Earlier than enjoying Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, my favourite Blizzard sport ever made was Diablo 2. Dripping with darkness, and oozing malice, Diablo 2 set the tone for the ARPG style, inspiring generations of video games like Path of Exile and, extra lately, indie opponents like Final Epoch. There’s no denying that the Darkish Wanderer’s saga of strife modified the course of videogame historical past, however having performed Diablo 2 Resurrected whereas I waited for Vessel of Hatred to drop, the rose-tinted glasses have come off.
I’m not saying Diablo 2 is a nasty sport; it’s fairly the other. It’s the embodiment of late ‘90s / early noughties RPG perfection, and without it we wouldn’t have Diablo 4. With Vessel of Hatred, nevertheless, Diablo 4 now has all the methods we beloved in Diablo 2, however they’re upgraded, reimagined, and simply higher. We’ve lastly obtained the Diablo 2 throwback we needed, simply reimagined with modern-day tech.
In my Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred overview I wax lyrical in regards to the new Runewords system, and the Diablo 3-esque mercenaries (though, for lore continuity, I’d have preferred the latter to have been just a little extra fleshed out). They take 2’s authentic methods and elevate them, as an alternative of presenting simply primary, barely flashier clones.
As I dive again into the Rogue Encampment as a hardened Amazon in Diablo 2, I instantly miss the convenience of getting set companions versus paid helpers who both lag behind, don’t assault, or get caught on terrain. They usually value cash. Resurrecting Kyoko, my Rogue archer, prices 135 gold initially, however the worth will increase as she begins to achieve ranges. Whereas I obtained fortunate and located some fairly candy gear initially of my Resurrected playthrough, persistently dropping money on mercenaries appears like a chore – particularly when the sport appears decided to kill them off inside half-hour of me hiring them.
After all, Diablo 2’s helpers do enhance as you progress – Lut Gholein’s desert spearmen stand out due to their Holy Freeze – however the sport’s bugs, quirks, and outdated methods imply that I usually discover them hanging across the sidelines as an alternative of attacking. It’s genuinely irritating, particularly once you’re coming from Vessel of Hatred, the place you’re feeling the affect of your mercs from the bounce.
I additionally favor Vessel of Hatred’s tackle Runewords which, I’ll be trustworthy, I didn’t suppose I might. I like the thought of searching down runes for hours on finish, feeling the adrenaline rush when the one you want to full your Runeword lastly drops. Resurrected additionally provides in a slew of latest Runewords, a few of which I hadn’t used earlier than as a result of they didn’t work with my class and construct, which is in itself a refreshing little change.
Having performed Vessel of Hatred, nevertheless, the brand new system simply works higher. There are not any limitations, it saves a whole lot of time, it’s extremely versatile, and chaining collectively random runes feels enjoyable – you by no means fairly know in case your mixture will work or, alternatively, in the event you’re midway to breaking your entire sport. There’s a way of thriller; I really feel a bit like a mad scientist splicing collectively numerous entities and hoping for one of the best. It’s additionally infinitely expandable, which means Blizzard can add new runes every time it fancies shaking up the motion.
The unique Runewords system will at all times have a spot in my coronary heart (I even have Enigma on a attraction bracelet someplace), however the stage of customization that Vessel of Hatred’s iteration presents makes the unique pale by comparability.
None of that is to say that Diablo 2 Resurrected is a nasty sport. Positive, Diablo 4 performs quite a bit higher, however Resurrected achieves what it was alleged to: a straight remaster of the unique sport. Its quirks rapidly begin to get on my nerves, however given my penchant for previous video games like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and Dragon Age: Origins, it’s one thing I can take care of.
Graphically, Diablo 4 is clearly leagues forward, too, with Nahantu remodeling my favourite Diablo 2 locale into a totally realized, unbiased area, and the shimmering sands of Diablo 3’s Caldeum right into a bloodied battleground that far surpasses the unique.
It’ll at all times be price enjoying by way of Diablo 2’s story once more, and it’ll at all times be a enjoyable expertise, however Diablo 4 has refined one of the best components of its predecessor, making it the best sport within the collection (to this point). It’s the excellent Diablo expertise, drawing on its ancestors to create one thing trendy and thrilling that stays true to its darkish, dreary roots.
Diablo was born within the darkness of Diablo 2, and regardless of the rocky teenage years of Diablo 3, it’s a totally grown, mature beast in Diablo 4. Whereas I’ll at all times advocate returning to the originals, Diablo 4 and Lilith personal my soul; it’s 2024’s Sanctuary I now name dwelling, and I’m excited to see what lies forward.
