The bodies of a hundred demons lie strewn in our wake as we push forward. The dungeon we’re exploring has the feel of a temple swallowed whole by the Desolate Sands; its dusty walls weep endless streams of sand. Kormac, my Templar companion, pipes up during a rare moment of silence. “I tried to count how many we killed,” he barks with confidence, “but I’ve lost track.” I chuckle at his almost comedic level of nonchalance; he’s clearly seen all of this before. “By all that is holy!” Kormac shouts, breaking the silence yet again, “do you see that enemy over there?” I spot a towering bulb of flesh lumbering its way towards us, leading a horde of smaller creatures, all thirsty for our blood.
The battle is swift, brutal and immensely satisfying. Savage, weighty blows from my Barbarian’s hammer instantly shatter the smaller fiends, while I chain together leaps and whirls to immobilise then tear apart the bigger threats. Hell-spawn may come in all sizes and colours, but they always look the same once we’re done with them - a righteous, bloody mess. As the final body hits the floor, it erupts in a shower of gold and other treasures, including an alluring glimmer of orange. A legendary item! I eagerly examine it, hoping for a game-changing perk.
Hell-spawn may come in all sizes and colours, but they always look the same once we’re done with them - a righteous, bloody mess.
This is the rhythm of Diablo III and I’m loving it. I honestly can’t believe I waited this long to play the series. Yes, you read that right, Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition is my first taste of one of the most venerable action RPG series’ of all-time. Not only that, it’s my first Blizzard title too. I know, I know – ridiculous, right?
So before we go any further – why Diablo and why now? For me, this series has always been a tantalizing prospect, but I never had a PC back in the day, so I could only ever listen to my friends recall the tales of their most harrowing and spectacular moments by the school water fountain. Since then, I’ve only ever had my own ideas of what I thought a Diablo game could be like and because of that, it’s remained an attractive prospect--for years--that was simply swept away in time. With the release of the Ultimate Evil Edition, the time just felt right. The fact that I’m finding it so compelling, four years after initial release speaks volumes about not only the core underpinnings of the series, but also the work Blizzard has done to keep Diablo III feeling fresh and relevant.
And for a series I’ve been looking at – slightly intimidated – for this many years, Diablo III really goes out of its way to ensure you’re having fun out of the gate. I’d expected it to beat me down, mercilessly, especially after setting it to a higher than moderate difficulty setting, but that wasn’t the case. From the moment I picked it up, I could feel Diablo III was going to be just what I wanted and then some, and that feeling only grew stronger as the minutes turned into hours, which eventually turned into watching the sun rise.
Anyone who has spent time with this game would already know this, but Diablo III’s Barbarian is just a beast; the kind of character that waltzes confidently into the fight, swinging madly at anything that moves and soaking up damage.
Fed by hatred.
I’ve also been loving the Demon Hunter, thanks to its strong combination of AoE attacks and ranged weapons, which require a more delicate dance against the hordes upon hordes of enemies. Plus, trying to fire off a special attack in the thick of battle only to hear the Demon Hunter shout “I need more Hatred to do that!” hits the black comedy mark on so many levels that half the time I’d be laughing like an idiot whilst hacking my way through a group of deranged cultists. Diablo III is like pure, never-ending theatre; if that theatre was smack in the centre of Hell.
After running through the campaign with both characters, I’m putting some very serious thought into starting a third with a new class, or pushing on with my Barbarian and checking out the abundance of things to do in Adventure mode. I did, for a brief period, flirt with the idea of starting a Hardcore character, but I realised that goes beyond what I want from a game like this. Part of what makes Diablo III wonderful to me is its ability to make you feel unbelievably powerful amidst total chaos. The moment I lose that power fantasy is the moment Diablo stops being Diablo to me and becomes an entirely new beast. I’m certain I’ll get to that point one day, but that day is not today.
Diablo III is like pure, never-ending theatre; if that theatre was smack in the centre of Hell.
It’s more than likely I’ll get started on a magic class; either the Wizard or the Witch Doctor. Very few games have ever given me the impetus to try out its magical combat, because I tend to find physical melee combat to be far more interesting and gratifying. Diablo III has managed to pull me out of that mindset, though, instead urging me to try everything it has to offer rather than burrow into my own corner. It practically demands it, which is why, despite my ever-growing pile of shame being full of other, more modern titles, I’ll be digging into it even more. I need to see just how deep this rabbit hole goes.
So, what class should I play next? And are there any series’ you’ve always wanted to play but never got to? Sound off in the comments.
...and I didn't even mention the glorious art.
James Swinbanks is an Australian freelancer who, between driving pretend race cars, still can't decide whether he should bother with Overwatch or not. Tweet at him here @j_swinbanks.
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