All roads lead to hell, and in the case of the 26 year old Diablo franchise, that journey makes for some hellishly decadent entertainment. Diablo IV doesn’t stray too far from the series playbook, but Blizzard’s latest installment is a sinner’s paradise of finely tuned gameplay, deep systems, and a tragic tale that pulls no punches.

Years after Malthael almost succeeded in wiping humanity clean off the face of Sanctuary, not much has changed in the Diablo universe. The Eternal Conflict between Demons and Angels still rages on, powerful players are looking to tilt the war in their favour by manipulating humanity, and the most natural cause of death that you can pray for in this land is quick disembowelment by a rabid werewolf.

Life isn’t easy in Sanctuary, and with the creators of that realm, the angel Inarius and the demonic daughter of hatred Lilith, plotting a new scheme, it’s up to you to stop to their infernal ambitions. Choose a class, slap on some gear, and prepare to sacrifice dozens of hours of your life on the altar that is Diablo IV.

This Diablo sequel isn’t looking to revolutionize its formula, as the action RPG instead doubles down on the gameplay systems introduced in Diablo III, and merges them with a pitch black tone reminiscent of the first two Diablo games. It’s an incredibly fine line that Diablo IV balances on – one that aims to modernize the ARPG space just enough as it throws you into a world of darkness, demons, and delightful destruction.

Make no mistake, Diablo IV is a slot machine of player-delivered devastation, albeit one that doesn’t feel like it’s constantly trying to shake you down for loose change, like Diablo Immortal. That golden cycle of kill, loot, and repeat so that you can have a mathematical edge when dealing with tougher opponents, feels better than ever as you do the dungeon rounds.

Diablo IV is essentially a series of gauntlets in which you hack your way through mobs of fleshy obstacles while chasing after that next piece of epic loot. It’s a bit like being addicted to the thrill of gambling, only without the risk of losing your house after one too many rolls of the demonic dice. Well, unless you forget to pay your real-life bills while exploring the depths of hell.

Where to buy Diablo IV

Admittedly, Diablo IV isn’t as innovative this time around for a Diablo game, as it even pinches inspiration from contemporary titles like Path of Exile, Darksiders Genesis, and Lost Ark. However, it’s still incredibly confident in its own gameplay systems. With several character classes available to choose from, Diablo IV throws open the doors to Dante’s inferno with a selection of skill trees that allow you to focus on one of several aspects of your chosen Nephilim.

For example, I’ve been playing primarily as the Druid and I’ve been able to come up with some wild spins on a character who exists as a blend between a WWE wrestler and a Monty Python Knight who says Ni. I can focus on calling down lightning strikes with a build that does incredible work melting through single targets; my werewolf skill investment transforms me into a rabid beast that inflicts disease with every bite; and my nature magic makes me feel like a top-tier earth bender straight out of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I also never get tired of using my werebear charge attack to paint the walls around me with the entrails of imps that get in my way.

And that’s just the Druid. I’ve sunk hours into the game with just a single class, but I’m already making plans to use my next playthrough to experiment with the Necromancer and their army of skelly boys, unleash hellfire as the Sorcerer, and fling out an arsenal of traps as the Rogue. A lot more fun will be had in the months to come when buildcrafting becomes a singular focus of attention and challenge, especially as more gear is unlocked and experimented with.

The fact that the game feels this good while using a controller as well is a testament to how well designed its core experience – which consists of annihilating hordes of demons and/or unraveling the mysteries of a labyrinth – is.

But as good as Diablo IV feels to play, the same can’t be said for its story. Granted, the setup here is strong, and some of the core characters introduced are murky and mysterious with their ambitions, but the primary narrative path you follow is one full of distractions and detours. Lilith’s revenge tour of Sanctuary relegates her to a background presence until the final hours of the game. It then all culminates with an ending that feels anticlimactic as Diablo IV sets itself up for a live service future.

On the plus side, the devilish execution of the story makes up for the tale’s stumbles. The dark and twisted narrative is delivered with a more subtle approach to storytelling, the voice acting is wonderfully nuanced, and the side-stories help flesh out a world where the primary currencies are betrayal and blood. Special mention has to go to Caroline Faber as Lilith, who just oozes pure Prime Evil power with every line spoken; and Ralph Ineson as Lorath, a man with a voice so gravely that every pothole within a 10-kilometer radius is instantly fixed whenever he opens his mouth.

Arriving 11 years after Diablo III first launched, Diablo IV has an attention to detail that is simply spellbinding. From villages blanketed in the biting cold of snow and ice, to caverns that have been transformed into dens of darkness decorated with tumors, Diablo IV is grotesquely gorgeous. Shadows have permeated every single pixel of the game, delivering a rich visual feast that possesses your eyes and requires a hell of an exorcism to release its hold on your senses.

There are no rainbows here, and the brightest colour you’ll see is a radiant red from all the blood that flows through every battle. Diablo IV is nihilistic eye candy that’s complemented by a sinister soundtrack of heavenly splendor and demonic despair.

Like any game made in the last decade, microtransactions are a large part of Diablo IV – but only in a cosmetic sense, fortunately. Blizzard has previously mentioned that they will only be providing aesthetic adjustments, such as character skins, weapon appearances, and other visual enhancements. However, if you want them, be prepared to shell out some extra cash to dress your Necromancer in some fancy bone armor. One example is the Triune Apostate armour set, which is being sold for 2500 Platinum, Diablo IV’s in-game premium currency. In real-world cash, that’s a $25 investment just for some shinier pixels, and like other live service games, Platinum is only sold in bundles instead of the exact amount you need. Convenient.

On top of that, you’ve also got the Battle Pass, which is pretty standard for a live service game. There’ll be quarterly seasons that introduce new quests, and the pass will have three versions available: Free, Premium, and Accelerated. Free naturally gets you some goodies, while Premium delivers everything for the Platinum equivalent of $10. Meanwhile, Accelerated allows you to skip forward 20 tiers if you’re willing to pay $25 worth of Platinum for that quick-gains rush. How fulfilling the live service will be for Diablo IV players is up to Blizzard, but so far, the road map of content on this highway to hell is looking incredibly appealing.

But even if you aren’t planning to descend into Diablo IV’s live service extras every season, the vanilla endgame experience here still has plenty for players to sink their fangs and blades into. You can take on Capstone Dungeons from level 50; Helltide Events are essentially Diablo IV meets the Dark Zone of The Division; and there are plenty of PvP activities for when you feel like murdering your digital friends. Plus, you can work your way through Tree of Whisper Bounties while unlocking more account-wide bonuses by completing optional dungeons.

And if you get bored doing this? Well, you can always start a fresh game of Diablo IV with a new character class. Not too shabby.

Diablo IV is a wickedly good time. It has stunning visuals and a compulsive system of self-improvement that’ll compel you to grind through just one more dungeon at 2 AM. It’s slick in action, looks fiendishly handsome, and offers a consistent challenge that’ll keep you on your toes. The devil is indeed in the details, and Diablo IV is a diabolical, bleak masterpiece of approachable action and complex buildcrafting that will sink its claws into you.

Released on 5 June, Diablo IV is playable now on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.


Diablo IV review

Diablo IV is the equivalent of selling your soul to the devil in exchange for a game that’s hard to put down. And that’s a deal worth making.

 9
Diablo IV was reviewed on PC