Diablo III Console Reviews

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Written by WorstUsernameEver on September 4th, 2013

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Since before Diablo III arrived on PC, Blizzard's public statements contained two contentious opinions. The first was that the game required a real money auction house and an always online internet connection to function according to their vision; the second, even before this console version was announced, was that the game felt even better on a pad than a mouse. Now that it's here, the console release turns out to be fig. 1 in proving both of those statements false. Diablo still contains enough impulsive monster-slaying to entertain, but the trek from its home on PC has left it diminished.

If you're looking for something to fill the loot-shaped hole in your life now that you've done both Borderlands, then Diablo 3's your next natural step.

If you want an RPG type game that's not a dull, wordy Western one or an embarrassing anime hairdo JRPG car wreck then again, Diablo 3's a pretty obvious port of call.

It's a solid console iteration of a solid game, and it'll find an audience with those who think of whacking demons repeatedly in the face when they hear the phrase '˜bump and grind.'

For fans of the series that are jumping platforms now, Blizzard's assembled a useful FAQ that highlights what's different. Despite any changes, you almost get the sense that the game was designed from the outset with a mind toward being console-friendly. Maybe that's true. Whatever the case, this early salvo of the 2013 holiday season is a powerful one.

It's the loot and the satisfying slaughter of countless waves of enemies that draws me into Diablo 3, and that feeling remains intact on console. The direct control is great and an obvious requirement for the game to function with a controller. Despite compromises that were made to cram the mouse-and-keyboard game onto a console, it's a faithful and entertaining recreation of the essence of the game. If anything, it's closer to what I had hoped for when Diablo 3 launched last year. The console version focuses on your own actions to earn rewards, rather than weaving in a complicated auction system (powered optionally by microtransactions) that dictates the flow of high-level gear. Diablo 3's new control system can be awkward, and it can be frustrating when its limitations work against you, but it doesn't break the experience.

Whenever Diablo 3 on console does annoy, at least I can substitute the inclination to bang my head on the keyboard with the less painful convenience of throwing a controller.

Diablo III for home consoles has everything diehard fans have come to expect of the series, with a few very well-placed changes. The subtraction of the battle.net account and inclusion of couch coop add an easier online experience with fewer hurdles. A pacier combat system does wonder for the game's transition to home consoles, as does the fluid control scheme and great depth to be found. With four acts and four difficulty settings, Diablo III is a game that will easily take up hours upon hours of your time without you even realizing it.

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