
	Platform PC Genre Action RPG Publisher Activision Blizzard Developer Blizzard ETA TBA
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Diablo III

We’ve been waiting for this for a very long time, but all the while knew that it would be announced eventually, and indeed it was. Blizzard announced a new installment to the Diablo series. Getting a major graphical update, some new classes to join the old, and some interesting gameplay improvements, Diablo III will likely be on the “Must-Have” lists of many PC gamers.

So far we know of three classes that players will be able to choose from: a barbarian, a witch doctor, and a wizard. Just like Diablo II, it appears that Blizzard wants a wide array of play styles available to us in the game. The barbarian favors melee combat, crushing skulls, and wading into the thick of things, while the witch doctor has a thing for diseases and making use of pets. Not surprisingly, the wizard likes to zap baddies from a distance, and isn’t too keen on them getting up close and personal.

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There are a number of tweaks being made to the gameplay for Diablo III, and one of the most welcome to me is that there will be far less use of potions while playing. In previous Diablo games, players needed to carry tons of potions on them to restore health while fighting, which resulted in a whole lot of clutter in one’s rather limited

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inventory. For this game, defeated monsters will drop health globes that will help to heal players so that they can press on without the need to constantly stop and pop a potion, or micromanage their inventories.

Like previous games, we’ll also be greeted with randomly generated dungeons in Diablo III. As an added perk, Blizzard is also planning random scripted events that are different on each play though of the game. So, for example, on one go players could come across an area with ruins of some sort that have a whole back story, and stuff to do there. The next time around, there could just be a huge den of monsters there that needs to be defeated, and on another play through there could be a group of NPCs there that need your help. This should drastically help to increase the replay value of the game in the long run.

As one would expect, the visuals are a huge step up from the last game, and I’d argue that they’re a huge step up from anything else that Blizzard has done recently, or currently has in the pipe, World of Warcraft, and Starcraft II included. The characters’ look far more detailed in their armor. The dungeons look particularly dank, and uninviting, and the monsters seem rather vicious. Diablo III is looking pretty darn good, graphically, so far.

Like so many Blizzard games to come before, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it takes a while for Diablo III to come out. Given the developer’s mantra that their games will be released when they’re done, I’d wager we’re at least a year away from this title coming out, maybe even 18 months. However, looking at Blizzard’s track record, it’ll most likely be worth the wait.

Mr. Nash
March 25, 2009