I am an old gamer. Some of my first gaming experiences were with Diablo, Warcraft 2, and Starcraft. I

remember when Doom and Wolfenstein were first released and were installed via 3.5 inch floppy drive. In those days, it  didn’t take much to impress. All a developer needed to do was create something more involved than Nibbles and it was destined to be a hit. Over the years, gamers have become more critical, games have become more complicated, and developers have experimented with old genres. They want to resurrect the games of the past, but they realize that changing too much will be an instant failure. Sequels need to be familiar, yet innovative. This is exactly how I would summarize Diablo 3.

When I first heard of the Diablo 3 closed beta, I decided that I really didn’t want to receive a beta invite. I was afraid that being in the beta would ruin the experience come release. After randomly receiving a close beta invite, I decided that I would at least do my part and participate to the best of my ability. At first I wasn’t impressed. The areas seemed too familiar. The classes seemed to me to be a summary of the first two games in the franchise. I have continued to participate in bug and glitch testing and endure the frustrations of such work. After months of testing my perception has totally changed.

Blizzard has truly turned Diablo 3 into something truly special. It is familiar due to the back story of the previous two games. Blizzard has always been a true master at storytelling and they do a splendid job in Diablo 3. I do believe after months of playing through Act 1 that this is my favorite part of the game. As you journey through the land, killing mobs, they randomly drop journals of previous travelers and adventurers. As you pickup the journals a voice clip of the storyteller begins recounting their tale. The voice acting is well done and even comical at times. I simply enjoy finding these throughout the land.

The combat of Diablo 3 is the same ole click and destroy of the top down dungeon crawler. Blizzard has attempted to freshen this mechanic up by introducing new skills which help the player decided how his character will engage enemies. Do you want a character that jumps into the fray? Do you want a character that attacks from afar and constantly evades enemies? Each class has skills available to do just that. This bring versatility to each class and attempts to break the cookie cutter class restrictions that plague dungeon crawler type games. Of course there is limitations but I feel that Blizzard has honed the old system and refine it to a point of acceptable quality. The new skills are refreshing and the revitalized skills have a newer feel and much more response than in Diablo 2.

The graphics of Diablo 3 are very robust. The bright colors seem well placed with the grim scenery. There are dark dungeons and caverns. The added color helps distinguish enemies and paths from the static environment. Explosions, water reflection, sounds, and enemy death mechanics will keep you engaged and wanting more. In the beta, updates are steady and regular. Each major update brings new and exciting additions, though how many of these will be in release remains to be seen. I feel that Blizzard is listening to the community and they know what works and what doesn’t. This title will be something special.

If you loved the previous titles, I can’t think of a reason why you would not like what Blizzard is doing with Diablo 3. It’s like the friend you know so well but with an attitude adjustment and a visual overhaul. I am happy to support Diablo 3 and cannot wait for more.

-Solidbrim