Diablo 4: Is It Worth Your Money? In-Depth Review by Rhykker (No Spoilers)

[@Rhykker]

NOTE: Diablo 3 technically does have an overlay map, but not really. When we talk about an overlay map, we mean a map that that can overlay on top of your active gameplay while continuing to play. In D3, when you bring up the map, yes it is transparent atop your game, but you cannot play with the map up like in D2 or other aRPGs.

[@jonevansauthor]

Then it should have that the D3 map, and a full overlay, and the option to not use either, as well as a less zoomed out version because for pities sake, we moved up to much larger monitors and graphics card so let us see true devastation across the map. It's not the biggest reason I'm not buying the game though, to be fair.

[@LegendaryBrandon1]

It's fine. You already have an overlay map on the top right and all you have to do literally is press... "M"

[@martinivanov1319]

yeah we need a real overlay map in d4 that i can turn on/off every 10 sec lol

[@Andy_Paris]

It's great the way it is all because of the waypoint/gps system. If they didn't have that, then yeah, it would be a nuisance without a traditional map overlay. The UI is super smooth too, so bringing up the map is fast and easy.

[@jonevansauthor]

@@LegendaryBrandon1 or we could just have an overlay map that works how we want it to work, and also the map you get when you hit M. Computers can do so many things you know, they're not limited to one UI option.

[@davidcardimen7535]

can you imagine reporting on a game EVERYDAY FOR A DECADE then it finally coming out? I'm happy for Rhykker

[@TwistedReality13]

Yea but.. what now 😂😂..

[@Rhykker]

Honestly I'm lowkey losing my mind, it's crazy

[@MrMaurice5]

@@Rhykker you and me both along with many others. 48 hours can't tick by fast enough!

[@DDoubleOZ]

​@@TwistedReality13 Now he can finally play the game.

[@Hikarux83]

@@DDoubleOZ he already finished the game.

[@PJmichelle]

Rhykker, it's time you start covering Diablo 5 leaks and make your predictions on a release date based on previous Blizzard releases.

[@VhnoriValmos]

Well seeing as it took 10 years for D3 to release after D2, and 11 years for D4 to come out after D3, my estimate for D5 would be 12 years. Just some simple math I learned in elementry school, XD

[@sukulmati]

1 year before the heat death of the universe.

[@jasonvoorhees5518]

@@VhnoriValmos Goodjob man but you're basically saying I'll be 45 years old and I highly doubt i will still be alive at 45 so play it for me

[@Boris82]

Sounds pointless..

[@PJmichelle]

@@Boris82 It was a joke.

[@ulfricstormcloak4230]

i have to say of all the DIABLO content creators, i respect Rhykker the most. he has put the most time and love in to the franchise, from way back.salute.

[@Aggro224]

Simp harder

[@jkfang]

He has consistently produced such comprehensive content, I doubt anyone would be able to match it at this point. His lore videos have been invaluable in helping me understand the games, and only now Blizzard is finally releasing their own.

[@meowmageddon]

Lmao

[@alexandernunes1496]

I really really hate the lvl scaling, for me it feels horrible progressing weaker than feeling strong, at least the combat is great

[@bigyoshi4696]

100% agree

[@TkTronixYt]

What a fantastic review! I played the open beta, but then zoned out on purpose to not spoil myself too much. This video was great for decisionmaking without spoiling anything. Very well done!

[@jimbailey1261]

I'm 58 yrs old and Diablo 1 was my first game that I played on a computer. I was swept in and swallowed up by it. I played D2 and D3 for countless hours over the years and have enjoyed all of it. I got excited about D4 the instant I heard they were developing it. That's when I planned to get it; over 2 years ago. I've played the beta and server slam. I'm just itching for June1st @ 7pm to dive right into it! Thank you Rhykker for your very informative videos and commentary.

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

I played D1-3 at launch. Loved them. Played multiplayer with friends and family. D4 and it’s force half assed MMO style is a huge turn off to me. The battle pass sucks. Slower combat? Bad idea. This whole game is an abortion if the Diablo name. 🤷‍♂️

[@InnuendoXP]

​@@WatchingFromWork6636 how do you love Diablo 1 but feel Diablo IV's combat pace is too slow? Slower pace is a feature IMO. Nuking the whole screen in the blink of an eye just makes everything feel weightless & without impact.

[@Marlboro-lights1]

Way to hang in there gramps! Keep gaminh

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

@@InnuendoXP D1 was a lifetime ago. I like Everquest too, but I don’t want a game made that’s slow and clunky like that. Things go forward not backwards.

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

@@Marlboro-lights1 I could run circles around you or out game you. ✌🏻

[@theclevernoob5039]

Rhykker I just want to let you know that I appreciate how you refrained from spoiling things for those of us who want to experience the game blind I feel that after seeing this video I have no gameplan but to play and enjoy the game, Thank you for being such a great Diablo content creator.

[@manga3040]

Same I can't wait to just take it all in. Lear. Will be so much fun to just learn and explore ad I go.

[@carrie7213]

I was a little hesitant to watch this cuz I want to go in "fresh" but this was absolutely perfect. Just enough information without spoiling any thing, story or gameplay wise. I've been binging your Diablo lore series in anticipation for D4. You're truly an S tier Diablo content creator.

[@HungryHippo7]

Yes, I haven't played a single Diablo but was seriously looking into playing this one. Not having the story spoiled or giving too much a way but also feeling comprehensive/balanced earned an easy like.

[@vokun864]

My character is about lvl 26 and so far I've been having a blast. I love that the bosses feel challenging and the classes all seem so cool and I feel like there are so many different kinds of builds you can do

[@Panhammer64]

You are THE diablo content creator,. Super thankful for you and love your channel. I won't be buying D4 but I hope you have nothing but fun and success.

[@moparlinke]

Why ? 😮

[@sdswood3457]

The skill progression aspect hit me the other day; you essentially have your 'build' completed by like level 25 to 30, and all the rest is just buffing the numbers. That's a fairly short window of ability progression. One thing Rhykker didn't go in to here though, is that the more points you spend on a skill, the skill's visual graphic itself subtly increases in effect point per point.

[@CDSAfghan]

I think that depends on class, the druid might be better as one build till 30 then another after. DM says it's not "built" until 50 and doesn't get good till 60

[@TravisH-nm9fy]

Theres also literally only 5 skill points you can put into a skill. In Diablo 2 youre talking 80 levels to max out a skill and all of its synergies. Diablo 4 has the depth of a shallow puddle.

[@Jaguar-s7f]

It’s all about the aspects, which can radically change builds.

[@colclark87]

​@@TravisH-nm9fy 80 levels and you're using one skill with enigma. Yeah, super deep there bud.

[@mathieuraquepas6612]

​​@@TravisH-nm9fy lmao praising synergies when it killed the creativity of D2 builds. Pick a skill, level up synergies, build done, D2 IS SO DEEP

[@nexorabolis]

Met you at Blizzcon 2019 and talked to you about how hype the D4 announcement was. And here we are! Just a few more days before I get to dive in and live that Druid life! Can’t wait to join ya 👍

[@Kerknor]

I already bought it on preorder day but I still watched all 34mins of this. I mean, it's Rhykker. Nuff said

[@lukeluckynblue1873]

I preorder this game day blizzard said we can :D i will never regret this cause it can't be worse then D3 and playing BETA/and slam for hours i can say it is miles miles ahead of any Diablo game

[@MrBeefTot187]

Besides him overlooking the level xp is faster than battlepass xp pushing tier skips making it pay2win😂

[@Valkirth]

@@MrBeefTot187amazes me how something can be pay2win if its purely cosmetic lol.

[@MrBeefTot187]

Hey V you must be really stupid and hadn’t watched any live stream on the battlepass have you? Because they have ashes in them which grants xp bonuses and gold gain and a bunch of other shit designed to boost your character. So with level requirement of 10 doesn’t mean shit when you get the ashes at level 15 of the bp. Meaning if you and I are level 10 but you are bp 8 and I just pay to skip To 15 I get a huge advantage over you who still has to Grind the bp! Try to use your brain please

[@JoeyBK_86]

@@MrBeefTot187 That’s the dumbest sh** I’ve read on here so far!!! Jesus f***in Christ so if I play for 48hrs straight and you play for 12 hours in 2 days does that mean I created my own P2W?! Who gives a flying f*** if people want to skip sh**!!? I want to play the full game without skips!!! That’s my decision to do so! A lot of games do this skip sh** like wow and even COD but that in no way shape or form makes your build better or stronger than mine or vice versa. Your not buying gear, gems, or skill points therefore it doesn’t mean sh** and it’s NOT P2W! All that you can buy in store is cosmetic sh** People like you are just trying to sh** on peoples excitement for this game and guess what?? It ain’t happenin bro!!😂 We know what’s what and what your staying is complete bs and false. IDK Maybe don’t take it out on us if you can’t afford the game or a system to play on bro.😂

[@therealstormycrusader5806]

I think the reason you have to open the map more is because its an open world, where d3 had lots of linear submaps that can read themselves

[@marksutherlandjr.2121]

Rhykker, two things that dont sit great with me. If you or anyone has a good answer for these questions I would REALLY appreciate it. 1. With game deaign not having a lower zone to fall back on, what happens if a player falls behimd the power curve a little too far? Say they are new? Or if they make a mistake while building there toon or a build concept is not working as intended, how will they catch back up if the world is growing at the same pace they are? Thats my first concern. 2. If you pick up sword and swing it and it does This skill effect, and the on screen effect is the same at level 5 as it is at 100. How does one get the sense of growth? Do you at least attack or move much faster at 100? Does the effects of the spell/swing grow as the the character gets stronger? Im confused by this. I hear you saying that the progressiom through the lvling nodes, and paragon levels is what keeps you engaged, but most people need to "See" there character used to kill like that, but now in his God lile infinite wisdom or strength he can slaighter screens like this. The glowy effect or the speed at which you can kill or somrthing. Whats the karrot? Does anything chsnge as you level? I want to LOVE this game. So no matter whether these questions get good answers or not im allnin and im spending the money on it. But these are my two reservations. Edit: For me game doesn't need to be too Zoom zoom, if the combat feels weighted and meaningful. ITS FINALLY HERE!!

[@neme5i577]

For your minimap issue: You can rightclick on a spot on the map, and the game tries to give you a route from your current location, so you don't always have to open up the map. Also I think it has to do with not knowing the world. Once we explored all of it, or big junks, it is getting easier. Reminds me of Ori and the Blind Forest, where at the beginning I had to open up the map as well, where later I knew where to go. In regards to having the main skills from the beginning: I always found it weird in PoE that you often have to level with different skills than you want to play. So I actually like that you can do that very early. And if you are new and low level, you can actually try out every basic and core skill and respec freely, because it starts to cost gold only at level 15 or something. A Clan or Guild house, or hideout, would be great, you could team up from a more immersive feature instead just via clan chat. But also some base features seem to be missing from D3, how long someone is inactive, setting up notes on members, renaming the name of the ranks as in D3. Hopefully it gets expanded later. The Pale Guys name was seen in the subtitles during the open betas, named Elias. One issue with the random other players you see is for World Bosses. We saw during Server Slam that only 1 or 2 "out of sync" players can ruin the fun for 10 others. Imo they need to let us make a party of 12 or a Warband like in Immortal for these events (that also has some sort of mini Warband camp btw.).

[@powerfulshammy]

Map Issue is real remember Torchlight: Infinite had same map players suggested to change it XD studios and they changed it. It will also be the worst thing in D4 if Blizzard does not change it

[@JROCThaGreat]

​@@powerfulshammy it's not real lol

[@stoicsteveYT]

The Ori games were instant classics...still play'em

[@LegendaryBrandon1]

@@powerfulshammy You press M for map and you already get and overlay on the top right of screen. End of story, deal with it.

[@thathandsomedevil0828]

Aren't the maps randomly generated?

[@pm3352]

Bravo Rhykker! Great content, awesome sequencing and pace, super polished delivery. "Professional" can sometimes be taken as damming with faint praise, but in this case it is meant as a high, high compliment. Many thanks for all your invaluable Diablo coverage over the years, bring on 1-June!

[@Jodeo-ck2pq]

Reviews can't be unbiased, don't hold yourself to that standard, it isn't possible. Reviews are, by definition, opinions. Make your bias known, and review accordingly. Great work as always Rhykker!

[@Inquisite1031]

when u give D3 an 85/100 at launch, yeah, not biased at all lmao XDXDXDXD

[@nick-r8o8w]

@@Inquisite1031 I mean yeah, anyone with a brain can realize he will be biased since it's a franchise he grew up with and loves. I don't fault him but that's why we have to be careful and do our own research

[@Inquisite1031]

@@nick-r8o8w its just that not only did he grow up on it, his entire career is centered around it so he is incredibly biased lol. ppl like alkaizer who has over 10000hrs in D2, said that he would give d2 at best a 2/10 lmao. some ppl can grow up on games and not be biased at all.

[@Jodeo-ck2pq]

@@Inquisite1031 Did you read my comment, or did your brain short circuit as your eyes skimmed across the words?

[@Inquisite1031]

​@@Jodeo-ck2pq my brain short circuited when he said he gave D3 an 85/100 at launch, and ppl like u who suck off the dicks of biased reviewers hurt me even more, and the fact that u feel the need to insult some1 on behalf of a biased person sickens me to the core at the realization of how compliant people have become over the years

[@sethredfield67]

As someone who stumbled on your video, I want to say thank you. You clearly put a lot of care and thought into this video and haven’t forced ads on me after 20 minutes. I look forward to finishing the video

[@2muchtime579]

For $70 it better be the best game i've played in 10 years, because it's the most I've spent on one in 10 years.

[@kmdelong]

That was just a really well done review. Excellent job Rhykker.

[@notadragonbtw]

As far as opening and closing map, just set a custom point of where you want to go while in the open world to avoid this. It will show a line of where to go on your UI map.

[@karellyngstad4012]

This feature is honestly better than an overlay map. I haven't played d2 much but having the map open all the time distracted me from the amazing art and world that blizzard created with ressurected

[@edinalewis4704]

Yep, custom way points solve this for me. Although I’d rather see the direction indicators to your custom waypoint overlaid on the game world. I’d rather look at the world while navigating than look at the minimap.

[@thecommakozzi8050]

Doesn't do anything to address this in dungeons, where we honestly want it more. Don't really care about it that much in open world, but the guide does help. I can't even think of another ARPG that doesn't have a map overlay for dungeons.... when your'e blitzing through end game dungeons, you want the overlay. you don't want to have to open and close your map.

[@sikutheshrink2787]

The part that I appreciate the most about Rhykker videos is the professionalism. Sure, there are a lot of Diablo content creators, and some of them are arguably more skilled at the game or spent more time playing it. But as far as I know, Rhykker shows the most professionalism and objectivity in his overview or review videos, which makes me trust his videos and opinions much more. So long story short, thanks a bunch for all the videos so far, and I'll always look forward to your next one. Cheers!

[@guitarsolos89]

His opinions are bought by Blizzard though, he's not the critic he once were.

[@sanders2strong]

what was best about d2 is the fact u make a room dedicated to a task or with friends etc.... and socializing was perfect. and i met people i still talk to today in the mid 2000s playing d2... i could never have done that in d3 social system

[@007ReNeGaDe007]

I'm so happy for you man. Your videos are the ones I always go to first for tier lists, build guides, game reviews/updates, etc... So happy you can finally churn out a ton of good stuff now that the game is available! Looking forward to your future content.

[@Lordlynx88]

here to show our man rhykker some love! buying game(preorder long ago 😂) regarless of his verdict

[@davidjustice5123]

I'm excited about the release of Diablo 4, but I have to say that I'm excited about your videos about equally so or maybe even more so. You've been someone I have followed for many years and when Diablo hit rock bottom and you made that video about worrying about the future of your channel, I felt like it was over or at least a very likely possibility. But now, it's starting a whole new chapter and I'm glad I'm here for it.

[@SouthernGuy5423]

I've played every Diablo game to date, including Immortal, though I refused to spend a penny on it. That said, Blizzard has really regressed in the past decade, and I'll never buy another game from them, Day 1, EVER again! I'm sad that there's no unarmed martial artist in D4. The lack of a D2 Assassin or a D3 Monk-type class is a HUGE turn off for me. Always online is another turn off, just like it was for D3, though I played thousands of hours in D3 anyway. Still, a turn offs a turn off. The story in D3 was terrible. I have to know they've done better. The way they killed off Deckard Cain is something I don't think I can ever forgive. Not that they killed him mind you, but that he died so pitifully. Almost like his death was an afterthought. It disgusted me at the time and it still does! Everything I see tells me that they've really dropped the ball on itemization, too! PoE's itemization is the best in the ARPG space, hands down! The fact that they think their customers are too stupid, lazy, or... I dunno, simple-minded to deal with a more robust itemization and character creation system is very sad to me. I won't be buying D4 any time soon. Maybe after some more classes come out and they balance the early game better it will arouse my interest. But until I hear that the story doesn't suck as badly as D3s did, which can only happen after the review embargo drops, I refuse to touch it!

[@therealzahyra]

I think the reason we need to open the map more now is because the game isn't linear. Being an open world, we can go from one side of the map to the other, and having to know where you're going to get there, you need the map open. I would really prefer the overlay map, especially because you can mark places on the map, so it would be so much easier to navigate that way.

[@Jak0vas]

Sounds like we just need to use the pin system to sat nav our way around.

[@armorvil]

I'll reiterate what I've said a bunch of times already : they created a beautiful and immersive game and basically you guys want to ruin this for everyone with an ugly grey overlay that makes you look at icons and outline strokes. And yes, I said "everyone" because even if it was an option, EVERYONE would use it because it would be the most efficient way to play the game. So no, it was very clever on the devs' part not to add this "option".

[@segfault_000]

​@@armorvil nobody is going to give a shit about the "immersion" when they're 100 hours in and their honeymoon period with the game has long been over. It'll just become a huge pain in the ass.

[@EthanBeattie-wh4zx]

Except you can just drop a pin, and the minimap gives you a line routing you there in the shortest way possible. Opening the map frequently is only an issue the first time you explore an area. Once it's revealed on the map, you have a GPS to that spot whenever you want. Plus, the over world map is no longer randomized, you'll get to know it given time.

[@theSleepyLamp]

Interesting, Haven't really thought about it that way. Makes a lot of sense, actually. I don't think that the overlay map is entirely necessary, but being able to mark your map and have it show up on the minimap will help out a lot

[@kgp277]

Rhykker, I watched you for years and honestly felt you kinda sold out to blizz lately and I was wrong. This is an honest and nuanced review. I can see D4 probably isn’t for me but I really appreciate this. ❤

[@ps5bloodthirsty]

About the map. If u use the pin location, It will give u a path to follow that u can see on the minimap so u dont need to open and close throughout ur journey and the pin will disappear once u reach the location

[@michaelmayhem350]

29:52 really important port the devs emphasized in the last live stream but that Rhykker missed. You can save the premium battlepass unlock & the 20 level skip. They're essentially tokens you redeem so it's not auto redeemed the moment season 1 starts. So you can buy the $100 game for the other stuff and save the free premium battlepass for a season that you like the cosmetics & save the 20lvl skip for a season when you have less time to play

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

Pay to win. Got to love it.

[@sts3118]

Do you have something that confirms this? Im torn about buying deluxe, but if this is the case im jumping on it!

[@michaelmayhem350]

@@sts3118 the most recent live stream with blizzard devs. It's somewhere in the last 20 minutes or so

[@michaelmayhem350]

@@WatchingFromWork6636 when you're dead you don't feel anything, it's those around you that suffer. It's the same when you're stupid.

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

@@sts3118 only history.

[@stonewallsultrawidegaming-8538]

What a brilliant and honest review from a Diablo veteran. Thanks!

[@savagegamer1681]

Can't wait to play this but I'm still sad that it's season based I get it but still not a fan of playing hundreds of hours just to forget them and start a new one

[@Valaran1]

As a D2 kid I definitely hear you regarding the overlay map. But I find that the waypoint system alleviates MOST of my need to constantly open the overworld map.

[@bigsegzygypsy7619]

The background music is so good in your videos, mate. Love it.

[@charlievelling4719]

Thanks for your hard work. Appreciate the honest take and looking forward to exploring Sanctuary.

[@Whatisvr]

D3 wasnt an open world game like D4 causing us to use the map more.. i dont like the overlay map but being able to zoom out a little on the mini map i feel would help alot with not opening the map as much

[@williamwhite8667]

I kinda wish the scaling of monsters had started after you beat the capstone dungeon give you the feeling of progression through campaign and then a okay you are in end game now once the first capstone is beat

[@jonevansauthor]

I don't want it at all, that's what Nightmare difficulty was for. But at least what you're describing would be a compromise. A complete waste of time, since Nightmare levels were a perfectly good way of challenging yourself but better than what they settled on.

[@bryden72]

​@@jonevansauthor yeah what I thought Nightmare was for. We definitely should feel a change in power

[@MilkshakeGuruTTV]

@@bryden72 I feel a change in power even with scaling..maybe yall just need better RNG and Loot lol. I really dont get that gripe. Worked out fine for me in closed and open beta. So ive seen end game and early. /shrug

[@showmetheway2]

Exactly. This is how it should have been. I don't think we need to play the story in a different order every time if it means sacrificing a sense of progression.

[@bryden72]

@@MilkshakeGuruTTV I've only played the beta so its not my personal experience mearly replying to others.

[@Samphire2]

I spent a lot of time in D2 and still play it at times to this day as i bought the remastered version, i played D3 when it came out but was hugely disappointed that the treasure hunting aspect in D2 was lacking in D3. I mean the gear in D2 was so different and versatile, the rare things were fun to look for and even after playing for years there is still that thing you are looking for which will get you to turn the game on and play again. With D3 it seemed that each class had an uber set of armour which made them powerful and then that was it, i did log on to do the monthly stuff for about 5 months and get the rewards, but then that got tedious as well. My great hope, is that they have brought back the fun treasure hunting aspect in D4 so that there is always a reason to keep going back.

[@DemonKez]

I've not seen many of your videos but this was a pretty good video

[@ScytheNoire]

Been playing the Diablo series since launch in 1996 at 20 years old. Always loved the game world and lore. Diablo 1 was so brutal back in those days, all your gear dropping if you died. The same friend I played Diablo 1 with, and all the other Diablo games with, I will be playing Diablo 4 with, although we live eight hours apart now. Heck, I live closer to you, Rhykker, than him. Greetings from Ottawa! :)

[@wildhund78]

Haha nice same thing for me too! Missing the bus to 12th grade because i had to help a friend out in the morning grab his loot from Hell before his modem kicked him offline! 😂 From Montreal, we should meet up in game.

[@Lexsoufz]

Fellow Montrealer that moved to US! Would love to form a group and grind a Diablo game

[@AstaIsAMonster]

I will buy the game when it’s being sold for $30 because what you said for cons because that’s what I was afraid of these 4 things happening.😔 1. *No new attacks learned just basically leveling up the most powerful attacks you already learned at level 10 or 15.* 2. *You don’t feel powerful when going back to the beginning parts of the game because everything levels up with you.* (sense of progression can be underwhelming) 3. *Armor don’t look badass.* 4. *Forced multiplayer.*

[@atreyu4d]

I’m abit concerned about using the same skill as a core dmg delivery from level 1 - 100. That would get insanely mundane fast.

[@ssv177]

Don't be concerned - right now in D4 it is like that. Maybe this will change in a future with the seasons/expansions/runes/etc There is some exceptions thou - in the endgame you may be able to gear up to a level when it may be possible to get rid of lvl1-5 abilities and swap them for some other that have to high cooldown early on.

[@MrFloat777]

Diablo 3 was like this what do you mean? Whirlwind barb, leap slam barb, mystic ally monk, fire blades/disentegrate wiz, the list goes on.

[@PjaunuGryba]

A very high quality review. I watched a lot of Diablo 4 reviews in the past day but nothing gets even close to this :)

[@Gatnor]

Love the slower pace. It allows the mood, atmosphere, and tension to build...

[@cybergun01]

Same. Wish it was slower

[@Anomalyn1]

it's not slow, look at other videos, they deal billions of damage and are super fast, it's just a diablo 3 reskin...

[@pixeljauntvr7774]

​@@Anomalyn1 No.

[@F1MBC]

“I can’t tell you how much you should value an imaginary pair of pants”. One of the greatest quotes from Rhykker right there.

[@FluffyAnnoyed]

The multiplayer preference is whatever you prefer I guess. You are however talking about it not hurting your game, but being beneficial and helping you. I really dislike this since I've always preferred playing Diablo alone. I don't want help or want to hit something twice and get a reward. Also, you used to be able to actually play Diablo alone. With the arrival of world bosses, this is no longer a thing. I like the game so far, but wish this would have been different. To me this isn't Diablo 4, but rather, the Diablo MMO.

[@kredonystus7768]

They didn't have to make the zones scale to make them relevant at endgame. Have a quest and dungeon in each region once you reach level 100 to "evolve" that region to the endgame version.

[@TheUltimateLetdown]

The con you mentioned on having to open the map was never a problem for me you set at pin on where you need to go and it shows you a line all the way to where you need to go

[@andrewwinters6352]

This is maybe the most thorough, objective, and high-quality review I've ever seen.

[@tzimiable]

Negative: Flat monster progression: Bad thing to me. It automatically means several things: - The story will not be as good and tight as it would with linear progression. You cant control where the player goes, and thus you lose control of the story. That is PURELY a negative thing from a story standpoint. It brings nothing positive to the table. - The arpg genre is more than anything else a game about becoming more powerful. When you have flat monster power, you lose most of the feeling of power. That in itself is retarded. - Going where you want does not add to replayability, that is a lie. The content is the same, the order doesnt matter. Take Diablo 2. If you could play the acts the order you wanted, do you think that would improve replayability? Hell no. What improves replayability is the fact that acts are not the same when you play through them. The procedural generation keeps things fresh. Shared world: Purely a bad thing. There is NO point to other players in the world other than selling you on mtx. 99% of the content you will be doing solo/coop. If they really want to have world bosses, it should be EASY to make the world boss zone multiplayer, and the rest single player/coop. I dont need other players running around. It is BAD for immersion, because they act like players. It breaks the world. Itemization: Dont know enough to say much, but with flat monster progression a part of that is ruined no matter if its good or bad. So far it seems rather meh. Talent trees: Mostly laughably bad. More skill points to put out than say D3, but most of them have very minor and boring effects. The fact that they managed to make a talent tree with less variety and game impact than D3 is a complete disaster to me. Compared to Poe or even Last Epoch they seem like babys first arpg, at best. I dont need D4 to have the complexity of Poe, far from it. But the runes in D3 actually made your skills different. The skills in D4 gives you a 2% chance to do some minor thing. Or even a 2% chance on lucky hit, so a chance upon a chance to do a minor thing. There are better skills, but MOSTLY its bad like that. Positive: (really a meh, not a positive) Slower gameplay: I dont mind that so far. I found a lot of the classes, and their skills disappointing and boring, but the Barbarian struck a cord with me, I am usually a sorceress player. (with a smidge of vomit) Graphics/atmosphere: Mostly great. Especially the environment. I find a lot of the skills boring looking, and I am afraid that is because blizz will sell better looking skills in the shop, the greedy bastards. The game is already 20€ too expensive at least. Also Rhykker, it seems you are trying to hard to find nice things to say about it when talking about its "robust" endgame. You specify that it has a lot of content when compared to other games "AT THEIR RELEASE", but that only seems to avoid a negative comparison with, say Poe. And it makes you sound like a shill. I have bought it, and I have played it in the beta weekends. I predict I will enjoy a playthrough, but I doubt it will make me stay for the long run. And, I did NOT feel good spending money on it. Blizzard actively makes me dislike them for their choices, and that is not a good feeling to have for a customer. I've spent several hundreds of dollars on mtx in Poe. And EVERY dollar has felt good. The game is HONEST, and it gives new stuff to do all the time. Diablo 4 and blizz seems like an asshole dealer wanting to take your cash, and taunt you while you cant afford food.

[@danabell2709]

I played two of the beta events and I really loved what I saw so far. The combat system and the skill tree felt like there were more ways to play the character than I could get to and that was awesome. I loved the dark and gritty story a lot too. The 'open world' part was jarring as heck though and that's going to be a leveling issue for me. They took great care crafting a wonderful story. It built a fantastic 'you and a couple NPCs against the great evil' vibe (at least the part they let me play) and then as you run to your next objective. . . there's 8 people fighting stuff in some random event. It totally killed immersion for me every time. I'm banking on pushing myself through all that annoying stuff until endgame. I've played a lot of MMOs over the years and once the leveling story is over, I suspect the open world will be welcome then. I just wish they'd given me some sort of option to turn it off when I'm playing the story-line because it really does harsh the experience. So I'll just tolerate the damage they do to the story experience and hope it works as well as I hope come endgame.

[@SirYayoCP]

Overlay option is okay I wouldn’t use it. However I learned quick that if you use the Track Pin you’ll be given a guided line on your map. The devs did a great job by not overcrowding the UI.

[@LastAustralianGamer]

Great job you hit all the blizzard talking points and did your best to sell the game.

[@TheSaraGames]

I am going to wait and see how things play out over the next year or so. Too many times games have had microtransactions change after release to horrible monetization practices. I feel it's far better to wait and see what happens.

[@Diavolo222]

Yeah I'm done pre-ordering, especially from Blizzard. I'll wait a bit and see how the game progresses the coming months, watch some streams casually and reviews. But if they are gonna make money from this game and support it with content for years to come, I dont think we will miss anything if we dont play it on release.

[@arcc4]

​@@Diavolo222 Why wait? I can pretty much guess what will happen. The content for the first couple of seasons will reintroduce anything that is in D3 that is missing in D4 like sets, which they probably already developed but have purposefully partitioned out of the launch as to reintroduce it as 'updates'. Once that is dried up the seasonal content will revert to similar themes D3 was getting with maybe some side story stuff. As the player retention and return dwindles the monetization will get more scummy. Blizzard will milk it for all its worth until they can reset the hype-train via an expansion, D5, etc... In other words they are going to Call of Duty the Diablo franchise.

[@oenkrad9404]

They already announced that the game is using a system identical to Dead by Daylight, but far greedier. They are having a free/paid track for progression, but they are also having an "advanced" (Give us more money because we say so!) track. Free, 10$, and 25$ tracks. And you know they are not going to be like Dead by Daylight in which you can get all the currency back that you paid for a tracking while you progress a track, so that's just milking people for something devs can whip up in an afternoon. In three seasons (9 months) you will have already paid more than the cost of the game for some cosmetics if you choose the advanced one. Disgusting. Inb4 "You don't have to get it!" - That's not the point. Defending these egregious business practices just makes it continue and they take advantage of people who lack the ability to not do it (Like gamblers/whales), preying on even children with parent's credit cards.

[@TheSaraGames]

@@oenkrad9404 Yes and they can change it any time they want.. My feeling is that if they plan to go even worse, upper management, i will happen before 1 year is up. Probably within 3 to 6 months.

[@infra1]

Fantastic review. Very detailed. Well done, Rhykker!

[@idatien2741]

I handed in my last exam for this semester yesterday, and I'm SO ready to dive head first into HELL :D

[@christhomason9333]

About opening the map - what I’ve been doing is looking at the destination and putting in a pin then you can just enjoy the world on the way to your destination following the red line.

[@gnofusnomuss945]

Just wanted to say how much I appreciated this review. Excellent talking points, mechanics descriptions were exceedingly well done and you were objective where needed but honest about your own point of view which gave perspective. This video is pure gold.

[@pendragon-vt6ge]

Im really excited for the release of the game but pretty sad that my favourite class (Paladin/ Crusader) is missing

[@pgame20]

Don't worry, you'll be able to pay $50 dollars to unlock it in 6 months.

[@luxinvictus9018]

Best part will be that they'll probably have a combo deal where yyou can by d4 and the new class together for $100, making people who pay 120 total feel a bit short changed lol

[@ArcticBanshee]

I’m going Druid at first until I can’t stand it, then I’ll switch to Sorcerer.

[@Maven904]

Ignore people hating i played druid in beta and storm caller druid is so strong it absolutely melts its gonna be my main. They definitely do start slow tho

[@jinnybeats]

I disagree about not being able to feel the 5% imo that is a huge amount. I play a lot of albion and some itemization will give you an increase of 1% or less and I still can feel that especially in really intense 1v1 moments

[@ashriver7710]

Can agree, I found myself happy with every small percentage increase from gear in D3 anyway, I always appreciated keeping tabs on my stats page

[@Fielmur]

"... that you don't go multiple session without finding one" i got ONE legendary from the server slam: a shit dagger when i killed the butcher. I was excited when it dropped.

[@speen8862]

Wow. Wasn’t expecting that ending. Hilarious.

[@hooliganfish]

That was top-tier for sure.

[@1duubbz]

​@@hooliganfishFor sure!

[@KoeiNL]

Battlepass in a full price game is such a bad trend.

[@vincegomba]

Thank you for your very thoughtful review. Looking at this game from a variety of viewpoints has allowed for a greater understanding of what the D4 experience will be, and more importantly what it won't be. More excited for D4 now vs I was 34:17 ago

[@matthuck378]

my main complaint about D4 from the demo is threefold. 1) enemies are too bullet spongey. 2) I don't like the MMO thing. I want a solo offline mode. 3) I don't like scaling monsters. I want the power fantasy of being able to one shot mobs when I'm higher level. Grim Dawn did level scaling WAY better.

[@albertnonymous9759]

Regarding always opening the map, I think it's because levels are now prebuilt and most are rather labyrinthine. The solution I found was to set a map marker and follow the path to reach your objective

[@Janehaver]

What I like about the markers is that once you get to the location it automatically takes the marker away.

[@DraconianDeus]

Not to downplay the work you've put into this review, but just you being you, of course you're gonna recommend the game.

[@CloudianMH]

I don't like area scaling, at all. If they wanted to add it. It should have been after you unlock the second difficulty. So people in the end game get that max lvl feeling where the world is all relevant. But it should not exist in the first difficulty. Kids like to run around feeling powerful sometimes (not everyone is an adult who is power gaming) and it's grounds your feeling of progression. Making it flat across the game was an oversight.

[@tamick21]

this game is rated M so its recommend for 18+ adults.. not children. So if your kid is frustrated maybe understand what the age recommendations is before blabbering about difficulty.

[@mjfentertainment6927]

What a great review vid, I totally feel like I understand what to expect, but nothing has been spoiled. Honestly can’t wait to check this game out 🔥

[@j_corb]

Solid review, I think it does a great job of laying out the things D4 does well, and the things it doesn't. For myself, the game feels a bit "unexciting" overall, which surprises me. The art direction is beautifully done, and the game feels more "Diablo" than I think the series has ever been, where it feels truly demonic. But at the same time, I think the game being SO "grounded" kind of lends it to feeling a little bland. Even the player models, they seem to be reused by loads of enemies, which makes the classes themselves (and players, by extension) feel less "special". Similarly, some of the bonuses for skills and armor feel SO incredibly specific and "synergized", it feels like you're constantly doing a ton of math to find these incremental upgrades that increase your power by less than 1%, if you play a specific way. It's definitely a solid foundation. It just feels like it's missing "something". Also, I do feel like there's an AWFUL LOT of "running around" in D4. Traversing the world map is boring as hell, and even in dungeons, it seems like there's a ton of backtracking for objective markers. I'd prefer more of that free-form roaming around and killing enemies, and just like D3, I think D4 is hurt by having a static world map. Diablo games are at their best when things are randomized and you feel like you're actually exploring. Otherwise, it's just a lot of running around from one quest marker to the next.

[@somedude1324]

totally agree.

[@diasflac42]

I honestly don't trust Blizzard enough to commit to the battlepass only including cosmetics, especially after the OW2 debacle. I may pick it up when it goes on sale, but D4 isn't worth the $70 USD price point for me just because of how notoriously evil the company has become. That said, though, I appreciate your perspective and coverage of it. This video was very informative.

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

This game will turn to Diablo Immortal cash grab sooner rather than later. That’s why the MMO side. If you are solo playing you don’t see the fun things and powers others have. With the MMO style you do. They are setting everyone up for it.

[@jasonmurphy6253]

@@WatchingFromWork6636it won’t. Because the two games are for two different audiences. Diablo immortal exists for the mobile market. They love pay to win micro transactions. Pc and console gamers don’t nearly as much. Look at the monetization between the two platforms for various games. You’ll see it’s all about how much you can squeeze out of your audience

[@jordankerr1]

You’re getting mad and not buying a game about something that hasn’t even happened yet. And won’t with a full 70$ game 🤓

[@Matthew-ut1hs]

​@@jordankerr1 you're delusional if you think it won't happen lol. They will run this trash to the ground after collecting more money off of drones such as yourself.

[@pythonxz]

​@@jordankerr1 It will happen to some degree.

[@thefransvan5966]

It is kind of sad that the progression got a hit in deepness..the fact that we lose the aesthetic aspect of gear getting more buffed and interesting going on with leveling and overcome new challenges is such a shame honestly.

[@kalebbowers6455]

Endless grind through the same content isn’t fun for a majority of people though. It kind of feels good to know; there’s an end in sight. I’m not just grinding to grind more in a month.

[@marsovac]

they need to make money, it is best if the do that by selling buffed looks in the shop than by putting pay 2 win things into the game. I'm not sure if people get how much it costs to have such a big studio work on a game for a decade. We are talking more than it costs ot make movies. Hundreds of millions. Look at the credits for acting, dev, artists etc, then think of the hardware for development, servers and devops, then the marketing and multiply by the long years.

[@armorvil]

On the other hand I'm glad that endgame gear doesn't automatically mean I have to look like Robocop with huge shoulder pads.

[@kalebbowers6455]

@@armorvil LMAO DEADASS

[@NinjaBrutality]

Does the word deepness exist? Isn't the word depth? Legitimate question.

[@zergtoss1]

I just wish this wasn’t World of Diablo. Just like D3 they don’t trust the consumer for an option to toggle offline and online mode. No excuse for this not to be able to be run on your desktop without a server.

[@Stefarooh]

The games enemy scaling with the player pretty much removes a lot of the games enjoyment. I don't feel like I am getting stronger at all. Each area I move into I feel like I am doing pretty much the same damage as I was doing at the start of the game. Levelling is nothing more than cosmetic now which is disappointing. Enemy scaling is the lazy route as it diminishes the enjoyment of leveling up.

[@DwightSkittles]

My biggest concern is how they will handle upcoming season passes. They originally said there wouldn't be power scaling in Immoral's season pass and we know how that went

[@justinTime077]

They will sell you to them and make them a stupid decision to not purchase. Obvio.

[@Rylm__]

glad i found your Channel i'm new to diablo and you are helping me with these videos 👍🏼😁

[@SunBane67]

Honestly, it doesnt matter how good the game is. If I see another player the entire experience is ruined. The second I see some loser with the name poopstick walking around in some goofy armor combo emersion is ruined and I will never play again. So... I'll wait until it has a fully offline version or just never play it.

[@jonasknorr2058]

I promise you it's not a big deal. Immersion is strong with this one and you rarely come across other players except in the main city.

[@flix6561]

I'm most likely going to hold off for a while until I get to see some end game footage see how it feels. I've played the betas trying a few of the classes and like you said it felt like a slog. It's most likely because I'm used to D3 and other super fast paced RPGs where you're constantly mowing through thousands of enemies but I would constantly get bored of walking around feeling like the world was empty.

[@IAmGeeeWiz]

i dont remember the last time i wore rare gear. trading will be redundant after the first week if you can only trade rare and lower

[@jasonhopkins1584]

I appreciate your honesty and authenticity. It is why your content, in my opinion, is a cut above the rest. Nice work.

[@grrakkh4459]

I feel left out on this one, I value most things on your Cons list very highly. immersion, the feeling of progress through visuals and new abilities, interesting itemization...seems they dropped the ball on all of this. 70 bucks for a game built around selling cosmetic microtransactions while "visual character progress" is lacking, awesome.

[@ChatBotProbably]

"Design the problem, sell the solution" is now on that list of core ActiBlizzard values.

[@zsheets7483]

Blizzard isn't worth anyone's money anymore. Screw them and anything they develop or publish.

[@showmetheway2]

Sense of progression has taken a big hit in D4. This is central to aRPGs . Let's see how it all plays out.

[@G0F15H]

Is it really that big of a deal though? Leveling is basically the warm-up to get to endgame, which is where a vast majority of the time is spent. That is far more important than progression in aRPGs

[@MATCHLESS789]

@@G0F15H I hate the modern gaming separation of "leveling" and "endgame". So many franchises ruined by this shit.

[@G0F15H]

@MATCHLESS I guess, but it doesn't change the reality. My point is that it will probably take around 20 hours to get a character to max level, and then people will go on and invest another 200 hours in that same character. Once you do it for the 3rd, 4th, 5th+ time... you'll just be going through the motions in an effort to get to max level. Bottom line, sense of progression is over-rated

[@showmetheway2]

@@MATCHLESS789 Agreed. Streamers have worsened this. Playing 5 characters while enjoying the main game is about 150 hours of fun. The end game is going to make more money for streamers , guide makers and of course the developers. Leveling speed has been increased so much for this end game rush . Gaining each new level hardly feels like a big event anymore.

[@YamashitaPhilippines]

hope they zoomout the character distance it is so close to the screen.. also hope they reduce the UI on the screen so big

[@swallowedinthesea11]

I want it more zoomed out too. That's the first thing I noticed upon starting!

[@Chronor007]

Now that you mention it, the D4 Minimap is ALOT more zoomed in than in previous games. A more zoomed out slightly larger minimap that would give you some rough overview of the outline of the area you are in. The general need for looking at the map alot is unfortunately a symptom of game world development aswell. Certain subconsciously active elements in the world can lead you to where you need to go without having to look at the map. Best example is probably Elden Ring, which makes great use of notable vistas and light sources etc...

[@jordick8427]

Diablo 4 seems like a good game and as a Diablo fan I would love to play it. But...that greedy monetization...it's a deal breaker for me. 😒 Not only is it extremely expensive, but the best looking gear is also behind that paywall, while the in-game stuff look like rags in comparison. Now, it might be normal for cosmetics to cost 20+$ these days, it still doesn't make it right. Child labor is also normal in some countries even in this day and age, but it's not right. As for the Battle Pass, I hate that system to the very core, because you don't even get to keep the stuff that you already paid for unless you don't grind to unlock them. Blizzard will just take those cosmetics away from you if you didn't finish that Battle Pass grind in time, cosmetics that you already paid for. HOW IS THIS OKAY?!? Just...how? Just imagine if any other industry did their business this way. Imagine if you went to a clothes store and you found a really good looking jacket and went to purchase it. But then the store clerk says that you have to work in limited time frame or they'll take the jacket away from you and they kept to keep the money you gave them. That would be illegal business practice, so how can games industry get away with it, hmm?

[@knifey]

You're right and on top of that, they're trying to copy Lost Ark with this game (MMO/ARPG) and that game literally manipulates your luck if you aren't 'paying enough' money, no matter how hard you grind or how much you play. So you just can't ever really score a win. I'm passing on Diablo 4. And I consider Diablo 2 to be the greatest of all time.

[@ThowGen]

Love the conclusion: If this is your first ARPG, you might like it. lmao

[@BrianSmith-tx4sq]

That is not at all what he said... He literally said, and I quote, "I think you'll enjoy Diablo IV a lot."

[@ThowGen]

@@BrianSmith-tx4sq Alright then "Brian Smith"', sorry for tripping out your AI.

[@n9ne]

level scaling is the worst invention ever that alone should make this game a 1/10

[@ironfreddy3192]

Level scaling is the best invention which makes every area of the game relevant even at level 100 character. If you had 5 level 100 areas instead of a hundred, you would then complain that the game has no content to play at high level.

[@n9ne]

@@ironfreddy3192 you should never become a game designer. this can literally be disproven by blizzards own game called vanilla world of warcraft.

[@ironfreddy3192]

@@n9ne wow isn't arpg

[@AstaIsAMonster]

I hate that shit as well and I like that Rhykker mentioned that shit because that is one of the reasons I’m not buying it until it drops in price $30. My reasons is what he said in this video which are. 1. *No new attacks learned just basically leveling up the most powerful attacks you already learned at level 10 or 15.* 2. *You don’t feel powerful when going back to the beginning parts of the game because everything levels up with you.* (sense of progression can be underwhelming) 3. *Forced multiplayer.*

[@n9ne]

@@ironfreddy3192 you're actually pathetic : )

[@RandallWatts]

23:52 I know EXACTLY which lamp you are referring to, and I had almost the exact same feeling!

[@briceaxe5220]

For the map problem you can just pin where you need to go and it's just showing you on the mini-map the path to take

[@BigStank5483]

I hope they sell Audio Packs from Diablo2 ,so us oldies but goodies can play D4 with the feeling of DIablo2... I'd buy things like that on Store( has no impact on Play to Win) Rhykkr ..Man I've been a fan since you launched(Many Years).. Glad to see you get some Great New content for your Future... Sub to this guy.. He won't disappoint!!!! **Last thing Camara View is way to close! Give us an option to zoom out more on next patch..This is a common thing that is being complained about

[@synen]

I was a diehard fan of D1-D3 so naturally pre ordered Ultimate D4. As I was given access to close pre order Beta I was surprisingly turned off, didnt like it one bit and proceeded to cancel my order to which Blizzard promptly refunded. Hopefully over the course of time D4 becomes much better but as it stands its a completely disappointment for me. Hope you guys have a great time, I will be lurking youtube for updates.

[@MLPDethDealr32]

ADD AN OFFLINE FEATURE. Period. or risk pissing off most of your fans Blizzard.

[@LVCRFT2023]

Lmao, go play POE we won’t miss you

[@RKKY-mf7fe]

Expensive and looks very repetitive

[@Hightower2804TP]

You've done this so many Years Rhykker, I've been checking out every new video for every new season for D3 and it's wild to think that I can watch your videos on D4 now ;D

[@msromike123]

I think you nailed it at the end. It is meant to siphon WOW players off before they leave Bliz franchises forever. TBH, as a diehard WOW player, that's why I'm going to try Diablo.

[@xshortguy]

Diablo 4 is missing a few things: 1.) Ultrahand - characters should be able to lift objects and stitch them together using glue; 2.) Fuse - characters should be able to attach weapons to other weapons to increase attack damage and provide additional effects. 3.) Autobuild - characters should be able to build devices that they have favorited or have schemas for.

[@dawedoctopus8141]

Best channel. Depth and honest opinion. GREAT review, thanks.👍👍

[@b04620k]

Excellent review. Consistently great content big bro ✊🏾