In an interview, the bosses of Diablo 4 described the new action RPG as “the best Diablo of all Diablo games”. How the developers justify this, we show you on MeinMMO.
Joe Shely (Game Director) and Rod Fergusson (General Manager of the Diablo Franchise) have been traveling a lot lately, giving interviews about Diablo 4 around the world. They spoke with MeinMMO in Berlin and with “PCGamesN” among others in London.
In the interview in London, Fergusson stated that Diablo 4 would be “the best Diablo of all Diablo games”. Many fans see Diablo 2 as the template that needs to be beaten.
Why Shely and Fergusson see the new standout in the ARPG series in Diablo 4, you can find out here.
Are you looking for ARPG alternatives until the release of Diablo 4? Then check this out:
Story, Combat, World – Diablo bosses say everything is better
How do they explain their statement? Fergusson begins with: “Diablo 4 is perfect for starting out or if you’ve been away for a while, it’s perfect to come back. Because it has all these things you loved about the last games and then some more.”
As an example, Fergusson mentions the story: “It’s the strongest Diablo story so far. If you’re playing Diablo games for the story, it’s by far the best story.”
But he also highlights the combat system: “If you play for the combat, it’s the new complexity around “dodging” and the new potion system that adds more depth. When you play, it’s not 100% button-mashing – although you can still do that to a certain extent.”
For Fergusson, the world in Diablo 4 makes a difference: “It’s a grounded world. At least at the beginning, it’s not a spectacle of visual effects […] – you are part of this world and you can feel that, you can feel the characters. For some reason, you now care about the NPCs. It’s your fight, and that makes Diablo, Diablo.”
- Rod Fergusson: “I think that is the best Diablo of all Diablo games and if you are new, it is an excellent way to start.”
Now Shely joins in: “People have things they loved about the first games and things they loved about Diablo 3. Part of [the creation of Diablo 4] was the mechanical flow of combat in Diablo 3 – all that ‘quick movement tactical stuff’ – as well as the right pace and the number of monsters on screen, while we wanted to capture the darkness of Diablo 2. It was a real journey for us, from the items to the class design, to really capture [both games] satisfying that is.”
Fergusson adds: “When you bring something back after eleven years, it’s always difficult to find the balance between respecting the past and innovating for the future. It was a really interesting design problem and I think Joe and his team did a perfect job threading the needle.”
The complete interview can be found in English on the PCGamesN page (via pcgamesn.com).
The reactions after the Open Beta already vindicate both responsible parties. Although there was also criticism, the overwhelming majority of players have expressed themselves positively and can hardly wait for the release on June 6.
- Beta reactions Week 1: The Diablo 4 beta is really well received, but 2 things bother players
- Beta reactions Week 2: Fans praise the open beta of Diablo 4, only criticize very little – but harshly for that
What do you think? Will Diablo 4 surpass all other Diablo games? Diablo 2 revolutionized the action RPG genre – does Diablo 4 have to do that as well to be better?
Leave a comment on the topic.
