Diablo’d again
September 6, 2005I have a modest collection of computer games. I sold most of them before I left Melbourne, but there are still a few that I haven’t played through yet. The oldest game in my collection is Diablo 2, which I bought in 2001. I recently bought Dungeon Siege 2, which is (to my surprise) a very addictive action-fantasy game. It doesn’t have the complexity, breadth or depth of Neverwinter Nights or Baldur’s Gate 2, but it provides you with enough action and storyline at a fast pace to keep you wanting more.
Having enjoyed Dungeon Siege 2, I resolved to give Diablo 2 another go. I’d gotten as far as the beginning of Act 3 the last time I played it (about 4 years ago), before I’d thrown my hands up in disgust and put the game back on the shelf. At the time, I just didn’t understand why the game was so addictive to so many people. My life was so fast-paced back then, anything that didn’t grab my attention in five minutes was rapidly throw away.
After having played Diablo 2 for a solid two weeks (after work, of course), I can now see why the game is so addictive to so many people. Like DS2, it provides you with just enough story and action to keep you going. What’s worse, because the game uses geographical waypoints instead of save slots, you absolutely have to keep going until you find that much-prized waypoint. Otherwise you’ll have to trudge all the way back to the same point when you play the game again.
The cutscenes still pack quite a punch. I vividly remember playing the first Diablo, so seeing the fate of my old hero was quite a bittersweet thrill for me. Considering the ending of the Expansion pack (Lord of Destruction), I doubt that there will ever be a Diablo 3. Still, I wish Blizzard would get busy with a Starcraft 2. World of Warcraft should, IMHO, be considered an official sequel to Warcraft 3, even though it uses a different playing style. But with the delayed release of Starcraft: Ghost, the universe of Starcraft is begging for a new game. Here’s hoping.
