ANAHEIM -- Diablo II has often been cited as the epitome of simple, elegant, addictive game design.
Almost everything in the game is accomplished with a simple mouse click, and even the high-level end-game is physically just a series of rapid finger twitches and button taps.
This simplicity makes the game as accessible and addictive as any computer game has a right to be, but somehow Blizzard has found a way to make the latest Diablo title even less complex.
In Diablo III, the focus is on instant action. As with previous titles you're constantly being assaulted by hordes of foes, but now there's no need to focus on anything but the combat itself.
Instead of having to lug around belts full of health potions, Diablo III's potions are a static object found on corpses. You can't carry them with you, and when you walk near them you'll automatically quaff the thing, regaining health. Not only does this make boss fights more difficult -- I actually almost died fighting the first big baddie without an armful of potions to save me -- but it prevents players from needing to sort through and arrange stacks of potions before every subterranean trip.
The skill system has also been simplified. Instead of Diablo II's numeric chart, the game itself arranges your key character attributes. You're still free to customize your character in the game's three skill trees, but now you're saved from the possibility of erroneously adding to your Barbarian's Intelligence skill with a misplaced click.
Stat hounds may be wondering if Blizzard has completely dumped the series' hyper-addictive character customization. In way, it has. As I said, each character is essentially going to be the same at similar levels, but based on the short time I spent with the new skill trees, there is plenty of room for crafting your unique avatar.
Graphically and aurally, the game displays Blizzard's typical high level of polish. Fires burn uncontrolled, casting shadows across stone walls and shambling skeletons, gold glitters in the low light and as your character cycles through his or her range of attack animations, it actually looks like combat, as opposed to canned fighting graphics.
One key superficial addition Blizzard has added is select deformable terrain within the dungeons. As I was crawling toward the first boss I walked under an archway that collapsed behind me. Not only did huge chunks of stone tumble to rest in an area that I'd just wandered through, one actually hit my character's head and stunned him momentarily (complete with swirling stars around his head). It's not a huge addition, but when walking around decrepit pits, I expect things to be falling apart -- it's nice to see Blizzard agrees.
I'd like to go on at length about the item system too, but there's no need; It's exactly like Diablo II. If you're familiar with what a level 40 green Claymore in Diablo II should have stat-wise, you can bet it will have the same features in DIII.
I'd normally knock a game for dropping originality, but who cares? Diablo II is a classic for a reason and changing things just to appease the angry internet hordes who demand something new and different would be an idiotic move on Blizzard's part.
I only spent about 20 minutes with Diablo III -- the game was on an automatic timer to prevent people from passing beyond the content which Blizzard has already created -- though in that time myself and a friend managed to complete the game's first quest and kill the (amazingly imposing) Skeleton King. It's far from enough time to gurantee that Diablo III is yet another hit, but for what it's worth the game now tops my list of most-anticipated upcoming titles.
Image courtesy Blizzard Entertainment
