Diablo 2 marked an era for PC gaming, and while the first game was a cult classic. Even making an appearance on the first Playstation, the game was more of a proof of concept that anything. Where the first game laid the groundwork, the sequel shined in the flames of hell.
The third game of the series wouldn't come for MANY years later, and to a not so warm favor from fans. The game was a tad easier, more cartoony in the graphics, and the story was garbage compared to the previous two entries.
The first one was able to pave the way for the second to shine, and the third couldn't live up to D2. Why was that? Why did this game do so well, that it would eventually get a remaster 20 years later?
A PC Mega-Load
It may not seem like much now, but it was a powerhouse back in the day. It was a bit difficult run on the current systems, and it took up a lot of space at the time. Now you can easily put it on a flashdrive, but man you had to have a good system to play it.
Additionally, there were the requirements of the DLC to play the full version of the game. A pretty common trope, but honestly one could say that the base game was incomplete. That is how important it is to have the DLC.
With seven classes to choose from there were a lot of ways you could play the game. That doesn't even really go into the various sub-classes there are as well. Those mainly being unofficial playstyles of each character.
Diablo 2 gave you the freedom of choosing any skill you would want from the skill tree. In fact it was one of the first skill trees I ever saw, and I fell in love. It was one of the first games I EVER PLAYED..
Scratch that, let me be clear, it was the FIRST game I ever played. I was in the single digits in age when I brought out my first assassin. I remember being awestruck at moving to the second age for the first time.
THE GOAT
Now I am super surprised to not have been able to find where some of those lists are hiding on the web. I think many of them have been updated over the years, and D2 sadly just got moved down. In place going Bioshock Infinite or Mass Effect 2 for example.
However this game paved the way for RPG's everywhere, gave the baseline for many games to copy, and proved that gaming was here to stay.
I remember growing up too to always seeing a Diablo Battlechest containing D2, D2 DLC, and D1 all in one package. There is a reason why people were still playing it up until the released of Diablo 2 Resurrected. It was just that addicting of a gameplay loop.
I could not tell you how many campaigns I went through, let alone started.
Another great game Borderlands was clearly inspired by the loot system, and adapted it to a first person shooter. Quite well I may add.
Other games would follow the skill tree formula as well, and I even used it to inspire my concept of Skill Tree Based Learning!
It wasn't just a game, it was an experience.
Diving into the Den of Evil was almost a rite of passage for gamers of all ages. Crawling around the cave to find that one last creature that escaped your line of sight.
Finding the first decent weapon after killing the special zombie, or Blood Raven a bit later on.
D2 made me into the gamer I am today. I went back to play the original after beating D2, and I'd even install it on my old windows 98 laptop, that I would take a on a road trip. Playing it until the battery died essentially.
Even after everyone else had burned out from playing Diablo 2, I'd still find myself picking up a new character, and scratching that itch one more time. With 7 classes, 3 sub styles, and the various combinations you could have via multiplayer. There were tons of experiences you could have in this game.
Now that the remaster is out I played through it mostly again, and I even had all of my old saves locked away to pull out again.
Will you venture down into hell with me to fight the forces of evil one last time?
