5 Reasons Diablo: Immortal Is Worth Actually Being Excited For
Diablo: Immortal has been dragged through the Burning Hells since its initial announcement at BlizzCon 2018. While the game is a fully-fledged Diablo experience, it’s definitely not the one that most fans have been looking for. The stigma surrounding mobile gaming certainly doesn’t help its case, either.
While these issues just add more fuel to the raging flames, there’s nothing wrong with looking for a silver lining behind it. Sure, Diablo: Immortal isn’t the game that fans want, but that also doesn’t have to translate to a terrible gaming experience. Here are five reasons why Diablo Immortal is worth actually being excited for.
Portable Diablo
Alright, you might already be thinking, “Just get a Nintendo Switch if you want a real portable Diablo experience,” and we get that. We even got the chance to review Diablo III: Eternal Collection on the hybrid console and loved it. Practically speaking, however, most people won’t buy a full-fledged console just for one game.
Not everyone might have a Nintendo Switch, nor do they ever plan on getting one. Maybe they don’t like the games on the system, and while it did get a stunning Diablo III bundle, it still isn’t enough to sway them over. Some players might just be happy with their PC, PS4, Xbox One, or even no console at all, yet still have a smartphone.
You can bring Diablo: Immortal with you wherever you go since, chances are, you’ll always have your smartphone with you. Having a portable Diablo game is a fun way to burn some time on a long trip or waiting for a friend to pick you up.
Largest Diablo Multiplayer Experience
The Diablo series is known for its fun multiplayer mode, letting you bring along your friends and family for the ride. Described as an MMOARPG, Diablo: Immortal is stepping things up with a beefed-up multiplayer experience.
This mobile spin-off will be a massively multiplayer game with outdoors zones that are populated by other players. Diablo: Immortal abolishes the four-player party limit, as it seems like eight players can team up and take on dungeons together.
As for how Blizzard will keep the ball rolling, it seems like they’ll continue to support the game by adding in new zones and classes moving forward. Going by this, Diablo: Immortal could end up adding boss raids and other social features later on. There’s plenty of potential here, and we’re pretty excited to see what other features Blizzard can come up with for the game.
More Lore and Character Interactions
The Diablo: Immortal spin-off takes place between Diablo II and Diablo III, following the destruction of Worldstone. The 20-year gap between both games leaves plenty of room for more lore and character development that we hadn’t seen in the main games.
It’s true that most mobile titles have watered-down stories, often leaning more towards gameplay, but Blizzard can still try and make the most out of their rich lore with great writing and storytelling. Luckily, we’ll be seeing some familiar faces in Diablo: Immortal, such as Malthael, Tyrael, Deckard Cain, and Leah. Moreover, Blizzard had mentioned that Diablo: Immortal with focus on character interactions with NPCs.
The developers will also be adding to the story over time through future updates, further fleshing out the characters in the series. Who knows, they might even add in some new characters in the long run that might play a big part in the series. Whatever the case, we can only hope that Blizzard makes the most out of their uncharted territory by giving us some good, sensible lore in Diablo: Immortal.
Streamlined Gameplay
The key word here is streamlined, and not dumbed-down. Mobile games do have a habit of going back to basics, to the point where it just ends up playing itself with an “Auto” button. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Diablo: Immortal.
From the early gameplay videos, it’s pretty clear that Blizzard is intent on keeping the classic combat fans know and love. Combat remains fairly unchanged, as characters still do have their physical attacks own set of skills and abilities. The only thing here is that players are restricted through cooldowns instead of mana when pulling off their flashy moves.
Moreover, controls for Diablo: Immortal have been adapted for the touchscreen, so your fingers aren’t fumbling around awkwardly or stiffly. Using skills is literally just a tap away, and you can even mix and match abilities together to create some interesting combos. The interface is much simpler, sure, but that doesn’t make it downright horrible.
Expanding the Diablo Community
For all its popularity, there are still people who haven’t gotten a chance to play a Diablo game. With Diablo: Immortal gearing up to be the most accessible entry in the franchise, this gives other players a chance to actually play the series for themselves. Those who don’t have consoles or can’t buy one can finally play a Diablo game firsthand, while those who can’t seem to find the time to sit down and actually enjoy a game can take Immortal on-to-go.
Diablo: Immortal could also be the bridge that brings in new players to the series and convinces them to try the console titles. More support for the series is always a good thing, and it’s also a great way to expand the community.
With Blizzard trying to cater to a new audience, it’s still important that they don’t end up alienating their core fanbase. There’s nothing wrong shaking things up, so long as Diablo: Immortal keeps the essence of what made Diablo such a beloved franchise in the first place.
If you’re waiting for Diablo: Immortal, you can pre-register on Google Play right now. If you pre-register, you might get the chance to play an early access version of the game.
While these issues just add more fuel to the raging flames, there’s nothing wrong with looking for a silver lining behind it. Sure, Diablo: Immortal isn’t the game that fans want, but that also doesn’t have to translate to a terrible gaming experience. Here are five reasons why Diablo Immortal is worth actually being excited for.
Portable Diablo
Not everyone might have a Nintendo Switch, nor do they ever plan on getting one. Maybe they don’t like the games on the system, and while it did get a stunning Diablo III bundle, it still isn’t enough to sway them over. Some players might just be happy with their PC, PS4, Xbox One, or even no console at all, yet still have a smartphone.
You can bring Diablo: Immortal with you wherever you go since, chances are, you’ll always have your smartphone with you. Having a portable Diablo game is a fun way to burn some time on a long trip or waiting for a friend to pick you up.
Largest Diablo Multiplayer Experience
This mobile spin-off will be a massively multiplayer game with outdoors zones that are populated by other players. Diablo: Immortal abolishes the four-player party limit, as it seems like eight players can team up and take on dungeons together.
As for how Blizzard will keep the ball rolling, it seems like they’ll continue to support the game by adding in new zones and classes moving forward. Going by this, Diablo: Immortal could end up adding boss raids and other social features later on. There’s plenty of potential here, and we’re pretty excited to see what other features Blizzard can come up with for the game.
More Lore and Character Interactions
It’s true that most mobile titles have watered-down stories, often leaning more towards gameplay, but Blizzard can still try and make the most out of their rich lore with great writing and storytelling. Luckily, we’ll be seeing some familiar faces in Diablo: Immortal, such as Malthael, Tyrael, Deckard Cain, and Leah. Moreover, Blizzard had mentioned that Diablo: Immortal with focus on character interactions with NPCs.
The developers will also be adding to the story over time through future updates, further fleshing out the characters in the series. Who knows, they might even add in some new characters in the long run that might play a big part in the series. Whatever the case, we can only hope that Blizzard makes the most out of their uncharted territory by giving us some good, sensible lore in Diablo: Immortal.
Streamlined Gameplay
From the early gameplay videos, it’s pretty clear that Blizzard is intent on keeping the classic combat fans know and love. Combat remains fairly unchanged, as characters still do have their physical attacks along with their set of skills and abilities. The only thing here is that players are restricted through cooldowns instead of mana when pulling off their flashy moves.
Moreover, controls for Diablo: Immortal have been adapted for the touchscreen, so your fingers aren’t fumbling around awkwardly or stiffly. Using skills is literally just a tap away, and you can even mix and match abilities together to create some interesting combos. The interface is much simpler, sure, but that doesn’t make it downright horrible.
Expanding the Diablo Community
Diablo: Immortal could also be the bridge that brings in new players to the series and convinces them to try the console titles. More support for the series is always a good thing, and it’s also a great way to expand the community.
With Blizzard trying to cater to a new audience, it’s still important that they don’t end up alienating their core fanbase. There’s nothing wrong with shaking things up, so long as Diablo: Immortal keeps the essence of what made Diablo such a beloved franchise in the first place.
If you're waiting for Diablo: Immortal, you can pre-register on Google Play right now. If you pre-register, you might get the chance to play an early access version of the game.
About the author
Irwyn Diaz
Irwyn's a diehard Final Fantasy fan who just can't stop playing Opera Omnia. Playing Games Since: 1998, Favorite Genres: RPGs, Horror