I have returned to the dark and bloody world of Sanctuary and after slaughtering hundreds of demons and nightmare creatures, I return from there with the illusion of a child. After playing the alpha technique of Diablo II Resurrection I was thrilled reliving the brutal action of this legendary RPG. And this is just a preview.
For someone who considers Diablo II one of their favorite video games, return to the battlefields of Sanctuary to relive the epic fight against it. Lord of terror Diablo II: Resurrected has been an incredible experience. A jump back in time that has made me remember why in its day and even now, 20 years later, this Blizzard classic captivated me the way it did. It has only been a brief -but intense- foretaste of what is to come, but I am not going around the bush: I loved it. I am amazed at its graphics, how amazingly good it looks; but I am also fascinated by how well a game that so many looked at for years to replicate its success has aged. There are aspects of Diablo 2 that now feel dated, that are not as exciting as those of other action RPGs, but it is still as fun as before. You start a game and you no longer think of anything other than exterminating the hordes of Diablo; in collecting loot and improving your hero’s skills. And so I have been all weekend; slaughtering demons, trying new ways to fight, rejoicing with every new legendary loot I came across. And this, as I say, is just a preview.
Diablo 2: Resurrected’s technical alpha only gave access to three characters throughout the first two acts that make up the story of this Blizzard classic, without the option of sharing a trip with other players through cooperative multiplayer that is, without a doubt, a vital piece to fully enjoy the fight against the demonic forces . It was enough for me to know that I need more, and that I need it now, because I have had a great time rediscovering the classic with a simply spectacular graphic section. But before delving into it, it should be made clear that Resurrected is not a remake, but a remastering plus in the style of Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy, also developed by the team of Vicarious Vision. This means that beyond the graphics and slight adjustments here and there, the game is essentially the same one we enjoyed twenty years ago (its final version, 1.14) with all the good and bad that that implies. And now, let’s go into the dark world of Sanctuary to talk in detail about an action RPG with which it will be difficult not to have fun.
The return of an essential action RPG
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I insist a lot on how good Diablo II: Resurrected looks because the work done by Vicarious Vision is truly amazing. Every scene, enemy, and final boss from the Blizzard classic has been redesigned with the latest technology to make them look better than ever. preserving aesthetics and gloomy tone of the original work. And I think there is nothing more spectacular than to go from the original graphics to those of this remastering to see, instantly, how much Diablo 2 has changed. The green meadows of Tristan are just as I remembered them, but now, infinitely more detailed; with tons of aesthetic elements that will make you sigh in amazement on more than one occasion. And the same goes for the deadly desert of Lut Gholein, or the dark catacombs and caves you will enter. The textures show an unhealthy level of detail, with striking lighting effects and other flawless graphic details such as reflections in puddles and other surfaces.
Tristan Cathedral, for example, is now infinitely more colorful. When you enter its dark passages, unlike the original, here you see the exterior of the building itself and not a simple black background; you contemplate the towers, buttresses and other architectural elements that give shape to this dilapidated setting. In caves, for example, smooth walls and floors give way to makeshift Amazon encampments, while the interiors of the houses are filled with decorative objects. Everywhere you look there is something incredible that will catch your eye, with effects to recreate fire or lightning that will make you want to see more and more even if it means facing deadly dangerous enemies. And then there is the darkness. I’ve heard several people say that you can barely see enemies when you enter a dungeon, but that’s the way it should be! In Diablo 2 there are objects that increase your radius of light to make it easier for you to enter dark scenes, and that is the fun; enter dark places where you do not know what nightmare awaits just two steps away.
I’m amazed at its graphics, how amazingly good it looksRegarding the heroes and monsters the same philosophy is maintained. They are just as you remembered them, they keep the visual style of the classic intact, but now they are infinitely more detailed, they feel much more alive thanks to the animations with which their gruesome deaths are recreated. Some are brutal, like the creatures that besiege you in the desert, which when hit, will roll across the ground with astonishing naturalness, then recover and charge again. And then there are other very subtle ones, like seeing the hero look at the bats that fly over his head, that show the pampering with which he works in this remastering. There are other no less important adjustments such as a less intrusive minimap, or new features such as the possibility of collect gold automatically.
As you can see, up to here, I have only talked about the graphics … because in the end it is the big news. The rest remains true to the original, including the user interface, inventory management or the progression of heroes’ abilities, which preserves the spirit of the latest version of the mythical Diablo 2 with some small tweaks, such as a shared treasure chest. for all heroes. It is important to be clear about this because if you have grown up with more current action RPGs, it is likely that you will miss some more dynamism in the combats, or better inventory management, as well as many other characteristics that have evolved throughout the last two decades and here they are not even present. Resurrected forgets all of them, stays with the essence of the classic, standing in front of the demons with the weapons and options typical of the time in which it was born. It is not a negative thing; As I was saying, I have once again fallen at the feet of the one who for many years was the king of action and role-playing games, but it is very important to know what you are going to find to avoid disappointment or deception. With that said, I am back in action.
There is nothing better than observing your hero’s new equipment in detail, and now you can do it thanks to the zoom option
This first technical alpha has starred the Amazon, the Barbarian and the Sorceress, who are three very different classes with various progression options that can radically change your play style. Going back to them means studying their skill trees, understanding how their combat stats affect defense and attack, dodging, or the power of your spells. And it’s a great feeling, albeit a bit harsh. It has also been difficult to get used to the game interface with keyboard and mouse, which is just like the classic one, without the option of adding keyboard shortcuts to your special abilities. Everything is carried out as before. Perhaps that is why I was so surprised by the remote control, what is perfect. Very much in line with what has already been seen in Diablo III, you have direct control over the hero and your abilities are assigned to the front buttons of the controller, with quick access to the potions through the crosshead.
I have fallen once again at the feet of the one who for years was the king of action and role-playing gamesIt has been so comfortable to play Diablo II with a controller (even with the room for improvement it has), that I am already excited just thinking about enjoying the classic on a console like Nintendo Switch. And basically these have been my first impressions with Diablo 2 Resurrected. Much remains to be seen, there are still details to adjust, but it has been wonderful to rediscover this classic of action and role with such spectacular graphics. In its day it was a game that captivated me and had hours and hours in front of the PC, and 20 years later, it has awakened in me the same illusion and desire to exterminate demons and get the best possible equipment. All I ask is that in the next testing phase, in addition to being able to control other heroes, I can play with some of you, because Diablo 2 in cooperative is pure and dark fantasy.