There are few sagas that can claim to have defined a video game genre, and Diablo is one of them. By mixing role-playing and dungeon exploration with fast-paced action, the first episode, released in 1997, was a resounding success, selling 2.5 million units in four years. Almost thirty years later, players now have access to Diablo IVand its extension released on October 7, Vessel of Hatred. But do they still want to spend hours clicking for experience points?
Haunting gameplay
Thomas is the same age as the saga Diablo. And if he says he didn’t experience the “golden age” of the first two episodes, he absolutely trashed the third opus. “With my brother and a friend, we did several seasons on it, finishing with good results in the duo and trio leaderboards. » The game introduced a ranking mechanism, where the best players of each season were immortalized (those who managed to beat the last boss, the aptly named Diablo, as quickly as possible).
What did he like about this role play? Like many, it’s both hypnotic and rewarding to repeat the descents in the “rifts”, the dungeons of the game over and over again. “The more you do, the more objects you obtain, the rarer they are, the more your character becomes strong and can finish dungeons quickly,” he explains.
Plus accessible
Between 2012, release date of Diablo IIIand the next episode, more than ten years have passed. In 2023, with the arrival of Diablo IVthe hype of the first years has died down a little, and if the video game has opened up to the wider world, we dream more of an open world for all audiences than of descent into evil dungeons, wondering what armor will bring the point of additional attack to save a few minutes on your session.
More Diablo was able to take a step in the direction of the players. “The character classes are almost a return to basics, while other mechanics really change from its predecessor,” analyzes Thomas. The game is perhaps not the most accessible, but the times also mean that there are more and more guides at hand to perfect your way of playing. This is probably a very good introduction to the license. »
Being a gateway to the series is the aim of Diablo IV and of Vessel of Hatred. “Accessibility and making the game more affordable are big issues,” says series director Rod Ferguson. The developers have multiplied the ideas to renew the gaming experience. “We made sure that Diablo IV have everything, he adds. We wanted to improve the reception of new players and the social aspect. You can skip the main campaign to focus directly on the challenges you want to complete. There is a co-op dungeon, others against the clock. » When the game was released, critics had rather well received the improvements to the formula, the game posting a score of 86 out of 100 on the aggregator Metacritic.
What to make an extended universe?
In short, it’s not just about XP and loot. “It’s much more than that,” insists Rod Ferguson. Diablo is a pure fantasy game, with a story that lasts hundreds of hours. » The dark fantasy universe, a little gothic, can reveal unexpected depth. “The story takes up more space and made me interested in “lore” [la toile de fond] from Diablo. I missed it a bit at the time of III, but, in IV, they really make an effort to highlight it,” analyzes Thomas.
Does the series have the potential for an extended universe? Since 2000, several books have allowed fans to immerse themselves differently in the world of the saga, recalls Rod Fergusson. In an interview with the American media Windows Central in April, he suggested that he would not be against an adaptation into a TV series, as Fallout or Warhammeralthough nothing concrete has been announced around the project. In any case, like the boss of the same name, the saga Diablo never dies.
