Diablo, the iconic Hack and Slash game series, needs no introduction. Since its first release twenty-five years ago, the game has found millions of fans around the world and has effectively defined the genre as such. The second part, which received its own remaster with the subtitle Resurrected last year, still seems to be the most successful. The third episode from a decade ago was pretty average, but it also brought Diablo to the console. However, at the headquarters of Activision Blizzard – the company that owns the rights to the brand – the idea came up that they would try to reach mobile players before the release of a full-fledged fourth part. Why not, when there are huge profits in the gaming industry.
Diablo defined the genre as such.
You have to keep up with the times. So, at least, he thinks so in the studio, the quality of which has recently declined significantly, and almost no one from the original composition remains. Blizzard has turned to Chinese mobile giant NetEase for help. How did it work out? Does it even make sense to try Diablo Immortal, what is the name of the new iteration? We’ve tried the game in the edition and will try to answer these questions in today’s game experience.
April Fool’s joke
When Diablo Immortal was announced at BlizzCon in late 2018, it drew a lot of criticism and ridicule. At the time, Wyatt Cheng, Immortal’s game director, asked viewers if they had cell phones. The reaction followed almost immediately, and many of you probably remember it. One BlizzCon attendee bluntly asked if this was an April Fool’s joke. The whole situation has become a cult meme.
If you’re serious about the game, I dare say you tend to despise the mobile market. That’s what I personally do. Microtransmission is the backbone of games designed for casual gamers in this industry. The vast majority of mobile games live from the so-called whales – people who invest huge sums in their favorite pastime. We’re talking hundreds of thousands and millions. From the very beginning, there were fears that this would be a rape of such a popular brand. Add to that the fact that NetEase is in the game, and it’s not surprising skepticism. Less than four years have passed since the announcement, and on June 2, Diablo Immortal finally hit computers. However, this is a pure port of the mobile version. So let’s move on to the game itself. But I must warn you, your fears have come true.
An old classic in a new coat
A lot of time has passed since the Serpent, which witnesses know from the legendary Nokia 3310. Mobile games have come an incredible way, mainly in terms of technical processing. The power of some smartphones is truly astounding, and we practically carry small computers in our pockets. But, as they say, progress cannot be stopped. The visuals of Diabla Immortal are amazing. That is, if we are talking about versions for Android and iOS. I was even more surprised that the game runs great on a regular phone like my Poco X3 Pro. But I have bad news for owners of Samsung phones with Exynos chipset. You are currently unable to play the game on these devices due to technical issues. Samsung is one of the most ubiquitous brands and one wonders if enough testing has been done.
Mobile gaming has come a long way.
The game is so good on phones that you’ll need one of the latest iPhones or iPads to get the absolute best. Don’t worry, if you reduce the details, then what I said in the paragraph above applies. In the editorial, we also tried the PC version, which, unfortunately, is not so beautiful (screenshots from the PC version of the game). The main problem is the lack of resolution change, which doesn’t look good on my QHD display. But if you turn on the sharpness of the image, you can survive. We tested the game with both touch and Xbox controller and mouse keyboard. Of the three options mentioned, the leader with whom one poem is played clearly wins. Initially, I expected to prefer keyboard and mouse, but since this is a clean port for the mobile version, this option is a bit daunting. However, the PC version is in Open Beta, so it’s likely that we’ll see improvements over time, and even the ability to increase the resolution. Maybe it’s not just desire.
Undeniable qualities
Diablo Immortal plays as you would expect from Diablo. Wandering through the plot, by the way, surprisingly solid, you kill hordes of infernal scouts and their masters. You are constantly trying to level up and improve your equipment. So everything is the same. Separately, it is worth praising the voice acting of all dialogues and excellent musical accompaniment. Unlike previous episodes, Immortal enters the waters of the MMO genre and thus offers many multiplayer systems. The big news is the fact that when you run around the world, you constantly meet other players, and this greatly adds to the liveliness of the world in which the new part of Diablo takes place. Raids are also available for up to eight adventurers who have been an annoyance to many of you. There are many opportunities for communication. Having reached level 43, I did not try them all. This is PvP, which Immortal relies heavily on and which, unfortunately, also falls into. This is mainly due to the damn microtransactions. But is it really that bad?
Is a credit card required?
Hooray. It’s downright horrific, inappropriate and repulsive. Yes, you can argue that microtransactions are as relevant to the mobile industry as car wheels, but what I’ve seen over the past two days has surpassed my biggest fears. Do you want to play really well? You will have to pay well. According to her, the game spits out incredibly good deals at you, which, for example, proclaim an 860% advantage on the purchase. All the purchases you make are tied to one attentive only one character on one server. So if you buy a skin for your barbarian, for example, you won’t be able to use it anywhere else. Not on another character of the same profession, not on another server. The same applies to the battle pass, which is purchased separately for each character. Disturbance. Even for a mobile game.
All purchases are tied to one character.
And I did not mention the legendary gems, on which your strength and endurance depend. You get gems in the so-called Elder Rifts, which are practically the same as the third devil. The problem, however, is that in order to get them, you need the so-called coats of arms, which, as usual, can be bought for real money. Yes, the game will sometimes give you a little Crest for your efforts, but to really improve a character, you have to dig deep into your pocket. We’re talking hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Crazy, grotesque, brash and pathetic. I understand that Free 2 Play is supposed to make money, but everything has its limits. However, in the case of Diablo Immortal Blizzard crosses them by leaps and bounds, and personally I feel sick. I have nothing against when microtransactions are associated with cosmetic items. Riot, for example, showed that if the game is good, then you can make money on it. I am all the more sorry that the creators of Diablo Immortal embarked on the path of such aggressive monetization. Paying to be able to get items is simply wrong. At the heart of the game is a lot of fun, but it breaks its neck.
As a result, Diablo Immortal has even more Pay 2 Win than expected. And it’s really a shame because it plays very well on its own and definitely entertains for a while. My advice to you readers is this: if you’re bored at a lecture, while waiting for a train, or on a forced visit to your family, try Diablo Immortal. I am in no position to tell anyone how to manage my money, but for my own sake, I refuse to financially support this cruel greed of Blizzard and NetEase (unless things change quickly). From my point of view, all that remains of the once famous gaming company is a gnawed bone, which is eaten to the marrow by self-serving people who absolutely do not care about the players. Blizzard as we know it is a thing of the past for me and I don’t believe it will ever recover its reputation. Too bad, shame, hands off.
Source :Indian TV
