Players Argue Diablo 4 Endgame; Debate Among Hardcore Grinders
Diablo 4 has only just made its official debut, and the game's fan forum is already overflowing with discussions about the state of endgame. Players have divided into camps of supporters and opponents of the current system.
Although the official release of Diablo 4 only took place today, thanks to Early Access, fan forums dedicated to the king of the hack&slash genre have been flooded with threads about the endgame.
The Diablo community seems to be strongly divided on this particular topic, supporting or opposing the current system.
Allegations against endgame in Diablo
Although the fourth installment of Diablo was very well received by both critics as well as the community, some players complain about the unsatisfying endgame. The main objections to endgame gameplay in Diablo 4 are:
- inadequately balanced characters, which is especially visible in the endgame;
- the vision of constant and radical updates, such as the recently published extensive patch 1.0.2, which included changes to all character classes, quickly tipping the balance - especially in the late game;
- problematic character resets, combined with the need to have the right aspects to maintain proper power, resulting in noticeable "downtime" in the game;
- too many small, not much contributing and tedious activities, such as the need to loot a lot of stuff or spend a lot of time in cities, which effectively detracts from grind;
- and finally the creme de la creme, i.e. the scaling of the world and monsters to the player's level, which prevents the player from feeling the full power of an experienced hero.
So as not to be lip service, here are some statements from players to who didn't like the endgame in Diablo 4 very much.
"In my opinion, the current endgame loop is one that has too many intentional stops and inappropriate elements, making the grind simply not very satisfying."
"My biggest problem is the layout of the city, the clunky mount and the need to go back and forth to different dungeons. It [endgame - editor's note] seems to have been designed to be tedious for no reason."
"I'm level 60 and I can clearly see that D4 will not have an endgame because of poor itemization and level scaling... at this point I'm only playing to punish myself for ordering another Blizzard game.
Imagine the crazy grind every three months for ladder.... Jeez, lol."
"As I level up and upgrade my equipment, the world around me simultaneously advances with me. The relative power of my character compared to the content always stays about the same. So what's the point?"
The camp of supporters - for now - in majority
Although opponents of the current shape of endgame in Diablo 4 are clearly not in short supply, they are nevertheless in the minority.
This is indicated, among other things, by the most liked statements on fan forums, which overwhelmingly defend Blizzard's latest creation.
They draw attention to, among other things, a considerable variety of actions that are usually performed in the endgame part of Diablo IV.
What for some is a problem and a "break from grind", yes (apparently) for most it is a nice break from tedious leveling, and a little planning.
"Sometimes it seems that some people don't want to do anything but stand in town and grind dungeons for 6 hours while slurping a milkshake. I don't think that's any more fun than what we have now."
What's more, some players have also come to the defense of itemization, pointing out that despite the level scaling, the game at later stages retains the essence of Diablo, which consists of completing better and better sets, which in the late stages facilitates faster clearing of locations of opponents..
For many it is the right equipment than enables them to feel the power in the latest Diablo rather than the high level - which, for quite a few players, is satisfying and greatly reinforces the need to seek more and better equipment.
"My sorceress struggled to fight until I acquired a few legendary items and aspects, and now I've noticed a huge jump in power. I think it's more a matter of loot than levels - as much as it suits me."
It should be noted that whatever the current endgame in Diablo 4, it will certainly undergo multiple transformations in the future. After all, this is only the beginning of the life of this live-service game, which will soon be enriched by season passes, and in the longer term at least two major expansions.
Personally, I would not get attached to the current endgame loop - after all, as in almost every Diablo the real endgame will begin with the start of the season. By that time, complainers will surely have had time to ogle some interesting games, and the rest of the players will have assimilated the key mechanics of the game.
