One of the best changes however acts to also highlight one the ways in which time has been least kind to Diablo 2. This is a pure work-for-your-gear endeavor, and though the developers’ hands may have been forced by the decision to support vintage saves (which would have been totally messed up by the inclusion of a new real-world economy), it is welcome nonetheless. In terms of in-game economy, it’s worth noting that Activision Blizzard has, mercifully, resisted the urge to add micro-transactions or other real-money systems into the game. Gold is now set to auto-pickup by default, removing the micro-management clicks of a resource that you’re never not going to want to pick up. While a character’s personal loot stash remains frustratingly limited, you’ve now access to a shared stash for all your account’s characters, letting any Amazon, Barbarian or Crusader alike access the same bottomless chest of interchangeable gear.

The few gameplay changes that have been made are subtle and, for the most part, suitable.

The new, the old, and the stubbornly-unchanged With allegations of workplace misogyny being directed at Activision Blizzard at the moment, it’s good to see some shift in representation here taking place. The Amazonnian warrior, for instance, finally has some armor that will protect her vulnerable bits, sensibly covering her up in a way fitting for a battle-hardened veteran. If playing on a modern console, you have both a 60fps ‘Performance’ graphics option, and a native 4K / 30fps ‘Quality’ option – there’s so little difference in visual fidelity between them that the smoother Performance option is the one to go for.Įagle-eyed returning players will notice that some of the more sexualized character designs and armors have been edited, too. It’s all in keeping with the original aesthetic – that dark fantasy moodiness retained, compared to the slightly friendlier Diablo 3 palette. Dungeons are slick with damp and reflections, furry gargantuan’s shag flicks with each whack of their paws, and fire spells light up enemies and the environment alike.

The new visuals are lovingly put together – there’s the same implied griminess of the original’s pixelated look, but now with all the detail your imagination used to have to do the heavy lifting for. While you can still play at good ol’ 800 x 600 resolution, switching on the fly with a push of a button between vintage and modern graphics settings. The most obvious difference, naturally, is the fresh 4K lick of paint applied to the visuals.

Diablo 2: resurrected review 2022