Is Diablo 4 the same vibe as 3? I checked it myself
2023.03.20 16:59 Game Mecca Reporter Kim In-ho
Diablo 3, which was released 11 years ago, put forward a bright background and monsters instead of the dark and scary feeling of Diablo 2. In particular, Cowbang’s colorful fairy tale design gave a lot of shock to fans of the previous series. This change was a factor that caused people to like or dislike it at the time of its release, but it is still chosen as the main reason for the negative reviews of Diablo 3.
Accordingly, the development team announced that the atmosphere of the new Diablo 4 inherits the fear of the 2nd film, not the 3rd. In fact, because it looked like that in tests and videos that had been released before, many users were waiting for the official release with excitement. However, the developer’s Diablo 4 play video released on the 17th amplified fans’ anxiety. The overall atmosphere was very similar to Diablo 3.
The comments were overflowing with negative opinions such as ‘I canceled the pre-purchase’ and ‘It was Diablo 3.5’, but as the previous game mecca review said it definitely had the atmosphere of Diablo 2, I wondered if it was actually like that. Maybe the game has completely changed from the past test. Accordingly, the reporter decided to access the pre-buyer beta test, which began on the 18th.
(After logging in for the first time) “I can smell the real Diablo 3?”
There was a definite difference when creating a character after logging in. The character’s clothes and faces also felt realistic, and the customization system introduced for the first time was also new in its own way. However, the first emotion I felt during the tutorial was disappointment. The video that came out as a cutscene was awkward, and there was nothing special about the motion or background. Rather, the overall darkened part interfered with the progress, so I had to raise the screen brightness.
Even in the early skill effects, there was a smell of Diablo 3. Even though the graphics were changed, there was no big difference, and the touch and feel of hitting were just so-so. Even the videos and tutorials in the middle made Diablo 3 more attractive. At this time, a comment called ‘Diablo 3.5’ passed through my head, but I thought it was too early to evaluate it because I was just starting out.
(About 2 hours after connecting) “Ah, it’s definitely different”
Act 1 Arrived at the main city of Kiyobashad and progressed through the quest, naturally going back and forth between fields and dungeons. And what I realized while experiencing the missions in the dungeon and the various contents that existed in the field was that there was a difference from Diablo 3.
First, the overall atmosphere and graphics were darkened. It is not simply that the brightness has been lowered, it means that the background description and monster design in the dungeon have become more terrifying. Thanks to the realistic drawing of each monster, spider legs and succubus wings looked sharper, and the ‘skeleton corpse bow’, which was tangled with bones and skin, boasted a unique bizarre look.
In addition, this sense of realism came out in the boss pattern. In particular, in some patterns of ‘The Sigh of Lilith’, which was seen a lot in Lost Ark, etc., I felt a different sense of immersion that was not in Diablo 3 due to the blood stained on the floor.
The village gave off a bleak atmosphere with high-quality background music, and the field also showed grandeur befitting the name of a sanctuary. Although it took some time to move due to the enlarged world size, the loneliness of the area devastated by demons was evident in the depiction of dry trees and broken pieces of stone on the road. In addition, in the space of the path of blood entered during the quest, the fresh blood and corpses left a deep impression, enough to make one think, ‘I’m definitely playing Diablo’.
(About 8 hours after logging in) “Is this the first act? It’s a familiar yet new atmosphere, but this has its own charm.”
In this test, I finished all the quests in Act 1 and looked around, but I couldn’t check some contents such as PvP, exchanges, and vehicles. However, this was enough to feel the atmosphere of Diablo 4, and I came to the following conclusion.
“As long as the overall system is not very different from Diablo 3, it cannot be said that it is a completely different game. There are only a few changes, but most of the content I experienced in the previous series. However, the atmosphere is definitely different compared to the series as a whole. The heaviness of Diablo 2, the lightness of Diablo 3, and the realistic graphics combined with it complete the unique atmosphere of Diablo 4.” It is clearly different from Diablo 3.
The official release date of Diablo 4 is June 6, and an open beta test for all users will be held from March 25.
