Diablo II: Resurrected

Diablo 2 remains an addictive experience capable of keeping you busy for hours. The endgame grind shows how far the genre has moved forward to embellish the loot piata, but its itemization remains unsurpassed and an example to follow.

The Lord of Terror has never looked so good, with Diablo II: Resurrected taking the original, and improving its look so as to present it to a whole new generation of gamers, or to those who are still in love with the 2000 classic by Blizzard North. There's not much here in the way of additions or changes, which is definitely a wasted opportunity to practically offer the best ARPG ever made, but it's still hard to say no to such a devilishly good remaster. Good job Blizzard. Finally.

Diablo II: Resurrected is a huge accomplishment for a remastered game. It preserves the original game in amber while still showing just why it was considered a legendary game in the first place. It is perfect for veterans to jump back in and play as if you have been playing it for the last 20 years. It is also still approachable to new players who can finally see what all the hype is about.

Diablo II: Resurrected presents the very best version of an all-timer, and benefits from all of the patches and updates it received from Blizzard in the early part of this century. Stuff that helped fine tune an already great game, turning it into something that stands the test of time.

Vicarious Visions and Blizzard Entertainment have done something amazing with Diablo II: Resurrected. It is much more than a tribute. It is a sign that the first game is unrepeatable and that it remains so fresh despite the years (at least for some, because it is evident that it aged particularly badly). Therefore, Diablo II: Resurrected is a careful recommendation. It is a game for veterans of the original, fans and curious.

The fires of hell burn hotter than ever, bringing the tale of the Dark Wanderer back in an eye (and ear) blisteringly good way.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is made for Diablo 2 veterans and is proud of it. Being one of those veterans, I can't predict how a modern audience will react to this idiosyncratic arpg, but I can say that in my eyes this is the perfect remaster (and not a remake). Hell has never felt like such a warm bath.

Diablo II: Resurrected shows why the original title remains the standard against which all other ARPGs are judged. While it doesn’t come with many hooks and ever-evolving content that has become a baseline for the genre as it transformed into a game-as-service model, not all games need to be played with forever in mind. Diablo II: Resurrected proves that Blizzard’s classic is still a blast, even today. Whether it’s your first foray into hell and beyond or your thousandth hour, Diablo II: Resurrected is worth the time.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is a game that goes far beyond the nostalgia of the fans. A solid title that reminds us of what Blizzard has meant to video games and makes us understand why we need it to come back someday. Whether or not you enjoyed it twenty years ago, it is truly a must-have.

Aside from the graphics, Diablo II hasn't really changed all that much since its debut in 2000, but Blizzard classic ARPG has aged gracefully and is still a deeply engaging and fun experience.

Diablo II: Resurrected is as awesome as ever, and that's enough.

I’ve enjoyed playing Diablo 2 Resurrected and getting to experience the story in a visually updated way. The tweaks they made to get everything working on the console also helped a lot as it gave me far more flexibility in what abilities I had at my disposal. D2R is ideal for anyone who likes dungeon crawlers and doesn’t want everything to be explained or to be told where to go all of the time.

Diablo II: Resurrected is a faithful remaster of the original that defined the gold standard for the action role-playing genre. With 4K graphics, a higher frame-rate, fully remade cinematics, and a vast array of quality of life changes, this is an experience that serves as a love letter for nostalgic and veteran players and an enticing invitation for newcomers.

Diablo II: Resurrected is a product that appeals towards the longing of the community. It adds new functions that bring it up to speed with modern games, but at the same time, it still feels like an old-school title, which might alienate some people.

Diablo II: Resurrected delivers on the promise of a rebuilt original, without tampering with the soul of what made it amazing in the first place. With completely remastered graphics, all-new cutscenes, and console cross-progression, Diablo II: Resurrected takes us back to Hell, and it’s every bit as amazing as it was when we played it 20 years ago.

Blizzard has done a fantastic job giving Diablo II a very, very elaborate facelift, keeping the essence of one of the most influential games ever intact.

In those areas where Diablo II: Resurrected attempts to improve on the original, it absolutely succeeds. It looks infinitely better, it’s more accessible to a wider range of gamers, and it mostly feels like it deserves to live on current-gen systems. At the same time, some of the changes seem arbitrary when looked at through the lens of what could have, and should have, been updated. Part of Diablo II: Resurrected feels wonderfully nostalgic and timeless, but another part feels mired in outdated mechanics from decades past, and pretty graphics alone can’t fix that.

If you enjoyed the original Diablo or Diablo II when it first came out… this is a great way to play it on a modern system without having to jump into a DOS box or wrestle with other settings to get it to work. If you like the idea of a loot clicker then grab a copy because this is a great example of it.

A gorgeous remaster of an unmatched masterpiece, but in terms of gameplay additions, it offers only the bare necessities.

Diablo II: Resurrection is outdated return of the legend, but it brings such a perfect atmosphere and such a wonderful audiovisual processing, that serie fans will be excited.

Diablo II returns with refreshed graphics and unaltered gameplay (apart from some small improvements). It’s as fun as I remembered, so I quickly felt at home and gave in to nostalgia. However, it’s hard not to notice that beneath revamped visuals lies a 21 years old design. [12/2021, p.32]

The sheer scale of "cosmetic surgery" in Resurrected is mind-boggling, and that’s exactly what we’ve been promised. At the same time, 20-year old gameplay tropes raise quite a few questions, especially if you’re used to the conveniences of modern action/RPGs.

Diablo 2 is back in a Resurrected version and could appeal to purists as well as young people eager for challenges: The plastic has been completely revised, everything has been modeled again, and is now very flattering for the retina. The atmosphere of the game is as crazy as ever even though the storytelling has gotten a little old. The same can be said with the gameplay, which has hardly changed an iota: it's still just as nervous, addicting, devilishly catchy, but at the cost of sometimes outdated ergonomics. Nevertheless, we do not shy away from our pleasure of replaying this legend in conditions much more in line with what is being done in 2021.

Even after more than 20 years, smashing monsters and looting to your hearts content is as addicting as ever. A fantastic visual overhaul and some much-needed improvements make this the best version of Diablo 2 so far. However, a lot of outdated mechanics remain untouched, from shared loot and uneven balancing to an overflowing inventory that constantly interrupts the action. Even basic stuff like stackable gems or some useful tutorial screens didn't make it into this remaster. Blizzard is clearly catering to fans of the original, even if that means the remaster may never reach its full potential.

Diablo 2: Resurrected Review – For the Faithful By Ed McGlone Published on September 30, 2021 Home » Reviews » Diablo 2: Resurrected Review – For the Faithful Share Tweet Night Mode Diablo 2 Resurrected on PC Diablo 2: Resurrected is a remaster simultaneously complex, and also incredibly simple. Visually, it’s a night and day difference between its predecessor, even on the Switch. But from a gameplay perspective, it is incredibly faithful, almost to a fault. Very little has been changed from the original release which will likely be music to the ears of the most hardcore Diablo 2 fans, resistant to change. In that sense, it’s a very “simple” upgrade. However, that decision not to use this opportunity to spruce things up may end up being a thorn at the side of newcomers and fans without rose-tinted glasses. Let’s talk about what Diablo 2: Resurrected gets right first. Visually Diablo 2: Resurrected is a triumph. It takes a very old game that looks, let’s face it, like ass by today’s standards, and turns it into something charming and wonderful to behold. By charming and wonderful, I of course mean gory, gothic, and dark with a new level of detail that was not possible in the original game. Fans wouldn’t have it any other way in that regard. Gameplay-wise, very little has changed because very little needed to change. Diablo 2 is still an all-time great game and that is still the case in Resurrected. All of the game’s classes are incredibly distinct from each other and each has a multitude of different play styles you can elect to spec into. There are Trap Assassins, Elementalist Assassins, Bow Amazons, Javasons, Werewolf Druids, Werebear Druids, Hammerdins, Whirlwind Barbs, Summoner Necros, and Bone Necros, Ice, Fire, and Thunder Sorceresses, I could go on and on. Layered on top of that are gear and set items that can further augment your gameplay and of course the fabled Runewords that players can chase to really perfect their builds. Leveraging all of that and creating your perfect character is definitely a grind. It’s a grind that may not make sense to an outsider, because at the end of the day you’re just running through the same content you did before, just faster, but those of us that love the genre do get it and love it for what it is. What’s great too is that players now have an easier way of getting to experience the lore, environment, and story of Diablo 2. Diablo 3 had a really compelling story that is heavily connected to the events of Diablo 2. While you can still enjoy Diablo 3 without having ever played its predecessor, it’s far more enjoyable if you do know fully what’s going on. And with Diablo 4 coming at some point in the future, it’s absolutely worth a single playthrough for the story and to experience this legendary game at least once, even if you’re not planning on staying a while or killing Baal 10,000 times. All of that said, while yes, Diablo 2 is still an excellent game, it never was a perfect game, and there are some issues that were forgivable back when it was originally released that stick out like sore thumbs now in Diablo 2: Resurrected. I have extremely fond memories of Diablo 2 going back to my days in middle school and high school. My friends and I would spend hours perfecting our magic find gear and mastering our speed runs through Mephisto and Baal to grind for better loot. The funny thing about memories, though, is that sometimes your brain selectively chooses to remember good ones, and deletes all of the bad ones. For example, I barely remembered that Stamina was even a thing, and yeah it’s very much a drag early on. While it improves over time as you pump up your Vitality, I can totally see fans that are not married to the idea of loving Diablo 2, getting frustrated very easily over it, and giving up on it before it starts to resolve itself. If the frequent battles with your Stamina in the early game don’t scare players away, the inventory management might. This is another Diablo 2 memory I subconsciously left behind apparently. I do not remember having to constantly go into my inventory to either drop stuff, or go back and forth to town to stash and sell items as often as I apparently need to while playing Diablo 2: Resurrected. Did I just never pick things up in the original game? Did I just not know anything better back then? I don’t know the answer to those questions, but the reality is that in 2021 it’s kind of brutal and not in a good way. Your choices are basically to be extremely selective on what you decide to stop and pick up and then possibly miss out on upgrades, or just spend most of your gameplay time in your inventory. While I’m fortunate that the version of Diablo 2 that contained respeccing made it into Diablo 2: Resurrected, I would have really preferred to just have unlimited respeccing as you do in Diablo 3. As it stands, it’s a pain in the ass to experiment and you’ll need to really commit to your play style and resort to starting a new character if you want to have easy access to something different. Finally, let me just also add, that the lack of a local couch co-op option for console players is a total bummer. I have to imagine, considering Diablo 3 had the option, that it probably wasn’t a philosophical choice, but rather it probably just wasn’t possible. Still, that doesn’t make it any less of a disappointment. I know that hardcore Diablo 2 fans don’t want to even entertain the idea of Diablo 3 seeping into their beloved game; I totally get that sentiment and don’t want a watered-down version of Diablo 2 either. However, a few modern touches, addressing the three biggest pain points I mentioned above would have gone a long way to properly resurrecting Diablo 2 and making it a premier ARPG in 2021. It doesn’t reach that potential, sadly, but it’s still an all-time great game that mostly holds up as long as you can look past its dated features.

Beneath the beautiful new look and smart innovations, this is the same Diablo 2 that came out in 2000.

Diablo 2 Resurrected is what a remaster should be. Vicarious Visions has done an incredible job with what is the cornerstone of the Action RPG genre. A visual gem that still holds against any modern title. The gameplay hasn’t changed an inch, which is what the whole community wanted. More brutal than ever. An isometric Dark Souls to terrorize the new generations of gamers.

Successfully brings an icon into the modern era, and the underlying gameplay still shines. But while Resurrected does a better job than Warcraft III: Reforged, it leaves similar questions unanswered over its feature set and long-term community support.

Overall, however, we can only be satisfied with the outcome of the nostalgia operation implemented by Blizzard, which will once again trap fans in an endless cycle of fights to the death and unbridled looting.

The lore of Diablo is as interesting as it ever was even if the storytelling isn’t nearly as fleshed out as one would see in modern games. Giving a facelift to a twenty-year-old game without updating the gameplay is a gamble, but thankfully that is exactly what we got with Diablo II: Resurrected which is how the original fans would want it.

At the end of the day, Diablo 2: Resurrected certainly feels like a game that is designed with veteran and nostalgic players in mind and it truly nails the experience in that sense. Whether it’s going to be able to build a new audience with first-time players is a much tougher question, but the old school experience may have more to offer modern gamers than it appears at first glance. Diablo 2: Resurrected fills a very unique spot in the franchise’s offerings by allowing players to continue returning to D3 (and someday Diablo 4 for a modern experience), but also now having a visually modern option when they want a bit more baseline difficulty and a classic experience.

Quotation forthcoming.

If you don't run afoul of the game's technical and server-related issues, you'll find Diablo II: Resurrected to be a good version of the classic action RPG. For those who have played with the 2000 PC classic countless times, this is a like-for-like copy of that title, only with a few more accessibility options and a new lick of paint so it blends in with modern releases. For those who are new to the game or are more familiar with Diablo III, keyboard and mouse players will feel limited, while the lack of modern quality-of-life amenities can dampen the excitement for the title. Either way, once everything clears up, Diablo II can become a great addition to any ARPG library, and if you're one who pays attention to the review score, you can bump up the number when the fixes roll in.

Diablo 2 Resurrected is a beautiful journey down memory lane. It's a game that brings out memories and joy and, sometimes, rage (it can be brutally unforgiving). This new-old Diablo 2 took us home for a while. A sweet illusion, but its longevity depends on the work the developers still have to do.

Diablo 2 Resurrected has a stunning graphical overhaul as well as satisfactory controller support, but it's really not a remaster for the masses: it's primarily aimed at fans of the original title. Nostalgia won't necessarily be enough to make you forget the lack of modernization of many interface or gameplay elements. So it struggles to compete with the many newer games in the same genre on many levels. Let's hope for more changes in the future. Even if it doesn't impose itself as a modern title, we still recommend it to players looking to discover this great classic in good conditions, knowing that it offers an almost unlimited life span to those who are hooked on its old formula.

Diablo II: Resurrected is far from perfect. The changes in character design are likely to rile up returning players, and the archaic gameplay probably won’t agree with younger generations weaned on more streamlined, sophisticated experiences. While I appreciate that this legendary title is now available in an improved format, it’s not a caveat-free recommend.

Diablo 2 Resurrected should have been a remake. The approach might be more streamlined than most modern RPGs, and combat is just as enjoyable as it ever was. However, it's also difficult to recommend for those unwilling to push back against the game at almost every turn. If you're familiar with the original and know its quirks already, the visual refresh is enough to warrant yet another playthrough.

Diablo 2: Resurrected both benefits and suffers from its faithfulness to the original title, but overall provides an adventure full of satisfying gameplay and fun exploration.

Diablo 2: Resurrected updates the graphics of a great, classic action RPG for a new generation. It masterfully preserves the mood of a singular game, and at the same time it preserves the gameplay as it has been for over a decade – mostly for better, occasionally for worse. Unfortunately, parts of that gameplay that were standard 20 years ago just look bad now, or feel like a waste of our time. Those looking for the old king can find it right here, but they might want to politely bow rather than kneel.

As a big Diablo 2 fan, Resurrected has let me down in many ways. What little changes have been made to the original formula are welcome, but feel like leftover bread crumbs from a larger pie that could have been. Diablo 2 was in a bit of a weird place in that it was not hard at all to access and play the original game, even on modern PC hardware. This new release does make the game available to console audiences, which is an awesome change, but the lack of crossplay really hurts here. Resurrected could end up becoming a much better value down the road as the development team begins introducing updates and upgrades, but as of right now, you should avoid this package unless you are happy with straight-up Diablo 2. That being said, there are many reasons to be thrilled to revisit the game, particularly for the timeless soundtrack and to get a glance at the spiffy new paint job. Just make sure to set your expectations accordingly.

Eventually, and with a lot of googling, I found my groove and started to enjoy what Resurrected has to offer. Just make sure you go in prepared for the clunkiness.

Diablo 2 Resurrected achieves what it set out to do: remaster Diablo 2. Its enhanced visuals and spectacular cinematics repackage the game in a whole new way, making it feel as though it really is your first playthrough all over again. Breaking this immersion, though, are a slew of irritating bugs that are likely to be fixed soon. As patches drop over time we hope this sorts itself out, but at the moment they can be so game-breaking that they make you want to do diabolical things to your computer. Despite all of this, I’m excited to jump back into the game. In fact, I’m itching to do it. Why? Because evil has returned, and it’s the Diablo 2 I know and love.

The beloved classic returns with a lot of promise… but it doesn’t quite meet our lofty expectations. It looks, sounds and plays great, but there are downsides: you’ll find loads of bugs and glitches, some important features are missing and it turns out you can actually be too faithful to the original.

It's why, unlike Diablo III, I don't foresee myself spending a lot more time with Diablo II: Resurrected. That's not to say the adventure was without merit, and it's certainly great to have a way to play one of Blizzard's classics with a coat of paint that does its visual aesthetic justice so many years later. But outside of players already well-versed with the game's aged design choices and imbalance, there's not a lot here outside of a history lesson for new players to enjoy. A lot of the time spent playing Diablo II: Resurrected, I just longed to return to Diablo III.