Diablo 2: Resurrected

[xvertigox]

 

 

 

I'm shocked there's not a D2:R thread here already so now I'm making one. Any other long time D2 players (or even new ones) looking forward to D2:R? I've been a huge Diablo fan since Diablo 1 released and I've been playing D2 about as consistently as Doom since it's release.

 

Having played the D2:R alpha I'm super excited. Having the game logic be 1:1 with vanilla with the new visuals plastered over the top is fantastic. Same core gameplay and quirks with crazy new graphics.

 

The monster and environment model detail are actually really impressive (you can't even see most of the details unless you zoom in). TBH, I'll play through with new graphics but for end game play I'll probably end up playing in legacy graphics as it's easier to see and I feel like I have more control.

 

Here's some comparison screenshots I took:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any Aus/NZ Players feel free to jump on my OCE D2:R discord
 

Spoiler

https://discord.gg/yWkTHwsPjW

 

[DuckReconMajor]

I'll go ahead and re-claim my place as contrarian edgelord and say I really don't like how it looks. I'll probably give it a try though.

I was hoping Diablo 3's graphics would grow on me but they never did.

[Chezza]

Looks good and perhaps I should try it someday. I don't have the massive nostalgia hit for the game like most but it's some decent mindless fun.

 

Some of my friends see it as the Holy Grail of RPGs and probably want me to play co-op with them.

[spineapple tea]

Damn.

[xvertigox]

1 hour ago, DuckReconMajor said:

I'll go ahead and re-claim my place as contrarian edgelord and say I really don't like how it looks.

 

It's quite different with new graphics. I'm leaning towards playing legacy as well but will def do a full hell playthrough on new graphics.

 

46 minutes ago, Chezza said:

Some of my friends see it as the Holy Grail of RPGs and probably want me to play co-op with them.

 

100% is best ARPG ever IMO. It's the Doom equivalent of ARPGs.

[Csucskos]

I'd say I'm a middle sized Diablo 2 fan, I have not (and probably never will) played Diablo 1, but I like it quite a lot. I also only play solo, and not so up to date with the builds and ruins and stuff, if I need something I look it up. So I'm not too hyped about it, but for sure gonna get it eventually. The new graphics look cartoonish if you know what I mean... a little more lighthearted than the original. But if they don't screw up anything only touchup on things that were useless, I'm certainly in.

[xvertigox]

21 minutes ago, Csucskos said:

The new graphics look cartoonish if you know what I mean... a little more lighthearted than the original. But if they don't screw up anything only touchup on things that were useless, I'm certainly in.

 

I agree, in screenshots it looks a bit more exaggerated or cartoony. During gameplay though it's got a darker tone to it, the dynamic lighting adds the grimness. Based on the alpha, they aren't changing much at all. The biggest game changers are togglable auto gold pickup and an expanded and shared stash. Everything else is the same.

[Muusi]

I've literally played LoD from launch, every ladder to atleast lvl 83 or higher. Every ladder from release. I preordered the remake the second it came available and i'll probably play it for the next 15 years. Didn't get to try the alpha but luckily i got the naughty cracked version that had all classes and went up to Duriel before Blizzard took everything down. It's a perfect remake and i fucking can't wait for it to be released.

[Kurogachii]

It's definitely an instant buy for me.. well, in the future at least.. i love ARPG's and i still have to 100% Torchlight.

[Devalaous]

3 hours ago, DuckReconMajor said:

I'll go ahead and re-claim my place as contrarian edgelord and say I really don't like how it looks. I'll probably give it a try though.

I was hoping Diablo 3's graphics would grow on me but they never did.

 

Fortunately you can play with the old graphics. I'd say devote at least one playthrough with the new though, just to fairly judge them.

 

I'll be getting this game and playing it a ton. I've never been the type to go through the extra difficulties in Diablo 2, so I wont be getting th same gameplay as the main audience, but oh well, the campaign is fun enough that I can do it an extra...seven times? Once as each class.

 

[Kyka]

BUT DID THEY DO THE UBERS?????????

[Devalaous]

17 minutes ago, bLOCKbOYgAMES said:

BUT DID THEY DO THE UBERS?????????

 

Would be nice to have that content available for singleplayer after all these years. Never cared much for multiplayer, and I killed the ubers in Diablo 3, back before they were trivialised.

[Kyka]

I never played Diablo 3. Too cartoony.

 

And yes it would be cool to have the ubers in single player D2. I solo'ed all of the ubers with my magical paladin of magicalness. Well all except Uber Baal. That guy was a jerk.

[Final Verdict]

Diablo 2, probably the best ARPG ever created.

 

I'll likely give it a look when I get a chance. I played D2 for years from its release until around 2007, also spent a ridiculous amount of time in multiplayer. There were a few people on battlenet I used to play it with consistently. Wish I had stayed in contact with them after I left, but real-life made that difficult.

 

I played D3 as well but never really went back to it. I got to Inferno Act III, before it was changed Inferno was really tough and it took me many attempts to kill Belial. I went back again when the expansion came out and found a lot had changed difficulty wise. Long story short it was fun for a run or two but didn't quite hold me like D2 did. The art style didn't help.

 

The first two Diablo games were the best in my opinion.

 

The only other two ARPG's I hold up alongside D2 are PoE and Grim Dawn. But aesthetics wise D2 remains king for me. Each Act had a fantastic theme. From the old crumbling ruins of Act I to the dusty halls of Act II and the steaming mist-covered temples and jungle of Act III.

 

It really nailed the atmosphere and no other ARPG has ever surpassed it in that regard.

 

[Devalaous]

Im not quite sure where people get the cartoony thing for Diablo 3 from. The developers themselves made fun of that claim by adding in a literal childish cartoony rainbow level. When I played Diablo 3 on console it was grim, dark and bloody the whole way through. The expansion's final area and the add-on locations added after release were really neat looking too. Kind of sad that console is the only way to play the game offline at your own convenience, one day it'll be the only version you can even play.

 

Would be nice if we could get a Diablo 1 remaster looking like this remake, and Warcraft 1 and 2 remaster/remakes in the style of C&C's while we are at it. Noone is going to trust them with Warcraft ever again though after what they did to 3.

[Cruduxy Pegg]

This is one of the old games I have played the most, and that's probably why I am going to skip the remaster until it is heavily on sale. I couldn't replay it in a while as I'd rather play new games in general. Especially as they aren't re-balancing anything.

[DuckReconMajor]

14 hours ago, Csucskos said:

I have not (and probably never will) played Diablo 1

 

Just as an FYI the first game is much shorter than Diablo 2 so it's not as much time investment if you're ever interested. I actually made a video since there's not a whole lot of beginner guidance on the first game.

 

10 hours ago, bLOCKbOYgAMES said:

I never played Diablo 3. Too cartoony.

 

I agree but it's worth a try if you can snag it for cheap. I think the gameplay changes they made streamlined the experience and made it fun for at least a short playthrough.

 

3 hours ago, Devalaous said:

Im not quite sure where people get the cartoony thing for Diablo 3 from. The developers themselves made fun of that claim by adding in a literal childish cartoony rainbow level.

 

I wouldn't say it's cartoony. It's just missing some sort of lo-fi grime that was lost with the new lighting model or whatever. It looked like they were bridging the gap between WoW and Diablo, which even if you like both games it doesn't mean the aesthetics should mix.

I compare it to the way some folks retch when they see Doom's graphics with a linear filter. Doesn't bother me, but to many the pixel aesthetic is an essential part of Doom's charm.

 

I don't know whether Whimsydale was the team being a good sport, or poking fun at the critics. In either case making fun of yourself doesn't make the critics wrong.

[Devalaous]

Diablo 1 is short enough that its sort-of crammed inside Diablo 3 as an annual easter egg, but its really not quite the same.

11 minutes ago, DuckReconMajor said:

I don't know whether Whimsydale was the team being a good sport, or poking fun at the critics. In either case making fun of yourself doesn't make the critics wrong.

 

The original Diablo 3 team WAS led by an arrogant dickbag, the game only really got decent after he was removed iirc. I played the original and it was kinda eh, but Reaper of Souls and the many patches afterward made it good stuff.

[omx32x]

i played a lot of diablo 3 with my brother in the past and i am a big fan of the franchise overal but i refuse to spend anything in any of blizzard's products after the Blitzchung controversy if it wasnt by that i would be speaking about the new diablo games way more

[Nevander]

As someone who has only played Diablo 3 and have heard such great things about 2, I look forward to this.

[xvertigox]

I'm still pumped for the launch so in the meantime I've been jamming vanilla D2 LOD on bnet (US East). If anyone here is interested in playing together let me know :)  And again, any kiwis or aussies let me know and I'll flick you an invite to my D2:R clan.

[BaileyTW]

Might give it a try if I can. Been wanting to get around to Diablo 2 for a while now since the gameplay appeals to me but just haven't gotten around to it (which is to say I am poor). Well I guess it depends if I can actually run it, surprises me what I can't run on this shitty laptop.

[Swordofdanu]

Bit peeved they couldn't be arsed to code in local co-op, probably still pick it up though. 

[Argent Agent]

If it's just a remaster with no re-balancing or additions to come, I'm not so sure I will be getting this when I could be playing a Diablo 2: LoD mod.

[Azuris]

Is there local Multiplayer?

Maybe i'll pick this up and play it on the Switch with my Girlfriend.

 

But i can also skip it, after Warcraft 3 Reforged i am not in the Mood to give Activision Blizzard Money.

 

At least it seems as they are giving this one a better Treatment (and do not sourcing it out to Malaisia).

 

[Kyka]

On 6/4/2021 at 7:40 PM, Devalaous said:

Im not quite sure where people get the cartoony thing for Diablo 3 from. The developers themselves made fun of that claim by adding in a literal childish cartoony rainbow level. When I played Diablo 3 on console it was grim, dark and bloody the whole way through. The expansion's final area and the add-on locations added after release were really neat looking too. Kind of sad that console is the only way to play the game offline at your own convenience, one day it'll be the only version you can even play.

 

Would be nice if we could get a Diablo 1 remaster looking like this remake, and Warcraft 1 and 2 remaster/remakes in the style of C&C's while we are at it. Noone is going to trust them with Warcraft ever again though after what they did to 3.

 

I think by 'cartoony' I meant that it felt like playing "Diablo: WOW edition." Too many bright colours, and literally raining loot drops everywhere. Too many colours and pretty lights and things like that. Diablo 2 was understated, more like a horror game. Diablo 3 was more like a JRPG.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

Diablo II Resurrected puts Warcraft 3 Reforged permanently to shame.

[Rudolph]

It looks great, but unfortunately, I read that it plays the same as the original, which I did not enjoy at all. :(

 

@Nevander It is much clunkier and slower than its sequel: your character has limited stamina; your ranged weapons have limited ammunition; the combat is nowhere near as dynamic; permanent allocation of stat and skill points mean that you can end up with a useless build later on, forcing you to either bite the bullet and hope you can eventually redeem it somehow or start a new game from scratch; and the numerous potions, scrolls, charms and accessories (including the Horadric Cube) take up so much space in your inventory that you can barely carry anything else. If you are like me, you will come to miss Diablo III's quality of life changes.

 

On the plus side, Resurrected is hopefully going to retain the original's ability to be played offline.

Edited June 24, 2021 by Rudolph

[WARDUST]

it's weird... is like you're playing exactly the same with HD graphics... but with a big feeling of playing something graphically FLAT. I feel it lose the deep sensation in the HD process.

[Rudolph]

Sooo... are people still going to get this game in light of all the revelations reminders that Activision Blizzard is awful?