Diablo IV
Blizzard is starting off the month right by finally giving what Diablo fans have been eagerly waiting for since the release of Diablo III over seven years ago. They really went all out with this one. Instead of just a short teaser trailer that really wouldn’t tell you much of anything about the game other than the fact that it’s coming, Blizzard actually did a full-on cinematic announcement trailer followed by an official gameplay trailer.
This comes as no surprise, but Blizzard absolutely killed it once again with their Diablo IV cinematic trailer, as is the case more often than not when it comes to Blizzard’s cinematic team. As you can see from the trailer, Diablo IV isn’t lacking in the slightest when it comes to the gory, dark theme that so many fans criticized Diablo III for moving away from. This new direction back to the dark roots that caused Diablo fans to become so enamored with the franchise in the first place was clearly one of the best decisions that Blizzard could have made.
As for the gameplay trailer, so far they’ve only shown Barbarian, Sorceress, and Druid. The confirmed classes seem to be most similar to the classes from Diablo II so it’s nice to see Blizzard draw from that for the new game. The combat shown in the trailer looks smooth, fluid, and most importantly, brutal and bloody. The world and maps shown in the trailer are also masterfully done. And the graphics and animations are just simply beautiful.
The official Diablo IV site gives us an idea of what to expect from the story of the game:
LEGENDS OF CREATION
An old legend has it that Sanctuary was created by the union of an angel and a demon, and that their descendants—humanity—built villages, then cities and empires, spreading across the land to form the world’s cultures and civilization.
A REIGN OF ENMITY
Chaos threatens to consume Sanctuary as evil and impiety continue to spread. Depraved demons and corrupted wildlife roam the land unchecked, as terrified townsfolk huddle in dark corners trying to survive one more day.
CULT OF PERSONALITY
The pious plead for guidance from their faith, but doubts have them feeling that their devotion is misplaced. Lilith’s return has spawned a new wave of cultists and worshippers, but regardless of dogma, all prayers remain unanswered.
DAUGHTER OF HATRED
The daughter of Mephisto awakens burning urges in the hearts of those around her, be it demon, human or beast. Profound fears, unchecked rage, repressed impulses, sinful desires—all are brought forth violently and irresistibly by her mere presence.
UNSTOPPABLE EVIL
As darkness returns to Sanctuary, a brave few dare to face this threat. But what fate awaits them in a land forsaken by hope, valor, wisdom, and justice?
Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with how far they’ve come along with Diablo IV. This is what some would call sweet redemption for the bad taste left in Diablo fans’ mouths when they received the news that the latest Diablo Immortal game would be mobile-based. A release date has not yet been confirmed but I don’t see it being too far away as a playable demo is already available on the BlizzCon show floor.
