Diablo III: Eternal Collection (Switch)
I normally only post about PC games in this topic. However, this is a (great) port of a PC game, so I thought I'd post my thoughts here.
First of all, if you care about draconian DRM, the only option for this game is to play on console, since the PC version requires constant connectivity even to play offline. The console ports are quite excellent, and control perfectly fine with a controller. Playing this way makes the game feel a bit closer to a pure action game, but other than that it's still Diablo III running under the hood.
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I started out on Normal difficulty, but found it to be shockingly easy; my character was basically invulnerable. I decided to boost the difficult level each time I reached a new act, so by the final act of the main campaign I was on the Master level. I tried the Torment level during the Reaper of Souls expansion (Act V), but found it to be no more difficult but much more tedious, since normal enemies became total damage sponges... so I reverted back to Master to complete the game. I played as a Necromancer, btw.
It's a very polished game. I like that Blizzard tried to change things around with how characters level up and are built. It can get pretty addictive unlocking new skills and runes, and it's always exciting to find some awesome weapon that complements your build.
Having said that, I feel that the game is quite a step down from Diablo II, which itself was quite a step down from Diablo for me. Diablo III is lengthier and easier than Diablo II, but is less interesting mechanically. Although there are a lot of new mechanics and it seems more complex at first, it mostly removes the concept of "character building" since every character of a given class will have access to the same skills and runes at the same level. The only difference would be the loot you've found.
I became addicted to the game, somehow, even though I found myself wondering several times, "why am I playing this?" Once I had decided which skills I wanted to use, I spent the rest of the game just running around using those same two skills over and over and over. I never had to position myself properly or retreat from a tough battle... just run in and slay. That can be amusing, but it leaves you feeling empty. I think that this game is addictive for mostly the wrong reasons. It's very easy, and you are constantly getting dopamine hits from frequent level ups and minor equipment upgrades. It feels predatory in a way, like the game it tricking you into liking it by being really nice to you. Rather than playing or completing this game, I felt like I was "consuming" it, like binge-watching a series on Netflix.
However, what's perhaps even more unforgiveable is that the classic Diablo atmosphere is completely gone. The game is more "high fantasy" than "gothic fantasy," and it really suffers for it. Diablo II was also very easy and had some really boring areas, but the detailed monster sprites, atmospheric locations, grim story, and eerie soundtrack gave the game a lot of character.
I have to make special mention the writing in Diablo III, which is some of the worst I've ever experienced in a game. It's like it was written for young children. "While you were collecting those stones, I kidnapped your friends! BWAHAHA!" It's that bad.
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Although I was disappointed with the game, you get a TON of content for your purchase. If you love what Diablo III does, it's basically a game that never ends. After completing Story mode, you can take your character into Adventure mode, which basically turns the game into an open world where you can just run around any of the maps completing quests and challenges. There's also the online Season mode, where you have to start a new character but get access to unique content and rewards, which can then be carried over to an offline character once the season is done.