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Jun. 2nd, 2012
So, I killed Diablo this morning.
Initial (non-spoilery) thoughts on the game, after one run-through on Normal (with a female Demon Hunter), and at least the start of a run with each character:
1. Love the voice acting. Cree Summer? James Hong? Robin Atkin Downes? Jennifer Hale? Grey DeLisle? All awesome.
2. Alas, the writing isn't as good as the acting. I do like the flavor text of the followers, but the "twist" at the end of the second act is literally the most obvious one I've ever encountered. And the entire third act is predicated on a "military genius" who tells you his every move (and the twist at the end of that act is hardly any less predictable, although at least I got the impression it was supposed to be obvious). Yes, I know that video game writing isn't the same as screenwriting, but there were so many better ways to do either the second or third acts (without changing the quest structure at all).
3. I love reading the forums and getting told how the normal mode is so easy, and anyone who dies even once is a pathetic noob. I'm not a 24-year-old who spends eight hours gaming a day (which explains why it took me two weeks to beat the game). And yeah, I died a good dozen times, although six of them were against Belial. Actually, Diablo was the only stage boss who didn't kill me. Fortunately, dying is much less of a problem here than in the last game.
4. I love most of the changes. Being able to not worry about committing to a skill or a stat path is awesome. Likewise, the town portal, identify, and inventory management are much cleaner. I do wish we could use health potions more (nice as health globes are in general, they're not always helpful against bosses), but in general, the gameplay is great.
5. From a gameplay standpoint, Act 1 is still what I think of as "classic" Diablo, and very similar to the first game and the first act of the second, with battles in the fields and some good dungeons.
6. Act 2 is just as annoying as Act 2 was in the first game. I hate those damned firebombing cat people just like I did then. And the snake people who can't be hit until they're next to you (thus taking away the advantage of my ranged attacks) also annoy me.
7. Act 3 was interesting from a design standpoint, as it seemed to combine Acts 4 and 5 from the previous game in terms of style. I enjoyed the monsters here a lot, and the fact that the managed to make the Fallen actually threatening is pretty nifty.
8. Act 4 is way too short. Mind you, Act 4 in Diablo 2 was too short, but this is about half its length, and there are barely any side dungeons (although I did love the two I found).
9. I love the Demon Hunter's ranged attacks. This is my current build, for anyone who cares. Hungering Arrow has allowed me to kill dozens of enemies before ever encountering them (I pretty much just soften up every room before heading in), and it just all kinds of nifty. Rapid Fire is awesome for crowd control, and vault is invaluable fighting against big bosses or when I'm cornered.
10. And yeah, the auction house is horribly implemented. I have no sense of what my items are worth, or whether the autosell prices on other items are good or bad. Still, there's usually good stuff to be found for under $10K.
11. Oh, and yeah, the always-online thing sucks. I understand it, but it's a pain.
Next time I have energy, I'll play a little bit more with Nightmare mode.
Initial (non-spoilery) thoughts on the game, after one run-through on Normal (with a female Demon Hunter), and at least the start of a run with each character:
1. Love the voice acting. Cree Summer? James Hong? Robin Atkin Downes? Jennifer Hale? Grey DeLisle? All awesome.
2. Alas, the writing isn't as good as the acting. I do like the flavor text of the followers, but the "twist" at the end of the second act is literally the most obvious one I've ever encountered. And the entire third act is predicated on a "military genius" who tells you his every move (and the twist at the end of that act is hardly any less predictable, although at least I got the impression it was supposed to be obvious). Yes, I know that video game writing isn't the same as screenwriting, but there were so many better ways to do either the second or third acts (without changing the quest structure at all).
3. I love reading the forums and getting told how the normal mode is so easy, and anyone who dies even once is a pathetic noob. I'm not a 24-year-old who spends eight hours gaming a day (which explains why it took me two weeks to beat the game). And yeah, I died a good dozen times, although six of them were against Belial. Actually, Diablo was the only stage boss who didn't kill me. Fortunately, dying is much less of a problem here than in the last game.
4. I love most of the changes. Being able to not worry about committing to a skill or a stat path is awesome. Likewise, the town portal, identify, and inventory management are much cleaner. I do wish we could use health potions more (nice as health globes are in general, they're not always helpful against bosses), but in general, the gameplay is great.
5. From a gameplay standpoint, Act 1 is still what I think of as "classic" Diablo, and very similar to the first game and the first act of the second, with battles in the fields and some good dungeons.
6. Act 2 is just as annoying as Act 2 was in the first game. I hate those damned firebombing cat people just like I did then. And the snake people who can't be hit until they're next to you (thus taking away the advantage of my ranged attacks) also annoy me.
7. Act 3 was interesting from a design standpoint, as it seemed to combine Acts 4 and 5 from the previous game in terms of style. I enjoyed the monsters here a lot, and the fact that the managed to make the Fallen actually threatening is pretty nifty.
8. Act 4 is way too short. Mind you, Act 4 in Diablo 2 was too short, but this is about half its length, and there are barely any side dungeons (although I did love the two I found).
9. I love the Demon Hunter's ranged attacks. This is my current build, for anyone who cares. Hungering Arrow has allowed me to kill dozens of enemies before ever encountering them (I pretty much just soften up every room before heading in), and it just all kinds of nifty. Rapid Fire is awesome for crowd control, and vault is invaluable fighting against big bosses or when I'm cornered.
10. And yeah, the auction house is horribly implemented. I have no sense of what my items are worth, or whether the autosell prices on other items are good or bad. Still, there's usually good stuff to be found for under $10K.
11. Oh, and yeah, the always-online thing sucks. I understand it, but it's a pain.
Next time I have energy, I'll play a little bit more with Nightmare mode.
So, I killed Diablo this morning.
Initial (non-spoilery) thoughts on the game, after one run-through on Normal (with a female Demon Hunter), and at least the start of a run with each character:
1. Love the voice acting. Cree Summer? James Hong? Robin Atkin Downes? Jennifer Hale? Grey DeLisle? All awesome.
2. Alas, the writing isn't as good as the acting. I do like the flavor text of the followers, but the "twist" at the end of the second act is literally the most obvious one I've ever encountered. And the entire third act is predicated on a "military genius" who tells you his every move (and the twist at the end of that act is hardly any less predictable, although at least I got the impression it was supposed to be obvious). Yes, I know that video game writing isn't the same as screenwriting, but there were so many better ways to do either the second or third acts (without changing the quest structure at all).
3. I love reading the forums and getting told how the normal mode is so easy, and anyone who dies even once is a pathetic noob. I'm not a 24-year-old who spends eight hours gaming a day (which explains why it took me two weeks to beat the game). And yeah, I died a good dozen times, although six of them were against Belial. Actually, Diablo was the only stage boss who didn't kill me. Fortunately, dying is much less of a problem here than in the last game.
4. I love most of the changes. Being able to not worry about committing to a skill or a stat path is awesome. Likewise, the town portal, identify, and inventory management are much cleaner. I do wish we could use health potions more (nice as health globes are in general, they're not always helpful against bosses), but in general, the gameplay is great.
5. From a gameplay standpoint, Act 1 is still what I think of as "classic" Diablo, and very similar to the first game and the first act of the second, with battles in the fields and some good dungeons.
6. Act 2 is just as annoying as Act 2 was in the first game. I hate those damned firebombing cat people just like I did then. And the snake people who can't be hit until they're next to you (thus taking away the advantage of my ranged attacks) also annoy me.
7. Act 3 was interesting from a design standpoint, as it seemed to combine Acts 4 and 5 from the previous game in terms of style. I enjoyed the monsters here a lot, and the fact that the managed to make the Fallen actually threatening is pretty nifty.
8. Act 4 is way too short. Mind you, Act 4 in Diablo 2 was too short, but this is about half its length, and there are barely any side dungeons (although I did love the two I found).
9. I love the Demon Hunter's ranged attacks. This is my current build, for anyone who cares. Hungering Arrow has allowed me to kill dozens of enemies before ever encountering them (I pretty much just soften up every room before heading in), and it just all kinds of nifty. Rapid Fire is awesome for crowd control, and vault is invaluable fighting against big bosses or when I'm cornered.
10. And yeah, the auction house is horribly implemented. I have no sense of what my items are worth, or whether the autosell prices on other items are good or bad. Still, there's usually good stuff to be found for under $10K.
11. Oh, and yeah, the always-online thing sucks. I understand it, but it's a pain.
Next time I have energy, I'll play a little bit more with Nightmare mode.
Initial (non-spoilery) thoughts on the game, after one run-through on Normal (with a female Demon Hunter), and at least the start of a run with each character:
1. Love the voice acting. Cree Summer? James Hong? Robin Atkin Downes? Jennifer Hale? Grey DeLisle? All awesome.
2. Alas, the writing isn't as good as the acting. I do like the flavor text of the followers, but the "twist" at the end of the second act is literally the most obvious one I've ever encountered. And the entire third act is predicated on a "military genius" who tells you his every move (and the twist at the end of that act is hardly any less predictable, although at least I got the impression it was supposed to be obvious). Yes, I know that video game writing isn't the same as screenwriting, but there were so many better ways to do either the second or third acts (without changing the quest structure at all).
3. I love reading the forums and getting told how the normal mode is so easy, and anyone who dies even once is a pathetic noob. I'm not a 24-year-old who spends eight hours gaming a day (which explains why it took me two weeks to beat the game). And yeah, I died a good dozen times, although six of them were against Belial. Actually, Diablo was the only stage boss who didn't kill me. Fortunately, dying is much less of a problem here than in the last game.
4. I love most of the changes. Being able to not worry about committing to a skill or a stat path is awesome. Likewise, the town portal, identify, and inventory management are much cleaner. I do wish we could use health potions more (nice as health globes are in general, they're not always helpful against bosses), but in general, the gameplay is great.
5. From a gameplay standpoint, Act 1 is still what I think of as "classic" Diablo, and very similar to the first game and the first act of the second, with battles in the fields and some good dungeons.
6. Act 2 is just as annoying as Act 2 was in the first game. I hate those damned firebombing cat people just like I did then. And the snake people who can't be hit until they're next to you (thus taking away the advantage of my ranged attacks) also annoy me.
7. Act 3 was interesting from a design standpoint, as it seemed to combine Acts 4 and 5 from the previous game in terms of style. I enjoyed the monsters here a lot, and the fact that the managed to make the Fallen actually threatening is pretty nifty.
8. Act 4 is way too short. Mind you, Act 4 in Diablo 2 was too short, but this is about half its length, and there are barely any side dungeons (although I did love the two I found).
9. I love the Demon Hunter's ranged attacks. This is my current build, for anyone who cares. Hungering Arrow has allowed me to kill dozens of enemies before ever encountering them (I pretty much just soften up every room before heading in), and it just all kinds of nifty. Rapid Fire is awesome for crowd control, and vault is invaluable fighting against big bosses or when I'm cornered.
10. And yeah, the auction house is horribly implemented. I have no sense of what my items are worth, or whether the autosell prices on other items are good or bad. Still, there's usually good stuff to be found for under $10K.
11. Oh, and yeah, the always-online thing sucks. I understand it, but it's a pain.
Next time I have energy, I'll play a little bit more with Nightmare mode.