Diablo 2 Resurrected - Review : TechGoggles

I can’t even put into words how excited I have been for Diablo 2 Resurrected. As much as I have enjoyed Diablo 3, and many others action RPGs across the years, Diablo 2 always held a special place in my heart. And with resurrected, I can go back and relive that nostalgia, and now that I’ve put in 40 hours into the game, I am genuinely impressed.

Diablo II’s richness, as well as the sense of experimentation that comes with taking a character for a spin, are both very much alive and thriving. I tested a few classes for this evaluation, most notably the ice sorceress and elemental druid (you can also choose amazon, necromancer, barbarian, paladin, or assassin). With the aforementioned triple ability tree concept, there’s a wide range of playstyles to choose from. Resurrected is completely deserved, unlike some other re-releases, because Diablo II’s legacy has carried on for so long thanks to diehard fans and the modding community.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still Diablo 2. But also, it’s f**king Diablo 2!! Right from the get go, I love how familiar, yet fresh it feels. The visuals are spectacular – great lighting effects that do with the magic abilities, great environmental design, visceral gore, and so much more. In many ways, Diablo 2 has been a crucial part of gaming’s history. It set the tone for many looter shooter and action RPGs today, especially the likes of Destiny, Path of Exile, Borderlands, and more.

Diablo 2 sees your stalwart explorer taking cover with a gathering of mavericks at a camp in the wild. You’re following the path of the Lord of Terror, Diablo, an evil spirit last seen confined in a Soulstone and thusly held inside the body of the champion who vanquished him (in Diablo 1). The champion, however, is losing the fight to contain the evil spirit, and leaving a wake of awfulness and obliteration behind him. Wherever you go, Diablo has effectively been, and hence beasts and devils swarm your way in large numbers. Which is extraordinary, in light of the fact that the more you kill, the more grounded you get.

This was created before side missions were so common. The majority of the side content is obtained by meticulously exploring and revisiting maps in search of riches. The endgame material consists entirely of New Game + modes. Despite this, it’s a very playable and enjoyable experience. Even when you reach the final section outside the main tale and are facing off against Dibalo’s brother Baal in what was initially bonus material, Diablo 2 has a certain no-nonsense feel to it.

In terms of Diablo II: Resurrected performance, the old mode is janky by design, but the current option is incredibly smooth, as long as you play offline or the internet servers cooperate. So, in my tests over the last few days, servers have waxed and waned, albeit at a pre-launch phase. Act I was flawless, although there was a slight lag by the time I got to Act II (which Blizzard noted was a pre-launch issue). When I reached Act III, the servers went down for a short while before returning 20 minutes later.

And while, the remaster is pretty much just that – it’s Diablo 2 but prettier – but it’s also impressive that the core gameplay from so many years ago still holds up like it’s a modern game of 2021. And if that’s not reason enough to play Diablo 2, then I don’t know what is.

Pros:
Looks incredible
Solid gameplay
Tons of content and variety
Classes and abilities are fun
Great sense of discovery

Cons:
Needs a few QOL improvements

Score – 10/10

About:

Diablo II: Resurrected is a remastered version of the quintessential action RPG Diablo II. Pursue the mysterious Dark Wanderer and fight the denizens of hell as you uncover the fate of the Prime Evils Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, now in up to 4K (2160p) resolution on PC.

Diablo II: Resurrected includes all content from both Diablo II and its epic expansion Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. Battle your way through icy caverns, horrific tombs filled with undead abominations, and frozen wastelands to the frigid summit of Mount Arreat and stop Baal, the Lord of Destruction. Raise hell with two Lord of Destruction playable classes—the cunning Assassin, master of traps and shadow disciplines, and the savage Druid, a bold shapeshifter and summoner who commands primal elemental magic.

Ascend the Forgotten Tower, blaze a trail through the jungles of Kurast, and storm the gates of Hell to defeat Diablo himself. Then, scale the peak of Mount Arreat to face Baal, the Lord of Destruction, in Worldstone Keep.

Seven of Sanctuary’s greatest champions await at the iconic campfire screen—the Amazon, Assassin, Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Paladin, and Sorceress. Each is highly customizable with countless build and gear options for players to explore.

This is an all-encompassing Diablo II experience featuring remastered versions of Diablo II, the Lord of Destruction expansion, and countless hours of demon-slaying adventure.