Diablo II
Published by Blizzard
Genre Real-time hack'n'slash RPG
Similar to Diablo, Nox
Rating (1 - 10) 6.5
Reviewer Richard Egan
Review Date September 2001

This was a disappointment. In fact, when I bought it, it was a big, big, big disappointment. A "scream, hold my breath and throw my toys at the wall" sort of disappointment.

The first Diablo was superb, remembered gaming is supposed to be "fun" and not a profession. The underlying difference with the sequel seems to be a major geeking-up of the statistics and game mechanics (as a trip to any Diablo II fan site discussion board will show). And for me, that's not enough to compensate for the fact that this game lacks the originality of the ... err ... "original". I mean, part of the fun of a role-play is getting out there, killing bad guys, clearing out dungeons. Except that in Diablo II the monsters just resurrect the next time you launch the game, so why bother?

Stats hounds seem to like this, since it means they can rack up more experience by fighting the same monsters over and over (yawn!). However, they seem to miss the point that experience rewards are weighted. I fast-tracked my characters by deliberately keeping them fighting in areas just a little tougher than they might be expected to fight - that is, never go back, only go forwards. I ran through whole areas, avoided getting caught up in fights with piffling small fry, got bigger relative experience rewards ... but is that really how games like this should play?

For me, the distinction between a good game (like Commandos) and a great game (like the first Age of Empires) is that the later levels or challenges aren't just "harder" versions of the earlier ones. It's simple, from a game design perspective, to just tighten up the percentages and - hey! presto! - the game gets harder. Simple ... but neither creative, nor rewarding to the player. Diablo II makes this mistake over and over.

Problem is, Diablo was such a great game, even Diablo II can't be all bad. I still find myself having the odd forray into Hell, and for that, Diablo II is still on my games drive...

More: http://www.blizzard.com (official); http://www.diablo2.com (good fan site)

RME

 


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