Concluding thoughts
Only the Beginning
These days, when I preview a game, I like to focus on the
gameplay, since we all know now that good graphics and sound are
a given. It's not surprising when a game looks amazing; rather,
it's surprising when a game doesn't. Diablo II's graphics are
similar to Diablo's, although characters are now more detailed
and the backgrounds are more beautiful. Now, the armor and
weapons you have are reflected in your character, creating a
unique look each time you don a different helmet or wield a
different sword. In addition, the addition of parallax scrolling
creates more depth perception and more realistic graphics. True
line of sight adds to the realism, and weather effects enhance
the atmosphere. In addition, the music sounds great so far, and
we even have three clips from composer Matt Uelmen to show off
the sounds from each of the three acts.
Graphics areimprved. |
By now, we've been waiting nearly two years for Diablo II. The first game was such a huge success that many of us can hardly wait. Although the hoopla surrounding the game has died down simply because we've been waiting so long, it will pick up once again as the beta test draws near.
Lighting and line of sight is more accurate. |
We should be playing the beta within two weeks, and we'll give you a detailed report of our play experience. In addition, we'll continue to dig up information on the rest of the game and deliver it to you over the course of the next few weeks. Come back next Friday when we reveal more information on each specific act, including quests, NPCs, and monsters. And then the following week, we'll provide you with a look at each class and its special abilities. Then, a week later, we'll pick apart the beta test, which should reveal the entire first act, and give you a full report.
An exciting time is fast approaching. The holiday season for games is just around the corner, and many good games should be coming to the fore. One of them is obviously Diablo II, and while it doesn't stray too far from the original's formula, it seems to add so much massive content that it should impress gamers.