Despite coming out more than a decade ago Diablo 2 is still the best at what it does. What does Diablo 2 do? It convinces you that wandering around drab areas clicking wildly at badly pixelated beasties is a good use of time. I’ve beaten the game at least twice before (first time as a Barbarian second time as an Assassin) this time I’m going with an Amazon. This time instead of guessing my way through the best way to play the game, I’ve just used the vast accumulated wisdom of those who have been playing the game near non-stop for 11-odd years. Seriously, google “Diablo 2 builds” or “tips” some of these people playing this game down to an exact science.
I don’t know how long this Diablo 2 kick will last. I assume at least until I kill Diablo, maybe I’ll be able to go all the way this time and make it through the expansion as well. I’ve never done that, yet. I’m also playing on-line for the first time (Diablo 2, not video games in general) Nowadays Blizzard deletes your character after ten days of non-activity. That is good incentive to keep playing, especially once a few hours have been invested into the character.
I suppose the real question is why hasn’t the industry been able to replicate the crack that is Diablo 2? No game since has been able to so perfectly ensnare players. No game has walked the fine-line between pleasure and grind as well as Diablo 2. I almost wonder if Blizzard is up to the task with Diablo 3.
I can’t end this post without “thanking” the man who is responsible for getting me to reinstall the game (curse you Bungle! I have a life now! I don’t need this). A poster on the best forums on the internet started a group Let’s Play of the game this month and invited us all to come along. So, thanks Bungle.
PS – my wife hates you now =P
PSS – If any game designer types stop by I’d love to talk to you about how Diablo 2 got so much right in its design. Maybe, together we can figure out just what exactly they did that makes a fairly mindless game so addictive and rewarding.
You sir, have not played Torchlight.
I have! And while it does an excellent job in scratching that itch (and looks a lot better) it isn’t, dare I say compelling as Diablo 2.
Close, though…
Torchlight development team = Diablo 2 development team after they left Blizzard, failed with Hellgate: London, crashed mid production on Mythos, and then reformed to use fragments of Mythos to create Torchlight.
In fact, Torchlight is more like a very advanced beta of an MMO they are trying to develop. Torchlight 2 is another step in the line of betas leading there.
In fact as far as comparison’s go, I’ve found torchlight to be essentially a Diablo 2 clone with all of the annoying bits (having to go back to town every time I want to do inventory management, essentially only having one or two build options based on my initial class pick, finding tons of awesome magic weapons I can’t use) stripped out for a more streamlined experience.
I can honestly say I’m looking forward to Torchlight 2 more than Diablo 3 right now.