the refreshed Diablo 2 Resurrected has caused a small storm. And by a coincidence, it brought Blizzard better press than any one of their decisions of the last 5 years (which, let's face it, wasn't that hard). Chances are that the young and – let's hope – controversy-free team that was assembled for Diablo IV will repeat that success in terms of quality and PR. Especially if they take inspiration at the right moments from a noble ancestor from two decades ago.

Diablo 3 also has some pretty good elements – the combat formula outclasses that of Diablo 2 and most hack'n'slash games from the first decade of the 21st century. More expansive options related to mercenaries or random quests scattered around the map (not to mention adventure mode) are all great features. But several things in the entire history of the genre hasn't been implemented better by NO ONE but Diablo 2. And although some of them are somewhat hidden, they are the ones that decide about the power and playability of the old, somewhat stiff Diablo.

Runic words that create new opportunities, rather than merely reinforcing existing ones

For some reason at BlizzCon, the developers got an ovation for announcing this feature in Diablo 4. It's a system that gamers have longed for. Yes, the runic words in Diablo 4 are back in glory and splendor, albeit altered by fate. And if there's one element that doesn't quite sit right with me in the previews of the "itemization" system in the upcoming hack'n'slash, it's the interpretation of those classic mechanics. Don't get me wrong, I am at least intrigued by it because of its level of sophistication, but I also have my doubts.

Runes in Diablo 4 will work a little differently than in Diablo 2. In the classic, we looked for a strong enough "vanilla" item with the required number of slots to make a runic word work – and we put runes in there if we had them. With the right combination, we got incredibly good items, rivaling – and sometimes surpassing – the unique versions of different items. Sure, getting them was tedious, but it created new opportunities.

The system in Diablo 4 theoretically offers them even more, but it may come down to upgrading a very sparse set of items – let me explain what I mean. The Runes in D4 are to be divided into two groups: condition and effect. The former will require something from us (e.g. drinking a healing potion), the other will provide an effect (e.g. skills enhancement). And it sounds superb. It's just that you'll be able to theoretically insert them into any item, so that includes powerful unique items (or rather legendary ones, as they're currently called). So it will be reinforcing existing ones rather than creating new opportunities. Unless Blizzard puts some sort of restriction here.

The system from Diablo 2 wasn't perfect, since one of the patches was released, everyone was running around looking for Enigma, so you know – there are no perfect solutions and I give this new one a chance. But I'm not entirely convinced that it will work better than the old rune idea.

Hubert Sosnowski

Hubert Sosnowski

He joined GRYOnline.pl in 2017, as an author of texts about games and movies. He's currently the head of the film department and the Filmomaniak.pl website. Learned how to write articles while working for the Dzika Banda portal. His texts were published on kawerna.pl, film.onet.pl, zwierciadlo.pl, and in the Polish Playboy. Has published stories in the monthly Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror magazine, as well as in the first volume of the Antologii Wolsung. Lives for "middle cinema" and meaty entertainment, but he won't despise any experiment or Fast and Furious. In games, looks for a good story. Loves Baldur's Gate 2, but when he sees Unreal Tournament, Doom, or a good race game, the inner child wakes up. In love with sheds and thrash metal. Since 2012, has been playing and creating live action role-playing, both within the framework of the Bialystok Larp Club Zywia, and commercial ventures in the style of Witcher School.

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"Returning to the Roots". Blizzard Devs Talk Diablo 4

Diablo 4 is coming. We know the date, what it looks and feels like, but before the release, there’s still more aspects of the famous ARPG to uncover and discuss. That’s exactly what we did in this interview with the creators of the hack’n’slash behemoth.

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