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Diablo III

Les mots ne suffisent pas avec Diablo III. On peut analyser, essayer d'expliquer pourquoi on l'adore, comprendre. À Eurogamer, on aime prendre du recul sur les jeux, toujours proposer des explications, des réponses. C'est impossible ici. C'est viscéral : il nous faut revenir sur le jeu, encore et toujours, entre deux paragraphes. Un truc à vérifier. Passe-t-on de l'envie de jouer au besoin de jouer avec Diablo III ?

Games this thoughtfully crafted don't happen very often, and the care that Blizzard has taken with Diablo 3 shows in every facet of its design and execution. It might not be perfect, but after 45 hours, I'm not sure where it missteps, and after 45 hours, I feel like I've only scratched the surface of what it has to offer. Diablo 3 is almost evil in how high a bar it's set for every PC action RPG to follow, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that bar remain for a very long time.

While legacy certainly has something to do with it, Diablo III goes beyond a mere nostalgia trip; it's a fundamentally improved experience that may once again change the ways developers look at creating RPGs. It takes the core experience that made Diablo II great and makes it less frustrating and, more importantly, much more accessible. Where Diablo II encouraged careful planning and forethought, Diablo III encourages experimentation and fun.

Even without those features, however, Diablo 3 is a masterpiece. It advances the classic form of Diablo 2 past the World of Warcraft era, including its own versions of mechanics like crafting and the Auction House that worked so well in Blizzard's MMO. At the same time, it remains Diablo - Torchlight added a pet that will sell items for you, among other innovations, but Blizzard has remained characteristically traditional on that. You go out, you kill monsters and pick up loot, you return to town to buy, sell, and upgrade. Rinse and repeat, forever and ever, amen.

It's such a rare thing that my interest in continuing to play a game keeps increasing not just toward the end of the game but past the end, yet somehow the more Diablo I play, the more Diablo I want to play. It doesn't do anything especially new with the action-RPG genre, but it does all the old things very, very well, and sometimes that's more than enough.

Diablo III is a narcotic substance constructed of ones and zeroes, relentlessly toying with your neural reward center, oozing dopamine and forcing you to abuse caffeine like you’ve never before dreamed of doing. It is the very definition of addiction. It’s everything Diablo II was except better. And in spite of a twelve year incubation period, that ought to be reason enough to believe.

Whether you're dual-wielding axes and swords, rapid firing a mighty crossbow, fist-fighting, throwing a spear, casting a powerful spell or indeed summoning a monster of your very own, this game will make you feel like a true hero - one that is caught in the eternal and epic struggle between light and dark. Diablo 3 is a truly memorable experience and one of the best video games we've played in recent times.

Simply put, Diablo III is a ton of fun. With five character classes, three unlockable difficulty levels and the Blizzard statement that 70% of the loot isn’t available in Normal, there is tons of replay value. Anything bad I could say about the game is, in the end, a minor complaint, and none of it got in the way of my enjoyment. It lives up to the series pedigree and is the best game of its kind. If you like this style of game you should absolutely be playing it, and if you’re new to the genre it’s a great place to start.

The true power of Diablo III lies in its replayability thanks to its versatility, which is the greatest kind of ability there is for a game like this. Playing through once from Act I all the way to Act IV’s conclusion isn’t going to be enough for most gamers and that’s perfect because it’s the way it’s meant to be. With all those dungeon randomisations, boss events, challenging difficulty, co-op play, loot gathering and the general mayhem of monster slaying, Diablo III is a ride that may tire if binged on religiously but one that’ll haunt your dreams long-term to get back to it, just like its predecessor.

Blizzard haven't set out to reinvent the wheel with Diablo III, opting instead to release the ultimate version of a wheel that's already beloved by its niche audience. If you come into it expecting something different, there's a very real chance it might disappoint. If, on the other hand, what you want is a brand new, shiny version of a game you played twelve years ago, get set to forget about everything else - at least for a while - as D3 succeeds most assuredly at delivering exactly that.

Twelve years. Twelve long years of waiting and fans are finally playing Diablo III, and, if my recent marathon sessions are any indication, they will be for the foreseeable future. So many systems from previous Diablo titles have been improved, making for an approachable, rewarding and deeply satisfying treasure hunting game. It's addictive on a level few games can match, so much so that it's easy to largely overlook its flaws. Sure, if you want you could really nitpick Diablo III’s design, but ultimately any minor grievances seem so trivial when compared to the enjoyment I had and will continue to have with Diablo III for years to come.

While at first glance Diablo III seems to be a step back from it's predecessor, it's actually more complicated, and ultimately, a more satisfying experience.

Getting back to to answer the question about what I thought Diablo III would deliver, I expected a game that would make me lose track of time, wish for bigger backpacks, and sacrifice real-life relationships. Thankfully, two outta three ain’t bad.

Getting online and into the game though, rewards players with one of the most engaging single-player and co-op experiences in the business, so if you have patience and can look past Blizzard’s biggest oversight, you’re in for one of the year’s best games.

Mentre scrivo questa review da Blizzard arrivano scuse ufficiali ai fan per aver trascurato il carico di accessi al lancio (abbondantemente calcolato, visti i preorder confermati) e considerato tutto, metterei da parte le polemiche e ringrazierei Blizzard per averci restituito un titolo che farà giocare milioni di persone ad una delle più grandi lotte tra il Bene e il Male che si siano mai viste su PC. Diablo III avrebbe potuto essere una rivoluzione, ma non la è stata: dobbiamo accontentarci di un titolo dall’altissimo spessore artistico e con centinaia d’ore di giocabilità all’ultimo sangue. Vorreste rinunciarvi?

Diablo 3 is more than slick, and more than deep. It's a turbo-charged romp through the conventions of action, role-playing and online games that plays to the gallery but tears up the rulebook on the sly. It has been awfully compromised by its launch and by the lack of an offline mode, but it deserves better than to be remembered for that. And I'm certain it won't be.

Diablo 3 es el mejor juego de mazmorras mata-mata que ha aparecido hasta el momento, cogiendo al juego estrictamente por lo que ofrece y sin tener en cuenta nada más. Es equilibrado, accesible, profundo, intenso, adictivo, variado, pulido y con capacidad para enganchar muchos años. Son las decisiones que rozan transversalmente al título las que lo alejan de la obra maestra que debería ser y que, por poner un ejemplo cercano, no estaban en Starcraft 2. A pesar de la temporal ausencia de PVP – aunque el título llega perfectamente preparado para asumirlo – nos encontramos ante un producto que ha venido para quedarse y que firma su candidatura a juego del año sin pestañear. A todos los fans del género y de los buenos juegos de PC en general, altamente recomendado.

"Diablo III" é uma sequência polida e afiada de um dos melhores jogos do gênero. É um RPG de ação levado ao extremo, reduzido, de certa forma, à sua essência: destruir os inimigos, coletar tesouros, ganhar experiência e ficar mais poderoso. A partir desses conceitos simples, "Diablo III" captura sua atenção e com pequenas, mas constantes, recompensas e um sentimento de poder e evolução ininterrupto, mantém você envolvido, jogando por horas a fio, voltando aos mesmos estágios para fortalecer seu personagem, seja com itens melhores ou com o puro ganho de experiência. Para os não iniciados, parece até um desperdício de tempo. Mas vamos admitir, é um tempo muito bem desperdiçado.

Το single player προσφέρει δώδεκα με δεκαπέντε ώρες ποιοτικού dungeon crawling, ακολουθώντας γραμμικά την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας, χωρίς διάθεση να ρισκάρει, ξεφεύγοντας από τα κεκτημένα. Η ποικιλομορφία των κλάσεων, τα διαφορετικά επίπεδα δυσκολίας και το κυνήγι εξοπλισμού αποτελούν καλούς λόγους να επιστρέψουμε ξανά και ξανά στον τίτλο. Η πρόκληση στα ανώτερα επίπεδα δυσκολίας, παίζοντας online, αποκαλύπτει το πραγματικό πρόσωπο του παιχνιδιού, προσφέροντας πάμπολλές ώρες ποιοτικής διασκέδασης. Εν αναμονή του PvP update και περιμένουμε να δούμε αν θα αντέξουν οι servers της Blizzard.

Diablo III is bound to have its doubters, and that's to be expected after twelve years in development. Boiling the game down to its core mechanics and most basic principles though, there's no way to deny it - -Diablo III is one hell of a good time. Not everything works, but the majority of it does -- and splendidly so if you've got friends joining you in the process. But hey, you didn't need any free time did you?

Once upon a time, the Diablo series defined the hack-and-slash action role-playing game, setting the standard by which all games in the genre were measured. Now, Diablo III feels more familiar than genre-defining, relying on refining the same hooks that have always made this series so compelling. But what a refinement it is. The controls are responsive and pleasurable; the diversity of character classes and skill customization options is impressive; and the constant stream of gold and treasure you earn is irresistible. Blizzard has the recipe for crafting a habit-forming loot-driven action RPG down to a science, and in Diablo III, the results of that recipe are more exciting and more addictive than they've ever been.

Diablo III est un excellent jeu, référence ultime du hack'n slash en ligne. Il aurait mérité d'ailleurs une bien meilleure note mais on ne peut que sanctionner la politique online de Blizzard. Entre deux erreurs 37, il est très difficile de décrocher d'un tel jeu !

As much as I've played and want to keep playing this game, I've had a hard time rationalizing why. The fact is that this game isn't really as impressive as the vast majority of fans, myself included, were expecting.

Ich bleibe dabei, dass Blizzards Monsterhatz auf den niedrigen Anspruchsstufen einen Heidenspaß macht und die 90er-Wertung verdient. Im Endgame mutiert Diablo 3 aber zu einem anderen Spiel. Genauer gesagt: zu einem schlechteren Spiel. Nicht etwa wegen des Item-Farmings, bei einem Action-Rollenspiel gehört die langwierige Sammelei dazu. Auch ins erste und zweite Diablo sowie in Titan Quest habe ich Monate, ach, Jahre investiert, nur um bessere Ausrüstung zu ergattern. Doch genau hier liegt der Diablo-3-Hase im Höllenpfeffer: Blizzard hat das Item-System offenkundig nicht durchdacht, neben ausgeglichenen Fundstücken fehlt einfach die Abwechslung. Schon klar, das war in Diablo 2 kaum anders, doch das bot zusätzlich noch Levelaufstiege. Und inzwischen zeigt fast jedes MMO, wie’s besser geht: mit facettenreichem Crafting, mit Upgrades, mit Verzauberungen.

The difference between Diablo III and II isn’t as big a leap as the previous iteration, but again, nobody can say it’s a surprise. The modern Blizzard plays it a lot „safer” and they’ve mastered that art. The final product, however, was lighter than I expected and a lot more shallow in points where I’d hoped for more from one of the biggest juggernauts in the videogame industry.

Für das Solo-Erlebnis alleine würde ich nicht einmal 80% geben. Unter anderem, weil ich mit der Charakterentwicklung und ihrem vorgegebenen Fortschritt nicht warm werde. Ebenso wenig wie mit dem Onlinezwang, der bei Serverausfällen dafür sorgt, dass auch Solisten auf einen schwarzen Bildschirm starren. Erzählerisch und mechanisch bleibt man zudem meist blass. Die Geschichte wird mit Ausnahme der hervorragenden Render-Sequenzen nicht spannend genug inszeniert, das Kampfsystem ist von der simpelsten Sorte. Dennoch verbringe ich aufgrund der stimmungsvollen Gegenstands-Sogwirkung gerne meine Zeit mit dem Ausflug in die Hölle. Allerdings geht Blizzard kein Risiko und hat trotz viel versprechender Ansätze im zweiten Akt die Chance verpasst, das Genre wie seinerzeit mit den Vorgängern neu zu definieren. Man begnügt sich damit, "eines von vielen" Action-Rollenspielen zu sein. Und das ist gut gelungen.

As long as you are aware of and accept Diablo 3's online limitations, I wholeheartedly recommend it. A week after launch, the servers are up and running smoothly, though "scheduled maintenance" still brings them down from time to time, usually in the wee hours of the morning. But solo players who would rather live their gaming lives offline -- or have less than perfect faith in the stability of their internet connections -- should probably hold out for the offline-friendly Torchlight 2 instead.

Diablo 3 est un titre agréable, beau et plus que plaisant à jouer. Il tout aussi accessible pour le néophyte du genre que pour le « hardcore gamer », resté axé sur Lord of Destruction. L'histoire se taille ici une part belle et prolonge sans accrocs une histoire marquée par des personnages charismatiques, issus pour certains des précédents opus. D'autant que le contenu -armes, armures, etc- est gargantuesque! Cependant, le jeux accumule quelques bévues qui entache l'impression finale, tant par des bugs ou des oublis que par des choix peut être un peu faciles. Ainsi en témoigne la perte de l'orientation RPG du jeu, puisqu'il est par exemple impossible de personnaliser son héros.

Il aura fallu beaucoup de temps à Blizzard pour sortir ce Diablo 3, mais le résultat en valait la peine. Que ce soit au niveau des nouvelles mécaniques de compétences, du dynamisme du gameplay ou de la brutalité et du sentiment de puissance inouï des combats, le bonheur est complet. Enfin presque : dommage que le jeu souffre de ce choix stupide du tout en ligne, entraînant de fait des problèmes techniques difficilement excusables pour un jeu qui aurait parfaitement pu s'en passer.

Granted, Diablo 3 launch day did not go quite as planned and was a bit of a fiasco. Server issues and connectivity problems plagued all 3 regions. I am sure Blizzard will, or may have already by the time this review is posted, resolved the issues; however, considering how long I have waited to play the game the last thing I wanted to do was stop playing because of server problems. In the end however, Diablo 3 is a great addition to the series. The storyline is well-written and captivating. The game looks and sounds absolutely amazing and the countless hours players can spend exploring, collecting and achievement unlocking is endless. While the lack of character customization and reduction in the amount of players you can have in a room is a bit of a let-down; the reality is Diablo pushes the series forward in the right direction. I cannot wait to see you all in the world of Sanctuary!

This is a really good game, but Blizzard put its success in some jeopardy by their bizarre insistence that you can only play it online. What does this add, other than frustration? Security? I suspect not, I don’t think anything stops hackers forever. Starcraft 2 needed a Battlenet account to sign in and activate the game, but after that you could play offline quite happily. It’s a much better game for it. Enforced online play adds nothing at all for the player. I ought to give this nine or more out of ten for gameplay and value. It’s huge, challenging, detailed, beautiful and complicated. I won’t, because of a single stupid production decision. It’s still a great game, but not worth the current price. Stay your cash awhile, see if Blizzard listens to the community, and maybe you’ve got one of the best games of the last couple of years. But not until then. Right now you’ve basically got an averagely buggy launch of a high-profile new game, which you should not pay a premium rate for.

Diablo III is far from perfect. It’s got myriad questionable design decisions and logical fallacies keeping it from the greatness of its predecessors. But, that said, all games ultimately boil down to one question: “Is it fun?” And the answer is yes. All my curmudgeonly grousing is merely that -- empty words. When all is said and done, I’m still playing Diablo III. Maybe that’s enough.

Knowing that Diablo III is going to have the backing of Blizzard’s dedicated post-release support puts the game in a great position to fully realize its enormous potential. The game we have now isn’t going to be the game we’re going to have by the end of the year. It’s a fun game that takes too long to get going anywhere, but its combat is so slick and refined that everything else around needs to step up to that level of quality. The universe of Diablo is most certainly destroyed, but the game is far from it.

Diablo 3 levererar en mycket genomarbetad men också väldigt gammaldags och statisk spelupplevelse. Att spelet blir en rolig flerspelarupplevelse efter 20-talet timmar förlåter inte att de inledande stunderna är dåliga med Blizzards mått mätt. Potentialen finns att framtida ändringar kommer höja upplevelsen och livslängden.

So is this a game worthy of your hard-earned money? It depends how much you enjoy the franchise, versus what other games you might have in queue. I enjoyed my return to Sanctuary, despite Diablo’s quirks. At least the first time. Despite playing to half the level cap of 60, I admit I lost interest in going further. The game is beautiful, and it’s easy to become distracted by all of the color, action and addictiveness of the gear hunt. There simply isn’t enough to keep me coming back for more of the same, not even the promise of that magic piece of gear. I had full intention of creating at least one level-cap character, but despite the beauty of the game, the gameplay itself has to maintain your interest. In my case, one playthrough was enough. There are simply too many other games out there awaiting us, especially this time of the year.

It's great when a massive game comes along and all your friends play together. When it comes with a strong community focus like in Diablo 3, this gets even better. The sad thing is that the underlying game has not been prioritised as highly as everything that surrounds it. When financial concerns override creative ones the result is content and not art. With a focus on an auction house no one wants, a scant, lowest common denominator storyline and a difficulty curve that keeps you in a coma-like state, Diablo 3 could have been so much more. Its a good game, but it has been engineered to keep you playing, not to entertain you. When I had finished with it I started playing something else and had the strangest feeling. “What is wrong with me? Why do I feel weird?”. Then I realised what was happening. I was starting to think. My brain was coming back online. Games can challenge, engage and excite us. Diablo 3 is gaming carbs; it fills you up and keeps you satisfied, but that’s all.

Все это, включая встроенный аукцион по анонимной купле-продаже игровых предметов, не дает ответа на главный вопрос: почему на Diablo 3 положили не два-три года, а 11 лет? Да, проект лихорадило — массовый исход персонала из Blizzard North, несколько «перезапусков», — но то, что появилось в итоге на прилавках, ни технически, ни идейно не оправдывает столь долгий цикл разработки.

There is absolutely no denying that Diablo III continues to maintain the high artistic standards that it has kept over the years. But the dumbed character and inventory systems, coupled to the ridiculous always-on connection and the breathtaking arrogance of the"you'll play how we tell you to play" attitude makes playing this title a damned shame instead of a hell of a good time.