A game that still attracts fans, a phenomenon of the Diablo series

The first Diablo, the legendary game from Blizzard Entertainment, was released on New Year's Eve 1996. The series is almost 24 years old and consists of only three games, the last of which was released in 2012. How is it possible that, six years after its release, Diablo 3 is still being played by thousands of people? There are two reasons.

Andrzej Koltunovych

First, it's the simplicity of the game. Diablo 3 is a hack'n'slash game, a simplified version of a fantasy RPG. As in RPGs, there are coefficients (strength, agility, etc.), but you cannot assign them yourself. There are also skills (various types of barbarian strikes or necromancer spells), but you don't have to choose between them - as you level up, they will all be unlocked. The authors of the game freed the player from having to make difficult, irreversible decisions that could take revenge later in the game. Instead, he can focus on the pleasant: skinning enemies and refining weapons.

The second reason for the continued success of "Diablo 3" is the so-called. playback value. What's this? If a playback value the game is high, which means that it is worth going through it more than once, for example, with different characters, in a different style, or making different plot decisions. The gameplay will be so different from the original game that the player will still enjoy it. On the other hand, for the low game playback value we won't want to go back because the experience won't be different from the first time. Well playback value games in the Diablo series is extremely high, and Diablo 3 is no exception.

The further in the game, the more interesting

Our first contact with the game will be the passage of the storyline with the selected character class (in the version with all additions there are six of them: Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Shaman, Mage, Crusader or Necromancer). A fairly straightforward, linear plot provides us with several - several hours of entertainment, during which we travel through the lands of the Sanctuary, mow down all sorts of hellish spawn along the way. Along the way, we are gaining experience levels and acquiring new skills to finally stand face to face with the Supreme Evil - Diablo. And then even more evil - Malthael (thanks to the addition of Reaper of Souls). The fun just begins when we lay the last one dead!

We get access to new game modes that allow you to enter the game at the selected location of the campaign or move to any place in the world to complete orders and earn rewards. All the time, our hero goes to the next levels of experience, and when we reach seventy, we begin to “poke” the so-called. master levels that give bonuses to skills.

At the same time, we are constantly hunting for valuable weapons that drop from enemies, which has a huge impact on the strength of the hero. The further we are in the game, the more chances we have to hit the legendary items.

At some point, we realize that the game becomes too easy and hordes of demons fall like flies under our blows. But this is nothing - we have difficulty levels that we can adjust to the strength of our hero. Depending on the platform, we have them from 8 (console) to 17 (PC)! The higher the difficulty level, the better the weapon “drops” from opponents. The best weapons make the hero stronger, so the difficulty level can be raised again - the circle is closed.

Excellent guilty pleasure

When we get tired of playing as a Barbarian or Sorceress, we can create another character at any time and go to conquer the Sanctuary as a Demon Hunter or Necromancer, using new skills and fighting techniques. At any time, we can also launch a multiplayer mode and join forces with up to three players in a cooperative mode.

After the end of the campaign, the plot is relegated to the background, and the player's attention is focused on character development, which is a great pleasure. Oh, those sensations when a legendary weapon falls out of the boss! What satisfaction when we see chaos among the enemies of an increasingly powerful hero!

Diablo 3 is well designed guilty pleasureit will completely captivate someone, and for someone it will become a pleasant escape from the hardships of everyday life. Random, unpretentious, a lot of fun.

Now is the time to try. In early November, another edition of the game appeared on the market. Diablo 3: Eternal Collection includes Reaper of Souls downloadable content, the Rise of Necromancer Pack, and exclusive Nintendo Switch DLC.