I’ve decided to play the Diablo franchise for the release of Diablo IV. Diablo II was one of my first experiences with gaming in my life, watching a family member play it for hours.

This game is a clear evolution of the first one, even though I like the first game’s simplicity, right from character creation we can easily see that this is supposed to be bigger and better. The cutscenes are amazing. Most of the game is non-mandatory which is simply awesome, it is a choice that rewards so much the choice of exploration. To be short: most of what makes Diablo I great is here too, with only a few exceptions and very few downsides.

I wished that back in D2 we already had the ‘respec’ being something normal. I made a mistake in my build for my Assassin and really struggled with most of the latter portion of the game. Diablo II is a weird mix in its atmosphere. The first act is amazing and as good as Diablo I, the second act is a fucking desert (which I can’t wrap my head around why), the third a jungle which is okay I guess and the fourth is as good as the first. And then the expansion is a snowy mountaintop… Weird choices.

My biggest problem with Diablo II is that it feels too big. I think the game is longer than it should and with Lord of Destruction that feeling gets even worse. I had to take a bit of time between finishing the main game and getting to play LoD to ensure I’d not play just to finish it as fast as possible. The game is very fun but it is the exhausting type of fun, the one that even when you are having a great time you’ll most likely want to take a bit of time off.

Diablo II is amazing, worst than the first in some aspects and best in many. A good sequel, a great addition to the franchise, and, for sure, a MUST-PLAY.