Diablo is one of video gaming's biggest series and Blizzard's most popular intellectual properties. Many RPGs these days still try to recapture that hack-and-slash nature of these classic games since the gameplay is second-to-none. Gamers have repeatedly played Diablo and its sequels, as evidenced by a bevy of expansions and re-releases.
But how do you stratify the series? Diablo spans several decades, and for the most part, they're all great games with a couple you should find a mod for to fix a few things. Be warned though, if you're going to sink some time into Diablo games, you're going to find yourself playing these entries, a lot.
8 Diablo Immortal
Diablo Immortal might be a sign of the times, as Blizzard Activision turned one of their most beloved series into a mobile cash cow. While the game got pretty good reviews in 2022, it has been criticized for using microtransactions.
This was "immortalized" famously when the game was announced at BlizzCon in 2018, and fans booed when they heard it would be released on Android and iOS instead of PC. The game has been described as fun, especially with a Backbone on your phone, but that mobile stigma still sticks around it despite it being very popular. Gamers would have much preferred to play Diablo 4.
7 Diablo
Time has not been kind to the original Diablo. While the 1997 title was ground-breaking in terms of gameplay and multiplayer at the time, it's an archaic experience now. The lack of a run feature, the simplistic nature of the loot loop, and the graphics make this feel like a big step back in time (which, to be fair, it is).
This game is a classic car that doesn't have power steering or seatbelts. Luckily some mods have been created to make the Diablo experience more enjoyable, but we suggest just checking out the Diablo II remaster.
6 Hellfire
Hellfire was unique in that Blizzard didn't actually make this expansion to Diablo but rather Synergistic Software. Blizzard was at first resistant to someone touching their intellectual property. Still, Synergistic Software did a great job adding a bunch of quality-of-life upgrades to the original game and additional dungeons, characters, items, and Easter eggs.
There is much-hidden content to unlock, including two unfinished characters. It also added a jog button needed in the first game. This was the natural "in-between" from the original Diablo to the second game in the series.
5 Diablo 3
The launch of Diablo 3 was not Blizzard's finest moment as the online-only PC version flopped since Battle.net servers couldn't keep up with the load of the initial demand. Still, Diablo 3 recovered from a shaky start, and the series' third installment has become one of the market's most popular and most replayable action RPGs.
While some still yearn for Diablo 2, Diablo 3 was a pretty worthy modern successor and had some great streamlining additions to the core gameplay. It's no wonder that Diablo 3 is still very talked about today and continues to be a behemoth in the gaming industry thanks to its enjoyable co-op play.
4 Diablo 3: Reaper Of Souls
Some felt that Diablo 3 could have been made with a darker tone, and Reaper of Souls definitely delivers that. As an expansion, this entry did a great job adding new things to the solid gameplay of the original game while adding in a very menacing villain in Malthael, the Angel of Death.
This game feels like the stakes are higher, and the anxiety for the world is ratcheted up. It also refreshed Diablo 3's replayability until Diablo 4 finds its way onto our playlist. This felt much more substantial as an expansion than what has become of DLC in modern games.
3 Diablo 2: Lord Of Destruction
Diablo 2's expansion added many new features to the PC classic and made having a hireling worth it, along with a fifth act to the story and two new character classes.
Suppose you're trying to get back into the classic Diablo 2 experience. In that case, we recommend adding this expansion for many improvements and quality of life changes, adding to a much more full experience hacking and slashing demons. The story also prepares you for Diablo 3, so this is a must-buy if you're playing through the series. Improving an all-time classic but making your mark is a rare achievement but something Lord of Destruction accomplished.
2 Diablo 2
Diablo 2 expanded everything the original game did, times ten. It hit a feedback loop of kill, loot, and reward many players loved. This game is considered one of the greatest games of all time, and we won't argue with that one bit.
Diablo 2 could be considered a gold standard not just for Blizzard or action RPG games but for PC games. It set the bar so high that some people still don't think Diablo 3 reached that level even with its very well-done expansion. This is the best game in the Diablo series, except for a small drawback it was released for late 1990s computers.
1 Diablo 2: Resurrected
Here is the thing about the original Diablo 2: It ran at a resolution of 640x480. While the expansion boosted that to 800x600, it's the 2020s, and that is no way to play video games. Blizzards' "remaster" of Diablo 2 was well done, with updated graphics, modern gameplay additions, and all the bells and whistles the classic game and its expansion had.
While remasters can sometimes go wrong, as evident by Blizzard's Warcraft 3 efforts, the Diablo redux was good. It's on all the modern consoles and PC, so instead of fiddling with the original game's compatibility issues, get this version and hack and slash to your heart's content.