Diablo II (2000)

Ok, so my last review of a Blizzard game was scathing because, honestly, that company have dived so fucking much in the last ten years is astonishing to see. Like, really, on all levels (development, cultural impact, relationship with clients). But none of that can make me gloss over the fact that late 90s/early 00s Blizzard games pretty much RAISED ME.

My first RTS EVER was Warcraft II. I still remember the first time I ever played the first Diablo (It was so freaking scary, man). Starcraft was a joy during my childhood and I could not complete Brood War without cheats until I was practically an adult. Hell, I was part of Warcraft 3 LAN Parties back when that was prohibitively expensive (I costed 5 dollars the hour of LAN connected PC time in the only Internet Café in my hometown). They forged my taste in video-games, my expectations, my narrative pleasures. All of it.

I didn't play Diablo 2 upon release because age restriction and also I didn't have a computer good enough to run that game until 2006, but once I got my paws on it... Fuck, two months of my life DEVOTED to that game. I remember I did not have Internet connection in my tiny Uni dorm so I had to go out, check the latest guides on equipment and boss strategies, and go back so I can put them to test. If something was left out or I got something in the game that wasn't covered in those guides: though luck, buddy. I never used a single rune without checking first.

And the story was so freaking good, man. The continuation and expansion of the Diablo world was so seamless but so fucking good. It expanded a whole lot on the first Diablo lore while still leaving the impression that the world was still vast and unexplored and full of terrors. I deeply love how this games establish their episodic nature in such a clear, consistent way that still gives you room for exploring and grinding.

I don't think that I would have the energy to replay this title today, not even the Resurrected remaster... I can't even elaborate why. I think I prefer this game to remain in that lovely place in my memory, alongside Blizzard.

Diablo II is the definition of the RPG genre and the grandfather of all the hack and slash games that followed. It got a solid story, excellent mechanics, great sound and music, good visuals and challenging enemies and bosses.

When comparing Diablo II to its predecessor, it is a huge upgrade. The mechanics have improved, the visuals are much nicer, the spells and skills are way better and there are many more classes and characters to play.

Diablo walks the earth again after a unnamed hero from the previous game slew him and tried to contain his dark essence in his body. It ultimately consumed and corrupted him and gave Diablo free passage to use him as a puppet and spread his evil, including his demon horde and freeing his brothers Mephisto and Baal.

Evil takes over the lands in an alarming pace and a lot of people are either dead or fleeing to small settlements. You start in a camp owned by the Rogue Sisters, an order of fighting women that lost almost all of their members. From here, you start your journey and fight against the Prime Evils.

In terms of graphics, Diablo II looks stunning. It is still 2D, but the art style and the different dimensions and depth the engine uses, make it feel like a fully 3D game. Animations, blood and environments look beautiful and the dark and grim atmosphere the graphics create is just perfect, especially for the open field areas.

Diablo II is split up into acts, each with their own questline, pieces of the story and environments. This is, by far, one of the best aspects of the game, the variety of play. One act you are in forests and plains, then you travel through the desert, then the jungle and lastly, Hell itself. It is just refreshing and stunning to enter a complete new environment every act.

The sound design in this game is one of the best I experienced so far. The blows of your weapon, the hit sounds on enemies, the grunts of Fallen that you kill, the perfect and lifeless sounds the zombies make, it is all perfect. To top it off, the music is excellent. There has yet to be an RPG that can match the atmospheric vibe that Diablo II created with its excellent soundtrack.

The mechanics are great. You got durability on your gear, different quality ratings that your weapons and armor can possess, and, best of all, the crafting system via the Horadric Cube to create more powerful gems, potions and other items. The combat feels more responsive and predictable instead of the one hit deaths that you could encounter in the first game.

The only thing that I needed to get used to, was the fact that you could not save the game without exiting and that the enemies did not stay dead. All the RPG’s that I played, including the first Diablo did save your progress and kills until that point, but as a kid, I was surprised when I saw that all the enemies were back when I started it up again. Nowadays, this is nothing special, but back then, it was a new concept in which you could harvest XP almost infinitely from enemies.

Your inventory has been improved too. There are now many more slots to fill like a belt, gloves and shoes. You can also place gems in socketed items, providing a nice boost on your stats.

The game and its expansion, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction are still played today and the leader-boards remain more active than ever. It is a true testimony for its legacy and rightfully so.

I can only praise Diablo II and would recommend it to everyone.