Tyrael and his tendrils
And the Heavens shall tremble.
Yes, i'm not bluffing, the much-anticipated, much-hyped about, Diablo 3 is FINALLY HERE. Well, not really, it was more of an announcement made. Declared in development on 28th June, 2008, at the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational in Paris, France.
A fresh Prime-Evil perhaps? Maybe Diablo's lao beh(dad)
I can't tell you how much i've been waiting for this game. It's predecessors, Diablo 2: LoD, and even Diablo 1, were a major hit. Action-packed hack'n slash genre with RPG elements, including an online multiplayer system that scores high on the replayability chart. It's one of my FAVOURITE games. Thank the High Heavens!
Before i go on, if you're not a Diablo fan or you don't like RPG games, or you'd rather blow someone apart with a shotgun John Woo-style, please stop reading. This entire post will be about Diablo 3, so yeah, i'm warning you. On the other hand, welcome, my fellow Diablo fans, and to those who are eager, but have not yet, discovered the Diablo Universe.
First, we shall start with where the story left off in D2: LoD. Baal gets killed on Mount Arreat, suffering the same fate as his brothers Diablo and Mephisto. Tyrael the Archangel (below, picture), hurls his enchanted runeblade AzureWrath into the Worldstone to destroy it, preventing the Burning Hells from corrupting it any further.
Tyrael, throwing AzureWrath
That was after the heroes(us, back then), in Diablo 2, destroyed Diablo and his brothers, one-by-one.
Two decades have passed since then.
"....When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram's Cathedral seeking clues to new stirrings of evil, a comet from the heavens strikes the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. The comet carries a dark omen in its fiery being and it calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells – and even the failing luminaries of the High Heavens itself. " - an extract from the game's official site
It's up to the new generation of heroes(us), to defend Sanctuary itself. Deckard Cain, our old friend, returns as well. There's good ol' Tristram to visit too.
Along with the new enhanced graphics and audio, comes the all-new physics engine, which adds a plus in the game's realism factor. Stone blocks crumble when they are accidentally caught within range of an AoE(area of effect) spell, environments are destructible, interactive. Rag-doll physics are pretty enjoyable too. Here's an example.
The Barbarian unleashing one of his skills at a wall
The Barbarian knocks down a nearby wall to crush the zombies. Before(above), after(below).
Poor things
All-too familiar Warcry
There are a whole lot of new weapons and equipment as well. Weapons get their respective socket auras(frost, fire, lightning, etc.), which look dead cool. I hope the armor follows suit. Skills, new and old, are rendered better than ever.
Tasmanian Devil - The Whirlwind(it's back!)
The bosses in the new game are awfully violent. Huge, as well. Lovely. Here are some below.
Cultists summoning -Before
Poof! Out comes a fatshit - After
I love the increased blood and gore in the game. Hours of terrific fun by slashing zombies shall ensue, i'm sure. But the physics engine still rocks more than anything. Bodies get flung around, environments can be used to our advantage, debris react realistically. Thank you Havok Physics!
Look at the scale of heroes to boss
Another joy factor is that any class in the game can be MALE or FEMALE. So, girls, come join in the action (:
So far there's only the Barbarian and the Witch Doctor revealed. You can read more about them at the site. More classes, soon!
Take note, the game's only been ANNOUNCED. Not RELEASED. Judging from Blizzard's progress on Starcraft II, it's already been more than a year since they made it known to the world, but still no release. Be patient, paladins and barbarians. Your time will come.
That's Diablo III for you! Great game, incredible gameplay. Be sure to catch it.
