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Internet-always-on doesn't appeal to me any more than keeping optical media in the drive. I get that it's primarily a multiplayer experience, but no thanks.

One major note: in game options, you can turn on "enhanced tooltips" (which provide you with info on how much damage abilities do" and "elective mode," which allows you to assign any skill to any of your 6 skill slots (and any hotkey). That allows for a lot more depth.

You are still limited to using only 6 skills at a time (each of which can be runed in different ways), and they still unlock at set levels as you progress.

The game is much like Diablo II with better graphics, and if you liked that game, it's a fair bet you'll enjoy the gameplay of the sequel. That being said, there are some obvious imperfections at launch, the largest of which is that the loot is far less interesting and imaginative than Diablo II: gear has mostly been simplified to base stats like STR and DEX (like WoW) with fewer unique or interesting abilities, and the "legendary" (like WoW) weapons lack the flair that made them so sought-after in D2 -- in fact, they are rarely as good as random blues or yellows you find. I'm hoping that gets fixed in subsequent free patches … or at least in some upcoming paid expansion.

Just in time Chris.

Normal was way too easy, with a couple of surprise jumps in the middle (beginning of Act II anyone?), but then in Nightmare, the sudden jump in mob health made fighting even the most trivial of enemies tedious and repetitive. They seriously need to work on balance.

The gameplay is decent, and the story (though simple) is entertaining. I just wish it didn't come with the requirement to always be online, as well as being unable to play during regular weekly maintenance.

Lag isn't extremely frequent, but it happens, and it's noticeable when it does. Unfortunately, not enough people care that Blizz isn't giving them the option to play offline, so they have no reason to change it.

I would have given it a better review if, in order to play it, I hadn't had to sign an agreement that said the game was "licensed, not sold" and Blizz could stop letting me log in any time they wanted.

For $60 I should be able to play it where I want—in the car, for example.

Does anyone remember WarCraft 2, when you could play with 8 people as long as 3 of them had CDs? If I want to play with my kids it will cost a total of $180. Wii and XBox games aren't that expensive!

Sadly, as long as people keep throwing money at Blizzard, this ain't gonna change. Fortunately there are other good games around.

I am surprised the reviewer missed elective mode. It allows full customization of hotkeys. Still only 6 but they can go anywhere.

Atgard, on 25 May 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

Bizarre. Maybe we're not playing the same version. I just visited the game options "Options" and didn't find any settings that sounded even remotely close to "Enhanced Tooltips" and "Elective Mode". Would you care to specifically detail where those options can be found?

Thanks!

Update: never mind. I must have played too much. I just found those options and they are both turned on. I still can only set one skill in the slots activated by a number, though...

This post has been edited by nemesys: 25 May 2012 - 05:39 PM

archangel1701, on 25 May 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

Maybe you should READ the ToS of just about any game. you do NOT own the game…. you own a LICENSE to play the game.
Diablo 3 is far from being the first to do this..

As far as the always on stuff.. It really doesn't bother me like I thought it would when first announced.
Now if this was 12 years ago when D2 was out.. yeah I'd be mad. Cause I had it on my old 35lb laptop and played it there a lot, and most times not online.

If they do cave and make an offline version, it will not be as popular. the game was just announced as the fastest selling game of all time already.. those that are complaining of an offline mode are waning fast.
You have to remember, there is an auction house, and soon to be Auction house using Real money… Blizzard is trying to stop the possibility of hacks as best they can.

@Eyhk
I felt that "wall" in mid act 3. it was all fun and arrows, then the game decided it could one shot me…

certainly can put powers into the 1 to 4 keys ... and the allocation of different powers is fun ... I just hate the cool down period and the health globe idea ... but great, great game by Blizzard ... one note to blizzard ... if you make us play online ... better get your servers working faster ... you knew after 16 years millions would come and there are glitters ... so either allow play offline or get your act together

archangel1701, on 25 May 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

You don't own any software - including software you acquired on CD. It's been that way since the late 80's. Software is intellectual property and it's only been licensed by the vast majority of software publishers for decades now.

Anyway, that's a completely separate issue from having to be logged into to play, even in single player. And yes, while annoying it's far from fatal and I went ahead and bought it. As others have pointed out, unless people stop buying or enough people stop buying to make it matter they aren't going to change.

I really can't blame Blizzard - there are enough people who seem to think that whether or not they pay for someone else's work is up to them to decide in order to justify piracy. All kinds of inane rationalizations like "Well, they wouldn't have had a sale to me anyway" are often proffered - fine. You won't get to enjoy the game either. Sounds fair to me! You want to play, you pay. Pretty cut and dry.

melvinwalker, on 25 May 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

yes this a hardship for those that live out of their car.

This post has been edited by trip1ex: 26 May 2012 - 01:49 PM

archangel1701, on 25 May 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

Yes look on the dark side. The glass is 1% empty. Not 99% full. Way to go!