The demon slaying, dungeon crawling spectacle that is Diablo 3 has recently made its way to the Nintendo Switch, where players can finally get lost in the world of Sanctuary and fight their way through millions of enemies to get that sweet, sweet loot. Totally unrelated to the Switch release, my wife and I finally started back on Diablo 3 on PlayStation 4. We have run through the campaign several times about a year ago, but never really sunk our teeth into the end game content. This time around, we plan on grinding our butts off to see what else the game has to offer.
While playing through the game again, I really felt the rush of just slaughtering demons come back to me. It was doubly exciting to find out that Season 15 had just recently started and there was some really cool gear at the end of that grind. Playing through it again and nearing the end of the campaign got me thinking about the next step for Diablo as a franchise. I definitely think there’s still plenty of room to grow and expand the game.
In terms of story, there are definitely some routes the game could take. I think the most logical path would be to play on the fact that you, the Nephalem, have become super powerful but struggle with the decision to remain good or go to the dark side. At the end of the Reaper of Souls campaign in Diablo 3, you strike down Malthael, solidifying your role as one of the powerful beings in Sanctuary. The ending dialogue briefly mentions this and that it’s up to you to decide how to handle that power. It would be a very interesting route to take and I think Blizzard could pull it off without much problem.
For me, this could be a cool direction, because you could be constantly battling yourself mentally and physically in the game. And with the internal struggle, you could have abilities and weapons that showcase your good or evil stance. How about a golden spear when you are feeling generous? Or a blood-covered greatsword when you are deep in the darkness? Also remember, the Black Soulstone, the item that holds the demons, was destroyed and with that, Diablo was released. So we could see the return on Diablo and maybe he could have another world ending scheme up his sleeve. It would be really cool to go up against Diablo again and maybe make it where you can encounter him a few times throughout the game. (Editor’s note: or YOU become the new Diablo. *clutches pearls*)
One big thing for me, in terms of story, is that I would really like it to carry a little more weight. I know the core of the game is the grind and the loot, but I think really putting some emotions behind the characters could go a long way. Look, I know Deckard Cain is a meme at this point but I honestly think that with some actual character development along with the core mechanics of the game, a Diablo 4 could be even better or at the very least a bit more meaningful. I think it would add some depth to a game that revolves around killing millions of demons.
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Aesthetically, I think Diablo deserves a fresh coat of paint. I am by no means ragging on the visuals of Diablo 3, but imagine a Diablo game with updated graphics and whatnot. That would be awesome. The game also showcases some of the coolest settings I have ever seen, so creating even more fantasy environments coupled with the updated visuals would be just amazing.
In terms of gameplay, there is really not too much that needs to be updated, in my opinion. Playing on the PlayStation 4 is smooth and addicting. I think one cool thing would be to turn up the animations for abilities to eleven. One of my favorite moves for the Barbarian is to slam down that hammer, but it would feel just a little better if that hammer was bigger and put a hole in the ground (this may be just nitpicking a little but whatever). But really the gameplay is crisp, addicting and honestly seems like it is in a good spot.
To wrap this all up, I know a lot of us want a fourth game. Diablo 3 was released in 2012, so I think we all know a new Diablo game in the next few years would be glorious. From the updated visuals to the ever-expanding world of Sanctuary, a sequel would have a lot going for it at this point. Blizzard has been putting out some amazing titles since the release of Diablo 3, and now I think it’s time that they revisit Diablo. Because my name is Deckard Cain and I hail from Tristram, if you are looking for Diablo then you just missed him.
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