Diablo Immortal Review

Diablo Immortal: Sanctuary is in Peril

The long-awaited dungeon crawler and first mobile title in the Diablo franchise is finally here. Diablo Immortal is a third-person hack n slash role-playing game similar to its console predecessors. The Diablo games are incredibly popular and well-loved, but does Diablo Immortal live up to the hype?

Diablo Immortal takes place between the events of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction and Diablo III. In Lord of Destruction, the demon Baal comes close to enslaving humanity by corrupting the Worldstone. However, he was thwarted, and the world stone was broken into shards still tainted by Baal’s corruption. Now, players must stop the herald of Diablo, Skarn, from retrieving the fragments and resurrecting his master. It’s a solid plot that feels unique from the other storylines in the franchise while staying true to Diablo’s roots. However, if you are looking for a game with an engaging, groundbreaking plot, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Players begin in the town of Wortham, which is under attack from evil cultists and the undead. As you journey through the areas surrounding Wortham, you’re sure to be taken in by the beautiful environments. The title offers a breath-taking and oft-time morbid aesthetic that pays homage to the franchise titles that came before it.

Wizards, and Crusaders, and Necromancers, Oh My

The title features fluid controls and a stellar combat system, which draws you in. Players have six classes to choose from-Barbarian, Wizard, Demon Hunter, Monk, Crusader and Necromancer, each featuring unique combat abilities. For instance, Necromancers utilize the Corpse Explosion ability to detonate all nearby corpses, inflicting damage on nearby enemies, while Crusaders have the Shield Glare ability, which temporarily blinds enemies while inflicting damage.

Each class offers its own advantages and disadvantages, so players are sure to find one that works for their playstyle. The Demon Hunter class, for instance, deals high amounts of damage but can’t take many hits before dying.

Diablo Immortal’s Constant Cash Grab

Diablo Immortal really could have been great. The graphics are decent, and the combat system is engaging. However, the game’s paywall becomes increasingly problematic as you progress. With constant pay-to-win elements at outrageous prices, you’ll soon feel like this dungeon crawler is more about the devs raiding your wallet than your avatar raiding dungeons.

Eternal orbs, the game’s premium currency, costs anywhere from $0.99 for 60 orbs to $99.99 for 6,000. The game also offers a subscription at 8.99 a month, which offers players daily rewards. However, you’ll lose your bonus if you fail to log in and claim it. Diablo Immortal‘s Google Play page is currently flooded with negative reviews about the game’s pay-to-win setup.

While the title does push for players to complete its many microtransactions, the game can be played without spending a dime. However, this will require some painful, tedious grinding once the player reaches higher levels.

Glitches Galore

The other main complaint plaguing this title is the many glitches. Some players are having difficulty creating their character without the game crashing, while many others are experiencing lag. Ideally, Diablo Immortal should have offered an offline option for those who have spotty Wi-Fi or just prefer to play alone. This would have significantly reduced lag within the game. However, Blizzard chose to make the title entirely online.

Diablo Immortal offers engaging combat and a lovely aesthetic. However, the pushy microtransactions and the slow down in level progression really bring down what would otherwise be a decent game. Likewise, the lack of an offline option drags the game down further, especially considering the widespread issues with lag. Diablo Immortal is worth trying if you are looking for a way to pass the time and don’t mind the obnoxious ads for microtransactions and glitchy server connections. However, if you’re looking for a unique and engaging mobile dungeon crawler, this isn’t the game for you.