Blizzard released Diablo 4 with the intention of catering to what they believed fans wanted. The audience they listened to had a deep love for Diablo 2. At first, this decision was celebrated as a success, but it's important to note that Diablo 2 was a product of a different era. Today, a game needs to not only be successful but also to provide players with a lasting experience.
The intense grind for gear could not satisfy the hardcore player base, leading many to leave in search of the illusion of greener pastures. This dissatisfaction contributed to the gradual evolution we see now with the release of Diablo 4's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred.
With this expansion, Diablo 4 has entered a more polished stage. Modern Blizzard has removed the overly complicated itemization system and replaced it with "Loot Reborn," reminiscent of Diablo 3's "Loot 2.0" overhaul. This cycle is something seasoned Diablo players have come to expect. While it can sometimes feel like players are beta testers, it has produced results.
Blizzard has realized that the demands for the challenging, grind-heavy itemization from Diablo 2 do not align with the preferences of the broader Diablo 3 fanbase. This course correction has been largely beneficial.
Although I still take issue with the significance of armor affixes in relation to skills, I can't deny that the system is functional and that I can find useful items. I can progress through the story and defeat hordes of demons, which is quintessentially Diablo—reaching that exhilarating endgame where I feel like a one-man army.
Sit down and let me tell you a story
If there is one thing that feels like a true successor to Diablo 2, it would be the story of Vessel of Hatred. The writers clearly understood the assignment, as they utilized nearly twenty years of lore to craft one of the best narratives set in Sanctuary. The base story of Diablo 4 set the stage, and I was surprised by how much I grew to care about the main characters’ continue adventure in Vessel of Hatred.
Introducing Akarat, a near god-like figure in Diablo lore, was a bold move that paid off. They didn't treat him as just a mechanic or a figure that grants you the power to defeat evil. Instead, Blizzard had a clear vision for Akarat, and it unfolded perfectly within the context of other Diablo stories. Honestly, I could write an entire review focused solely on the story (If requested, I can do so at length), but I fear it might lose the interest of those who don’t care about it. While I highly recommend enjoying every cutscene and dialogue box, I can assure you that it isn’t strictly necessary to appreciate the game.
Skip to murder
If you’re not interested in the story, feel free to skip it. Blizzard wants players to enjoy Diablo in their own way, so you can use the story to quickly level into the endgame and start the gear grind. This is acceptable, but it raises concerns about how Blizzard tends to undermine itself. Before the release of *WoW: The War Within*, I would have argued that *Diablo 4* was a better endgame experience. However, I find it hard to overlook the item progression in D4, which never achieved the improvements seen in D3’s Loot 2.0, even with its rebranding. The system isn’t simple even as it has been streamlined from the launch version; it sometimes feels like you need a Skillshare course to fully understand it.
When an item drops, you can only use its item level as a basic gauge of its strength. Most items will have similar stats. Instead of continuously defeating monsters, you might find yourself needing to pull out calculators to determine whether an item's stats are beneficial. It’s frustrating that a game about quickly slaughtering monsters requires you to pause and optimize your gear.
This isn’t to suggest that the system needs to be simplified again; the diversity is fine. The real issue lies in how players interpret an item’s value in relation to their build. In games like *Borderlands*, where talent choices are limited, it makes sense for weapons to modify skills directly. However, in *Diablo 4*, your chest piece might provide additional health drops or enhance your resource management, yet at the cost of some damage output. These are just two examples out of hundreds. The UI does not clearly indicate which skills overlap, and I haven’t even touched on the mechanics of breaking down items to improve your collection of modifiers. It can be exhausting.
That said, the game can still be enjoyable if you choose to ignore these aspects. However, you might occasionally feel stuck in your progress, as mindless monster slaying won’t always lead to visible advancement. The alternative is to stop playing and sift through countless items to find the one with the right stats for your build, or to engage in the necessary—but often frustrating—reforging process if you haven’t yet found your ideal item set.
This critique might sound harsh, but it isn’t meant to be. The game is fun, and all its content can be enjoyed without needing to focus too much on gear. However, the endgame will require you to step back from gameplay to either consult guides or crunch numbers to progress smoothly through the various levels of difficulty. Many players in Blizzard’s audience have adapted to this system, and entire communities on YouTube have emerged to bridge the gap.
As long as you’re aware that the endgame might not be for you and are willing to move on after completing the campaign, you’ll have a great experience. If you're searching for a game to invest a lot of time in and don’t mind balancing your time between reviewing stats and hoping for gear upgrades, then this could be your game. The players who may want to avoid D4 are those who prefer to pull the loot slot machine and quickly assess the gear's quality before moving on.
