At BlizzCon last week, Blizzard unveiled that Diablo 4 is currently in development. A darker, more violent sequel to the massively popular series, attendees were able to get a close look at some of the returning characters in the title. One such is the Barbarian, a figure that has been present in each iteration. Released earlier this week, Blizzard has uploaded a 24-minute long trailer that shows off not only the darker art style but how the Barbarian will play.
Having never played Diablo 3, this definitely looks more reminiscent of Diablo 2. A legendary game that practically put Blizzard on the map (if its prior titles weren't popular enough), fans were initially dismissive of the third entry because of its more colorful look. After the disaster that was the announcement of Diablo Immortal last year, Blizzard seemingly fast-tracked production of this entry to give hardcore fans something to chew on.
Whatever the reason, Diablo 4 does seem promising. One of the more notable additions is that classes are now not singular characters. In previous Diablo games, players were locked to a specific gender should they pick one class. Now, the Barbarian has multiple options for creating your own specific character. It's a subtle change, but something that is greatly appreciated.
There's a lot to take in here, but it's remarkable how much this looks like Diablo 2. If it weren't for the higher resolution and obvious name, one could swear this was some kind of HD remake. There's definitely a lot more going on with brand new skills and smarter AI, but the aesthetics closely match Blizzard's iconic title.
Whether or not Diablo 4 will be a big hit is yet to be seen. Blizzard was embroiled in controversy in the lead up to BlizzCon 2019, but fans appeared to have let that blow over once the company jingled shiny new toys in their faces. Maybe the excitement period will die off in a few days and everyone will go back to hating the studio.
Even if that happens, at least Diablo 4 looks like a good time. The specific kind of loot driven, RPG experience the series has always provided has only really been replicated by the Torchlight titles. One could draw comparisons between Borderlands and Diablo, but Blizzard definitely has the market cornered for this type of title. Hopefully, Diablo 4 can deliver...whenever it comes out.
Source: YouTube