Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Gamescom 2025 schedule
  • Gamescom
  • Battlefield 6
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Four miniatures based on Diablo classes, from a Barbarian with an axe and a Rogue with a knife to a Druid with a staff and Necromancer summoning skeletons
Tabletop Gaming A Diablo tabletop RPG aims to fix a D&D problem with "no inexperienced and squishy 1st level" characters
Diablo 4's Nyrelle looks at a crystal in Vessel of Hatred's trailer
Diablo "I actually felt heard": Diablo 4 content creators tease exciting things to come for the ARPG after a call with Blizzard, following seasons of complaints about nerfs, endgame, and more
Darksiders 4
Action Games I spent 15 years waiting for Darksiders to fulfill the best cliffhanger of the PS3 era, and now the M-rated Zelda-like is finally poised to deliver in Darksiders 4
Diablo 4 Berserk cosmetics
Diablo Hey Blizzard, the best part of Diablo 4 Season 9 isn't even in the patch notes: a new wardrobe quality-of-life feature that changes the true endgame – fashion
Diablo 4 The Butcher
Diablo Diablo 4 boss has almost 1,500 hours - that's 60 days - logged in his own game, and I need to know the 1 achievement he's somehow still missing
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 key art showing a vampire woman with her hands out stretched before a silhouette of a mysterious figure wearing a hat. The backdrop is full of a bloody mist and the moon hangs in the sky
RPGs I didn't dare to dream, but playing Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has convinced me this gloomy RPG is still worth waiting for
Kyle Crane looks out at the horizon in Dying Light: The Beast with the GR+ Horror Special badge
Survival Horror Games Dying Light: The Beast is more than a homecoming for Kyle Crane – "For us, this is Dying Light 3"
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 gameplay showing
FPS Games Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2 devs reveal what to expect from the Imperium's answer to Doom, and here's a spoiler: "More explosions, more blood, and more gore"
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 screenshot showing protagonist Phyre talking
RPGs Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is not the faithful sequel I'd hoped to see, but maybe that's a bigger marker of progress than it seems
Dying Light: The Beast image showing a messed up zombie crawling towards the camera with the GR+ horror special badge
Survival Horror Games Dying Light: The Beast's open world is "a secret mystery box" where "very f*cked up things" happen, but I'm most intrigued by the Stranger Things vibes
a person in a leather coat leans against a telephone
RPGs I'm relieved to see the Disco Elysium successor is just as strange and dark – I've had my fill of fantasy RPGs for the year
A screenshot shows a hairy monster lunging at a player in Mistfall Hunter while an orange border indicates it is part of summer preview 2025
Action RPGs I didn't know how badly I needed a PvPvE Dark Souls in my life until Mistfall Hunter threw one in my lap
Heroes 3 screenshot
Strategy Games The greatest strategy RPG ever is making a comeback with the publisher behind Manor Lords, and I'm ready to relive my Behemoth-collecting 2000s
Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War 4 screenshot showing armored orcs surrounded by the Autumn preview GamesRadar+ banner
Real Time Strategy Games Help me, Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4 is so good I've been replaying the same mission for 3 hours and pestering its devs who have "been studying the blade and bolter"
A heavily-armored warrior with a bladed shield and morningstar stands on top of a pile of demon corpses, against a volcanic, medieval background
Board Games "A hell of a feeling:" Doom: The Dark Ages Arena board game is like "heavy metal chess" and dammit I'm so in
  1. Games
  2. Action Rpg
  3. Diablo

Diablo III - 13 reasons to get excited for the highly anticipated sequel

Features
By GamesRadar Staff published 10 May 2012

Why this gothic click-fest’s going to be huge

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Diablo III review

It almost doesnt feel real in less than a week, well be playing the finished version of Diablo III after years of fervent excitement and lofty expectations. If youre a diehard Diablo II fan like us, youll be experiencing sleepless nights until the 15th at which point, itll feel like Christmas morning in May, and any further sleepless nights will be thanks to a constant hunger for loot.

If, by some miracle, you arent already excited for Diablo III, wed like to change that. The best part is, once weve gotten you onboard, you wont even have to wait that long! Here are all the reasons we could think of to be thrilled for Diablo IIIs release next Tuesday

Page 1 of 15
Page 1 of 15
Getting to know your companion

Getting to know your companion

Theyll also be of better service tactically you can tell them which spells you want them to focus on, crafting an aggressive sidekick or defensive support buddy. If youre without a questing buddy, or youre just too hardcore for your carebear pals, its nice to know that youll never be killing monsters on your lonesome.

Page 2 of 15
Page 2 of 15
Making a killing on the auction house

Making a killing on the auction house

Auction House

Depending on how things shake out, the Auction House could be a source of great profit and competitive fun for risk-taking players undercutting someone on their entire stash of desirable items will that much sweeter when youre actually stealing revenue from other players.

Page 3 of 15
Page 3 of 15
More movie-quality cutscenes

More movie-quality cutscenes

Were also thrilled to see Jennifer Hale lend her pipes to the role of Leah, Deckard Cains adopted daughter wholl play a central role in the main storyline. The esteemed voice actress, best known for playing female Shepard in Mass Effect, will be taking a break from space-age warfare to get in touch with her medieval side, and we couldnt be happier.

Page 4 of 15
Page 4 of 15
Playing with friends all around the world

Playing with friends all around the world

everything merged together

This seemingly minor change is actually a pretty big deal: now therell be nothing stopping you from playing with your friends. Diablo II came out a long time ago; theres a chance that when you played it, you lived in a different place, knew different people, and had a completely different life. Not needing to choose a server means youll be able to play Diablo III with your current and past acquaintances, letting you maintain digital relationships without being tied to one region-locked server or another.

Page 5 of 15
Page 5 of 15
Slaying for sport in the Arenas

Slaying for sport in the Arenas

Were going to have to wait a little while longer on this one

PvP will be built around carefully-constructed arenas, where well have access to all our hard-earned gear and skills we accumulated through single player and co-op. Even though its been pushed back a bit, Diablo III's PvP was playable at Blizzcon 2011 and from what we tried, it was a blast. The 4v4 deathmatches were intense to the last second, and Blizzards also talked about integrating one-on-one duels. We say bring it on!

Page 6 of 15
Page 6 of 15
Losing your life all over again

Losing your life all over again

What makes Diablo so addictive is how generous it is with progression: youll be finding new and shinier gear constantly, and youll be inundated with new spells as your character levels up. It wont stop at one character, either each of the five classes begs to be played, with their varied abilities and distinct personalities. Get your clicking finger ready, because youll be in it for the long haul.

Page 7 of 15
Page 7 of 15
More mechanics, less downtime

More mechanics, less downtime

The not-so-magical classes have different means of casting their spells: the Barbarian relies on Fury, a use-it-or-lose-it resource that builds up by with each attack. The Monk, D3s holy warrior, runs on Spirit. It gives him a defensive boost, and does not degrade over time. The most unique energy mechanic in D3 belongs to the Demon Hunter, who subsists on Discipline and Hatred. Hatred comes quickly to the Demon Hunter, allowing her to tear quickly into foes. Discipline, however, is harder to come by, and it powers her defensive abilities.

Page 8 of 15
Page 8 of 15
Achievements

Achievements

You wont be constrained to boasting about your achievement tallies through sheer word of mouth some achievements will unlock special banner designs, so everyone will KNOW you killed Diablo in 66.6 seconds when they see you coming (note: we made this achievement up). Plus, its fun to push yourself to beat the tougher achievements sometimes that little notification will be all the satisfaction you need.

Page 9 of 15
Page 9 of 15
The return of familiar faces

The return of familiar faces

Barbarians

In fact, itll be Deckards first time in the spotlight (unless you count his appearance on the You Win! screen at the end of Diablo IIs difficulty levels) he and his adopted daughter Leah will be an integral part of the plot.

Page 10 of 15
Page 10 of 15
Exploring the unknown in the race to max level

Exploring the unknown in the race to max level

ladder system

D3 also kicks up the randomization aspects that Diablo is well known for. Not only will some of the landscapes be randomly laid out (a mainstay of the series) now, certain events like sidequests or unique monsters will only trigger some of the time, making each playthrough a chance to see something totally new.

Page 11 of 15
Page 11 of 15
Spamming spells new and old

Spamming spells new and old

Witch Doctor

Youll also see new twists on familiar spells take the Wizard for instance, Diablo IIIs version of the D2s spam-crazy Sorceress. From the Wizard class video, we were happy to see the return of her fiery Hydra spell only now, its available in poison, ice, and fire flavors. Weve got our fingers crossed for new-and-improved versions of Corpse Explosion and Whirlwind.

Page 12 of 15
Page 12 of 15
More ways to stand out from the crowd

More ways to stand out from the crowd

Armor dyes are more obvious: purchasable items used to change the color of various pieces of protective wear. Theyll highlight an item in the hue of your choosing, or even make them clear, so they dont show up on your character. Given the raging success of WoWs Transmogrification system, its clear the players still want to craft their own appearance while wearing the best loot dyes are one step towards making your character feel like its truly yours.

Page 13 of 15
Page 13 of 15
The end of a 12-year wait

The end of a 12-year wait

waiting this long

deliver on their promises

Our time in the beta was a mere taste of the banquet-sized game that awaits us, and knowing that the dinner bell will be ringing soon is making us all the hungrier. Whether it rocks our worlds or leaves us lukewarm, the release of Diablo III will mark the end of an era filled with rumors, speculation, and wonderment at what might await us.

That is, until Diablo IV.

Page 14 of 15
Page 14 of 15
Something wicked this way comes

Something wicked this way comes

Be sure to check out our Diablo III review to see if all the hype was worth it. Want to join in our excitement for other games? Check out What we want from The Elder Scrolls Online, or bid one last tearful goodbye to Diablo II with the 13 Diablo II features well nostalgically miss in Diablo III.

Page 15 of 15
Page 15 of 15
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
PRODUCTS
Diablo III Diablo III
GamesRadar Staff
Social Links Navigation

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Four miniatures based on Diablo classes, from a Barbarian with an axe and a Rogue with a knife to a Druid with a staff and Necromancer summoning skeletons
A Diablo tabletop RPG aims to fix a D&D problem with "no inexperienced and squishy 1st level" characters
Diablo 4's Nyrelle looks at a crystal in Vessel of Hatred's trailer
"I actually felt heard": Diablo 4 content creators tease exciting things to come for the ARPG after a call with Blizzard, following seasons of complaints about nerfs, endgame, and more
Darksiders 4
I spent 15 years waiting for Darksiders to fulfill the best cliffhanger of the PS3 era, and now the M-rated Zelda-like is finally poised to deliver in Darksiders 4
Diablo 4 Berserk cosmetics
Hey Blizzard, the best part of Diablo 4 Season 9 isn't even in the patch notes: a new wardrobe quality-of-life feature that changes the true endgame – fashion
Diablo 4 The Butcher
Diablo 4 boss has almost 1,500 hours - that's 60 days - logged in his own game, and I need to know the 1 achievement he's somehow still missing
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 key art showing a vampire woman with her hands out stretched before a silhouette of a mysterious figure wearing a hat. The backdrop is full of a bloody mist and the moon hangs in the sky
I didn't dare to dream, but playing Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has convinced me this gloomy RPG is still worth waiting for
Latest in Diablo
Key art for Diablo 4, Season 4 - Loot Reborn.
"No amount of hard work is enough to protect us": Over 450 Diablo devs sick of "the constant pressures of layoffs, passion tax, and crunch" under AI-obsessed Microsoft vote to unionize
Key art for Diablo 4 Season 3
After 2 years, Diablo 4 fans might finally be getting the Paladin class they've been asking for since launch
Key art for Diablo 4, Season 4 - Loot Reborn.
Former Gears of War boss becomes former Diablo boss as Rod Fergusson leaves Microsoft a third time, "sword in hand," after 5 years overseeing the ARPG series: "I'm proud of what we've built"
Diablo 4 The Butcher
Diablo 4 boss has almost 1,500 hours - that's 60 days - logged in his own game, and I need to know the 1 achievement he's somehow still missing
Diablo 4's Nyrelle looks at a crystal in Vessel of Hatred's trailer
"I actually felt heard": Diablo 4 content creators tease exciting things to come for the ARPG after a call with Blizzard, following seasons of complaints about nerfs, endgame, and more
Diablo 4
Blizzard puts the nerf bat down, reaches for a dash of buffs instead, then says screw it and buffs literally every Diablo 4 class in the next update
Latest in Features
The Outer Worlds 2 character holding bottle and glass, with the GamesRadar+ Big Preview frame and Reaction sticker
Channeling big Fallout energy means The Outer Worlds 2 could be the Starfield I always wanted
Cropped key art for Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles shows two characters stood side by side.
45 minutes of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles has me certain that Square Enix "rebuilding" the remaster after losing the original source code was worth the effort
Battlefield 6 multiplayer screenshot
I'm still concerned about Battlefield 6's map sizes, but there's no denying it gets chaotic urban warfare right
Where Winds Meet hands-on preview
I played Where Winds Meet and fell in love with the RPG's open world so fast I could barely pay attention to any of the missions
Borderlands 4 screenshot shows someone holding a weapon forward towards the camera.
"We tend to commit to the bit": Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford talks Borderlands 4, the evolution of looter-shooters, and $80 game discourse
Valor Mortis
Ghostrunner devs abandon parkour for Valor Mortis, a first-person soulslike that might explain why the rest of the genre follows Dark Souls' lead
  1. Twisted Cryptids card on a wooden surface
    1
    This gorgeously weird monster board game warms my Halloween-loving heart, and it's a delight
  2. 2
    Lost Soul Aside review: "We (don't) have Final Fantasy Versus 13 at home"
  3. 3
    Hell is Us review: "The lack of waypoints and explicit objectives is a double-edged magical sword that pulls me deep into its harsh world"
  4. 4
    Shuten Order review: "The Danganronpa creator's new multi-genre mystery feels like a forgotten DS cult classic I would have been obsessed with"
  5. 5
    The Rogue Prince of Persia review: "I roguelike but don't roguelove this freerunner – there's just not enough to stand out"
  1. Demon Slayer Infinity Castle
    1
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  2. 2
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  3. 3
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  4. 4
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  5. 5
    The Fantastic Four: First Steps review: "An occasionally thrilling heroic adventure that sits safely within a B-tier MCU range"
  1. John Cena as Peacemaker holds a gun to the head of a different John Cena as Peacemaker in Peacemaker season 2.
    1
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  2. 2
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  3. 3
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  4. 4
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"
  5. 5
    Eyes of Wakanda review: "A creative premise shortchanged by the runtime and Marvel bloat"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...