/rating_on.gif "Vote down the others")
/rating_half.gif "Freaking awesome")
/rating_off.gif "Beyond reproach")
(74 votes, average: 8.47 out of 10)
Loading...Easily the best video game deal on the face of the planet, the Diablo Battle Chest pack showcases Diablo II which, for all intents and purposes, is the equivalent to video game crack. Yes, that's right... This game is that good. As in, be prepared for marathon play sessions ending in the wee hours of the morning with you calculating just how much sleep you need in order to continue playing the minute you get up again.
And now with the development of Diablo III well underway and with the petition protesting against its World of Warcrafty artwork approaching 60,000 signatures, Diablo II remains more and more a PC game classic and is destined, in my humble opinion, to become the quintessential Diablo experience. (Having seen Diablo III trailers, I doubt very much Blizzard will be able to recapture the sense of creepy macabre that permeates throughout Diablo II).
Of course, critical acclaim is not something Diablo II is exactly short on, what with its official entry into the 2000 edition of the Guinness World Book of Records as the fastest selling computer game of all time. And although this record has since been broken, Wikipedia still lists Diablo II as the best selling computer role playing game of all time selling over 4 million copies to date.
So what's all the hoopla about?...
Gameplay
Diablo II is the very definition of a computer role playing game. Essentially, you select one of five characters and then you meticulously develop this character in order to take him or her into battle. The game presents your character as a sprite which you control from a kind of isometric top down view as you explore dozens of randomly generated regions —or maps— hacking and slashing through hordes of zombies, demons and various other monsters. As you progress through the game, all the monsters get tougher and tougher requiring you to develop your character well enough to defeat them.
Your character is developed throughout the game by continually earning 'experience' points with every monster you kill. When you have accumulated enough experience points to match each of a series of predetermined levels, your character 'levels up' or achieves the next character level. You continue on this manner, earning more points and succeeding to the next level. Each succession to the next character level grants you 5 attribute points and 1 skill point which you may respectively assign to various general attributes (strength, dexterity, etc) and special character-specific skills (double swing, chain lightning, etc) as you see fit.
Of course it doesn't stop there.
Each monster you kill out in the battlefield also means the possibility of triggering an item drop which could be any of literally thousands of pieces of armor, weapons and magical jewelry as well as gold (the game's currency). You collect all the dropped items (and the gold), equip the items you like and then take the rest back to town (a designated non-combat area) and sell them to various NPC vendors. The vendors also have even more items for sale which you may purchase with your accumulated gold.
Diablo II very quickly then becomes a highly detailed and delicious journey into micromanagement. The main thrill is in building your character up with just the right attributes and skills as well as equipping and re-equipping him or her with an assortment of cool armor and deadly weapons to suit the particular beat-down you wish to inflict on the wide variety of demons and monsters in the game. Diablo II character builds have become the source of much discussion across various forums on the net where you'll hear talk of 'Paladin tanks' (a Paladin focussing on high defensive traits) or 'Sorceress glass cannons' (a Sorceress focussing on powerful attacks at the expense of an adequate defense).
Since your character may be developed in an infinite number of manners, the possibilities are endless and needless to say, Diablo II has replay value stretching well into the next century. Detailed character building will have you engaging in some of the most elaborate, rocket science level number crunching you'll ever do in a video game. Rare item finds —such as armor that instantly freezes any enemy that touches you— will have you salivating for more while you search every nook and cranny of every map or have you spending more time pouring over vendors' item screens than actually doing battle with the stuff that you buy. The point-click-kill-find-buy-cool-stuff style of gameplay in Diablo II is just so much damn addicting that it should probably be illegal.
Diablo II Review -
Great blog my friend! keep it up... Btw, I got a free copy of Aliens : Colonial Marines if you want you can get your copy too!
Please i need to install diablo 2 :(
Hey! I was like reading your IronSpider blog and eventually my browser teleported me here. I'm happy to tell you this (website) is as good as the other. I just hope to get access to another (if there ARE more, of course) of those websites of yours. By the way, I sincerely prefer old school games (although I'm not as old as you) than these gameplay craps they release today. Hail Diablo II!
Hey,
I'm also a retro-gamer, and points to you for playing C&C 1, I started with 2. However, I also remember the days of large floppy disks, and waiting for Wacraft Orcs & Humans to load, hating to build a road constantly haha. Anyways, did some retrogaming lately, played some Diablo 2, and I agree with you - the games were about gameplay... and yes, I remember many a night without sleep playing that title haha. Glad to see there's some of us out there still left enjoying the "Classic's'.
~ BadReligionFan
slack good job on makin yur website its pretty killer man keep it up
Been operating a battle.net web hosting site lately. I've left a few comments in the past. Finally got around to making my own site.
my friend let me borrow it...but my computer wont play it! :[
do u know any recording system for xbox 360
I have to say, this review is spot on. Anyone who hasn't had the pleasure in playing Diablo 1, 2 & LoD, really should consider it.
I played through number 1, then though number 2, LoD, and on B.Net, and I go back every so often and replay the game. Just walking through Mephistos lair really brings the game to the fore-front of anything graphics. The music, and the setting really gives you a feel of hell itself, and walking into the belly of the beast.
I don't think updated graphics really define a game, but the placement of the story, character customization (in both terms of skills and character plot development) is what really made diablo great. If D3 can assume the same key characteristics to that of its predecessor, then it could mark to be a fantastic game.
Also, Major slack. If you haven't played Planescape: Torment. I would highly recommend it to any fan of the typical hack-and-slash genre, with the same graphics. But the ground-breaking dialogue it gave, and the dark-gritty looks were fantastic.
Cheers, Padd.
I have never really had a problem with game's graphics...
@peterox14,
I have only played a little bit of Warcraft. Didn't really like it. Can't really say. Although for what it's worth, a good buddy of mine has played both Warcraft 1 & 2 and Diablo 1 & 2 extensively and he much prefers the Diablo series.
Hey Slack me again. I want to get Diablo 2. And I am gonna get the battle chest, but I am also thinking of getting Warcraft 3. I know that they are different games. I was wondering which do you think would be better to buy first as I only have enough for one battle chest. thanks
@peterox14,
Actually I think my preferences about playing without a hireling may be a little extreme. A good buddy of mine plays a lot of Diablo 2 and he wouldn't dream of playing without a hireling. As for playing through Diablo 2 classic and then installing LoD, no, don't do that. LoD offers so much more and if you really want to play without a hireling, there are workarounds (just have him/her killed off).
And yes, when Diablo 3 comes out, I am all over it like you wouldn't believe and I'll definitely be posting some vids to Youtube.
Dude great review. I am subrscribed on youtube also to watch your awesome videos. I have never played Diablo 2 and I think I will get the Battle Chest. Since you didn't like the whole hireling thing. Do you suggest beating Diablo 2 first then installing Diablo 2: LoD and playing through? Also when Diablo 3 comes out....if it ever does, will you please make some awesome videos of it. Because Diablo 3 would be nothing without some Major Slack commentary and chuckles. HAHA. thanks in advance
Bogdab,
Not sure what you mean by the "volume of the sound in the game it is really slow". Did you mean 'really LOW'? If so, you'll have to get yourself a good video editor and/or a good sound editor and tweak the volume. Sorry I can't advise you on all the specifics of that or provide any personal coaching as it would take far too much to explain everything to you. Very quickly, get yourself a copy of Audacity (freeware) and try messing around with the Amplitude filter.
this is a nice game and i really like it;)!!!
good job with your website!!!
can you tell me please how do you record your videos with your microphone with this good quality sound?
i am using FRAPS(full version) and i tried to record my voice in a game.......of course it is working but i have 1 problem........after i recorded and watch the video the volume of the sound in the game it is really slow!!!
PLS HELP ME:P;)!!!