Blizzard Entertainment the makers of such classics as Warcraft and Starcraft is finally releasing Diablo 3 this May 15 after over a decade of development. With this coming triple A title, Pinoy Gaming Network brings you a preview of one of the most awaited games of the decade. Due to the long development, there will be new players to the franchise so for this preview we will look at Diablo 3 (Beta version) through the eyes of both a Veteran and a Noob, scouring through several aspects of the game. So without further ado, enjoy mga kapatid!
LORE (spoiler alert)
Vet: Diablo lore has been changed! For one, the warrior who used the soulstone on himself now has a name! There are many other subtleties and nuances in the storyline that has been changed as well. We won’t spoil you too much but it’s safe to say that not everything in the books and in both games are considered canon. However, even on the fraction of the game we played, the story is told in unique and varied ways. At times it is told on the diaries of the NPCs, at times it’s seen as flashbacks of ghosts in dungeons and at times the NPCs themselves tell you the story. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s intriguing enough that I want to play the rest of the game NOW.
Noob: The lore is intriguing and has very rich characters. Since its my first time to play any Diablo title, I wanted to get to know the characters from the previous games. The dialogue is well-written ingame. As a new player, you are urged to find out more about the Diablo world. The game itself encourages you to explore and find pieces of lore. Even the background stories for the classes were very intriguing. They don’t give the story of your character outright but they drop hints that will get you curious about what happened to this person.
GAMEPLAY
Noob: Coming from playing World of Warcraft, I had trouble with the camera angles. I try to turn the camera to get a better view but I couldn’t. This may be because I’m too used to WASD and camera controls. I’m also not used to using the mouse primarily to control my character. However, once I got WoW out of my head and truly immersed myself in Diablo 3, I found that it’s a lot easier to control. It’s a very “clickity” game.
Vet: Not much has changed since Diablo 1 and Diablo 2. You still use your mouse to move around, you still use skills bound to both your left mouse button and right mouse button. Suffice to say prepare your mouse fingers for a workout. In my opinion though, it has kept true to the classics. Why fix what did not need fixing right?
The way skills function has changed a lot! You no longer earn skillpoints when you level. And no, you don’t need to read books to learn a skill. You gain spells and abilities simply by leveling. How you modify your skills are all based on runes (all also unlockable as you level). These runes modify your skills like adding knockback to them or changing their effect completely.
Oh yeah, I DONT NEED TO FREAKIN’ CLICK ON GOLD TO PICK IT UP ANYMORE! That may not be that important to you, but for me that’s a convenience I would gladly pay for. There are a lot more changes such as no more item identification, no more town portal scrolls, no more potion spamming (there are potions but they have cooldowns now), and a whole lot more.
PRESENTATION
Vet: This is a subject that most vets will debate about for hours on end. First of all, a lot have been saying that Diablo 3’s graphics are not at par with current industry eye popping graphics. Others would contend that Diablo 3 has it’s own art style that doesn’t need eye popping graphics at all. For me however, I’d say as long as it feels like the old Diablo games I’m all for it, and it does. I stand by Blizzard’s decision on the new art style especially since we’ll be playing this game for years. The new simple yet wholy effective art style, I feel, will stand the test of time. It’s not face melting uber graphics, yes, but it serves its purpose. To me, it looks spectacular. I love the new spell effects, they are not too over the top yet they are not bland either. I feel they are just right. I think the logic behind the art style is time itself. As said, Blizzard may be looking at us playing this game for a long time.
Noob: Blizzard did a good job setting the mood for the game. You get outside of town and you instantly feel dread around you. It felt like you’re going through a horror train ride and its not the ride itself but the anticipation of what’s coming that makes things exciting. I am particular about the sounds in the game. At times I can hear the monsters but I cannot see them, adding to the suspense. The music sets the mood quite well too. The sounds are subtle when you’re not in combat then it ramps up as you go into combat. There are times when it’s all quiet then a flock of crows just fly off squawking. It’s the little touches that really set the mood.
RECOMMENDATION
Noob: It’s everything that I expected it to be. Everything is well thought of and definitely a quality game. Not only because it’s from Blizzard but because of the time spent in its development. Play it with your friends, it’s no fun watching a horror movie by yourself.
Vet: This is definitely the trilogy maker we’ve been waiting for considering its just 1/3 of the Act 1 we’ve played. Albeit there are changes that some vets will not welcome gladly but hey, with time comes change and it’s been a long long time since Diablo 2. This is definitely a game I’m picking up, infact I already pre-ordered. One big recommendation though, more fun will be had if you play it with friends, just like the past 2 titles (3 if you count Lord of Destruction, the expansion for Diablo 2). So with this, try to find more friends to play with. We at Pinoy Gaming Network would like to endorse this group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/diabloph/) or this page (https://www.facebook.com/diabloPH) to join and play with. It’s full of both noobs and vets so there’s something for everyone. Credits go to Kevin Enriquez for the beta opportunity.
With that, I’ll see you all in Sanctuary peeps!
The Veteran gamer is David Ralph Lleno a.k.a. Sir David the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Pinoy Gaming Network. The Noob is his wife Maria Ciello Lleno.