Video Game Preview: Diablo 3

It’s been almost a decade and now it is finally just around the corner. The highly anticipated dark/horror/action RPG has just been released to a select few for a beta run. The fine folks at Blizzard granted us press access to the beta and I spent many hours analyzing (and enjoying) the game so far.

The story continues in the fictional world of Sanctuary, however we only get a glimpse as we are limited to New Tristram and a few dungeons. The overall atmosphere is what we expected it to be, dark and gloomy. This is a good thing however because there is nothing like kicking the crap out of a demons ass. The graphics in the game are good when on the highest settings. I tested D3 out on my 2011 core i5 MacBook Pro running OSX Lion and it only got a little laggy in group adventures with lots of spells being cast on demons.

I was able to run through the game with the swift and cunning Monk, the magic and lightning blasting Wizard and the voodoo specialist Witch Doctor classes (there is also the Barbarian and Demon Hunter). Each of these five characters to choose from have their strengths and weaknesses and ultimately play the game differently. For example, as the Barbarian, you will want to run right into enemy lines and smash away. In contrast, if you play as the Wizard, you will most likely want to stay back and attack enemies at a distance with elemental spells.

A new feature in D3 is the auction house, where players can sell rare and legendary items they find in-game or big on items they do not have. Games like D3 are all about customization and trial and error when it comes to optimizing your character. For example, if you want your Monk to be ultra fast, you will be seeking out items that improve your speed of movement with rare boots. In the real test for players keen on creating the absolute dominant warrior in Sanctuary, Blizzard will be implementing a PvP arena where you will be able to duke it out.

So far, we are very impressed with the beta version of Diablo 3 and will be bringing you more updates and news as they come and we look forward to playing and reviewing the final release in the near future.

Also as a reminder, BlizzCon ’11 is happening this month in Anaheim, California with Foo Fighters performing on the closing night!