Diablo

"Hello my friend. Stay a while, and listen."

Hello my friend. Would you mind keeping an old man company? Come, sit by the fireplace. I have an old tale for you.....

The year was 1996. Those were dark times, my friend. The PC RPG genre was dying. Like an old, aging warrior, the genre was losing out to the younger generation of games. Most of the veteran RPGs had degenerated into mere shadows of their former selves, such as Ultima 8, while others, like the might and magic series, had faded into obscurity. Plagued by long development times, less than stellar graphics (because PC RPGs took so long to create they normally lack the graphic flair that other games have, and can't catch up with PC technology), as well as the poor quality of games produced, all with the same old, tired, mediocre storylines and typical ''fed-ex'' missions and quests, most gamers have long given up on the genre. The genre, to put it simply, has lost its magic.

But all was not dark and gloomy, my friend. Every dark cloud has it's silver lining. Blizzard entertainment, after the success of Warcraft 2, looked on the genre with interest. They realized that the genre was in need of a serious boost, or else it will fade into obscurity. That would have been a disastrous end to one of the oldest genres ever created. Thus, they set out to create a new game. A game that will contain the magic, the unique attributes that make the game an RPG, but yet would still attract the masses. The result was Diablo. And what an astonishing result it was.

Greetings good master! Welcome to the tavern of the rising sun!

Much has changed since you've lived here, my friend. The town of Tristram, which was once peaceful, is now besieged by terrors unknown. Dark riders constantly roam about the outskirts of the town, as if waiting for some sign. Screams, odd sounds and lights were seen and heard from the old monastery in the town. Fear gripped the hearts of the townsfolk. Some say that Diablo, the lord of terror, has risen. You, my friend, are our only hope. You must venture into the dark monastery and seek out that which is hidden.

Although the story isn't the most original one that was created, Blizzard manages to weave an astonishing tale that will increase your interest as soon as you finish reading the manual. Unfortunately, most of the story is IN the manual. The town itself is devoid of any living things, save a few people standing outside the houses. Quite unlike other PC RPGs, there isn't much interaction between NPC members. All you'll ever need them for are the usual buying and selling of items, as well as healing. There are books lying in the dungeons that tell you some of the story and history, but still, it is obvious that Blizzard has neglected the story while making the game, and used it only as a background. A poor start, you might say, for an RPG. However, the game is quite unlike the normal PC RPGs you have seen.

Well, what can I do fer yeh?

One of the greatest weaknesses of this game is, as mentioned, the lack of NPC interaction, my young friend. Besides dispensing wares, and giving a little bit of town gossip, most of the time they just stand in front of their houses, looking around. AND they always repeat the same greeting to you, which will make anyone irritated after hearing it for the 20th time. In fact, this sort of makes you wonder if the game deserves the title, RPG. In truth, diablo is an action game, viewed from an isometric perspective, and thinly disguised as an RPG.

Yes, diablo has the so called ''RPG elements''. As in a typical RPG, you have stats, in this case, 4, namely strength, dexterity, vitality and magic. Diablo, too, has quests, which are randomly generated, so you don't get the same quests each time you start a new character. And, in addition to those, items, weapons, spells, and other typical RPG fare have been included. An added bonus, as well, is the randomness of the stuff you find. All have random stats, so seldom are 2 items alike.

So do all this additions, make up for Diablo's lackluster NPCs? Not really. Your primary quest is to find and dispose of the prime Evil, Diablo. He lies deep within the monastery, my friend. Unfortunately, that means the only place you go to IS the monastery. Yup, no visits to other towns, no travelling, no outdoor activity. Just one town, one really deep dungeon, and the same, old boring NPCs.

Nevertheless, despite Diablo's lack of the true ''RPG feel'', it is an enjoyable game. I recommend, my friend, that you play it as you would an action game. The action can be quite intense at times, requiring you to hold of a huge crowd of enemies, chasing after an annoying mage who is teleporting all over or casting a spell at one enemy only to find that another has sneaked up from behind you. Enemies are varied, and surprisingly well animated, despite being such an old game. You can see the Balrogs rear up as they get ready to sprout an inferno, or the succubus aiming as she release her projectile, or the slow, shambling movements a zombie makes. And having different attacks means you have to adjust your strategies, since you can't simply run up to the enemy and attack all the time.

I sense a soul in search of answers.

3 Classes are available for Diablo. First, the warrior, your typical melee fighter with great strength and little magical ability. Then comes the mage, weak at melee combat, but with the forces of magic at his command. Lastly, the rouge, a strange combination of average magical ability and skill in ranged weapons. The 3 classes, though, aren't really that different from one another. Besides having different weapon attack speeds, different spell casting rates, stats and different looks, the only thing separating them is an ability they each have that is unique to the class. The warrior can repair weapons, though no as well as a blacksmith, while the rouge can detect traps and the mage can recharge staves. Certainly more could have been done to differentiate the classes, who are almost similar in ability as ALL of them can cast spells, use any armor and any weapon.

Attacking an enemy requires one to master the arts of mouse clicking. No, I'm not joking my friend. To do a physical attack, simply point and click away as fast as you can. Diablo was probably the cause of the rise of mice sales as well as many a patient admitted to hospitals for wrist cramp. Controls are simple, with the left click for attack and the right click to use a spell or skill, while 4 hotkeys can be assigned to skills and such. Simple, uncomplicated gameplay, my friend. Yet, strangely addictive, perhaps due to it's simplicity, and that it is merely mindless clicking. Perfect after a hard day's work. Unfortunately, those hungering after deeper gameplay will be sorely disappointed. Combat merely consists of rampant clicking for warriors, and as for the mage and rouge, aiming then rampant clicking. And combat is far from flawless. Rampant clicking can be tiring after a while. And if the enemy runs, your character will follow him, and you may suddenly find yourself in a crowd of demons. Still, combat can be fun simply because it consists of mindless clicking. And not simply mindless hacking and slashing: you'll need to take note of the monster's resistances, it's abilities and ranged attack capabilities. And there's more.....

Despite having only one miserable dungeon, the dungeon changes as you progress further down, so it's not all the same, young friend. The quests are quite typical, such as fetching an item for an NPC, killing a monster, etc. Some are a little different though, such as the one that requires you to investigate the poisoned water supply (although you ultimately end up killing more monsters...). However, Diablo's main attraction lies not within the quests. It is the items, the dungeons, the atmosphere and the randomness, my friend.

What ails you my friend?

Dungeons are spawned randomly, similar to the quests. While there are a fixed number of quests, the dungeons are ALWAYS different. Hence, you will hardly ever see the same 2 dungeons. This randomness makes each time you play a different experience, and a new refreshing experience. In addition, items are random as well. So there is a chance that you will get a crappy item, or a chance that the item is godly. Collecting these items will consume you, as you keep playing for ''just one more item'', even though the morning sun has just risen. The game preys on the basic human desire of ''having the best'', and this game has the capability to fulfill it, yet at the same time it hangs it in front of games like how one tempts a chained, starving dog with a sausage. Wicked, Blizzard game designers, aren't they, my friend?

And it's not just the items. Spells, and the irritable lure of gaining levels are also what compels you to keep playing. Spells are learnt through books, and have their own level. There are certain magic level requirements to learning them, hence the warrior will always have less spells and spells of lower level than mages. Spell effects are well animated, with the fireball exploding in a scavenger's face, the fire elemental running towards the enemy and exploding itself, to the golem walking slowly, yet determined to crush the evil minions of terror. Level gaining has always been the allure of RPGs, and Diablo is no exception. Coupled with the ability to play online over modem, TCP/IP or through Blizzard's free online service, Battle.net, you can show off your items, venture into hell with your friends or even kill other players. Even now, there are still people playing Diablo. The game is that additive.

Odium, Excidium, Metus

As soon as you set foot into the town of Tristram, my friend, you'll notice that it's environs are rather static. The rivers don't flow much, and there isn't any wind, or what-not. As mentioned, townsfolk are also motionless, standing outside their houses and preventing you from entering. Yet, despite this, it manages to convey a feeling of dread, and fear of the unknown. This feeling increases as you set foot into the monastery. The first level, the church catacombs, look eerie, and is very quiet. The music itself is soft and slightly threatening, conveying the feeling of uncertainty one gets when you set foot into an unknown, dark alley. The graphic detail is high, from the dark one's ungainly walk to the old, dilapidated church walls. There are dark, brown splotches on the floor that look like dried blood, and one of the quests brings you to a room painted red with blood and dismembered corpses lie around. Progress further, and you'll see dismembered limbs, dead humans, and on one level, men and women impaled on spears. And the music itself is creepy, eerie, threatening, and at times, even scary. The atmosphere gets darker and darker as you descend lower, until you finally reach the gaping maw of hell itself..... An excellent example of the incredible music and sounds is the catacombs, where moans, ghostly laughs and eerie sounds can be heard, over a slow melody that manages to convey the feeling of death and decay so rampant in the catacombs. That will give anyone playing in the dark shivers. And the theme of Tristram itself is wonderful, with the sound of the harpsichord and guitars playing a mysterious, gothic tune. The music is, to put it simply, awesome. Add it to the great graphics, and the stupendous sounds, the atmosphere of Diablo is what is, to me, the best part of the game, and one aspect that it's successor, Diablo 2 lacks severely.

All hail Diablo, Lord of Terror, and Master of the three!

So, my friend, my tale has reached it's conclusion. Diablo is an action game in truth, but with RPG elements. If deep, meaningful RPGs with a rich storyline and complex characters is what you crave, don't even glance at Diablo. However, if you like action RPGs with a great deal of action and don't care about the plot, this is the game for you. Just remember that Blizzard does not provide treatment for sore wrists and fingers.

Diablo did not revolutionize the RPG genre or single-handedly made PC RPGs fashionable again. But it started the ball rolling. It took Balder's Gate to revolutionize and complete the resurrection of the genre, but that is, itself, another story.

Final Scores:

Gameplay : 2.3(if you think of it as an RPG), 8.4(if you consider it as an action game)
Graphics : 7.8
Sound : 9.4
Music : 9.6
Controls : 8.0(with normal wrists and fingers), 2.3(if you get sore fingers after all the clicking)
Replayability : 7.4(single player), 9.7(multiplayer)
Shear fun factor : 9.5
Originality : 6.5

Final Score : 7.0

So my tale ends, my friend. It's been a long day, and I am an old man. I am tired. It is time to part and go our separate ways. Thank you for listening to an old man's ramblings. Take care, when you go to the monastery. For Diablo, the lord of terror, awaits. Good day, and good luck.

- Deckard Cain.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/20/01, Updated 12/20/01