Diablo III

 PC
User Score
4.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 10199 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,918 out of 10199
  2. Mixed: 1,570 out of 10199
  3. Negative: 5,711 out of 10199
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. DustDevil
    Jul 19, 2013
    1
    The worst gaming purchase I've ever made. Besides enforcing draconian DRM without makign a truly connected world, fails to reach the bar raised by its predecessors in the art direction, music, mechanics and story. It's lame narrative, coupled with a purposedly dumbed down control (for console testing), linear gameplay and shallow progression system makes this an incredible disappointingThe worst gaming purchase I've ever made. Besides enforcing draconian DRM without makign a truly connected world, fails to reach the bar raised by its predecessors in the art direction, music, mechanics and story. It's lame narrative, coupled with a purposedly dumbed down control (for console testing), linear gameplay and shallow progression system makes this an incredible disappointing experience.… Expand
  2. Stephanurus
    Jul 30, 2013
    1
    bad game ............
    very bad game ..........
    u must spend cash to improve your character's strength ........
    and the game is too short, less content, outdated graphics
  3. Stormsson
    Aug 18, 2013
    1
    Totally disappointed: graphic style copied from wow, and totally opposed to the dark environment in Diablo 1&2 gameplay absolutely unbalanced: it is too easy,and that makes it utterly boring.
    No PVP,internet connection required to play offline; real money auction unbalances even more the games mechanics.
    The player stats are now fixed WHY ?!
    After 12 years... Such a failure.
  4. SovietStorm
    Aug 21, 2013
    1
    When I first started playing, I found myself enjoying the game. The first two chapters were a lot of fun, and being able to play with some of my friends was an added boon. However, by the third chapter, the game really begins to drop off, and by the fourth it's almost as though Blizz just stopped caring entirely. This was also where I finally began to experience the biggest issue I remainWhen I first started playing, I found myself enjoying the game. The first two chapters were a lot of fun, and being able to play with some of my friends was an added boon. However, by the third chapter, the game really begins to drop off, and by the fourth it's almost as though Blizz just stopped caring entirely. This was also where I finally began to experience the biggest issue I remain to have with this game- lag. I was only barely able to beat the game before the lag eventually got to a point where I literally couldn't play the game anymore. A note to Blizzard, and to all other devs planning similar DRM- not everyone has stable reliable internet connections, and punishing these honest customers is no business model.… Expand
  5. freiherrchulain
    Aug 30, 2013
    1
    Diablo 3, the successor the infamously popular and well received Diablo 2...This is a game that rides on the coattails of it's successor. This game is a colossal and dismal failure. How could it fail so badly when it had such a great example to follow? The developers goals were lofty, yet they chose on multiple occasions to abandon systems that worked tremendously well in the past andDiablo 3, the successor the infamously popular and well received Diablo 2...This is a game that rides on the coattails of it's successor. This game is a colossal and dismal failure. How could it fail so badly when it had such a great example to follow? The developers goals were lofty, yet they chose on multiple occasions to abandon systems that worked tremendously well in the past and instead chose to implement unproven systems. Why reinvent the wheel when it comes to the stat, skill and item systems? A new story, new characters, more items in the same vein as the items of the past games and heck while your at it throw in a few new, fun systems, but test them. And test them again. And...Ahhh... you get the point. I purchased this looking for a game that blended nostalgic moments from the content and systems of Diablo 2 with modern advances in gaming and iterations of the franchise that fun new experiences. I got a game devised to cash in on it's predecessor's glory and was entirely a failed attempt at innovation. This is a SKIP.… Expand
  6. japes
    Sep 4, 2013
    1
    Certainly not the game it should have been. Ridiculously toned down and made overly simple and linear for the masses, released on consoles. Made worse by the original director Jay Wilson's retarded behaviour on social media where he attacked Diablo II players.
  7. beanscene
    Sep 19, 2013
    1
    Auto leveled stats, maps that point you where to go like you are 10 years old or retarded, laggy forced online play even for single player and a storyline that had me bored not even half way through the game. Diablo 1 and 2 are a couple of my favourite games of all time, why did Activision have to f*** Blizzard North and put out this horrendous attempt at a sequel.
  8. tamnier
    Oct 1, 2013
    1
    I hated this game so much. I stopped playing after I reached max level with a char and got to the hardest mode and before pvp patch. First of all, all the loot you get in the game is garbage. like 90% garbage. and 10% of the stuff you get that's useful ISN"T EVEN FOR YOUR CLASS. So you play and play and play and you get items and you get no upgrades because you have to use theirI hated this game so much. I stopped playing after I reached max level with a char and got to the hardest mode and before pvp patch. First of all, all the loot you get in the game is garbage. like 90% garbage. and 10% of the stuff you get that's useful ISN"T EVEN FOR YOUR CLASS. So you play and play and play and you get items and you get no upgrades because you have to use their "Auction house" to buy any new items to keep up with their difficulty curve.

    So you have to take all that crappy loot you can't use, try to pawn it off at the auction house and buy new loot from the auction house that someone else found for your class. Here's an idea, how about the monsters drop items for ME? instead of this stupid middle man called the Auction house?

    But wait, put in a bunch of useless affixations for your items and 0 character and class customization and you get a very very boring game with an auction house run by bots and a game that is frustrating, boring, and tedious.

    Going to the forums doesn't help because all you get is a bunch of PC(politically correct) General managing robots that don't give you straight answers and just answer stupid questions like "What is your favorite monster?"

    I'm really disgusted with this game considering it took 9 years to create this mess.    … Expand
  9. BoringAsHell
    Oct 20, 2013
    1
    The game is a major let down from is predecessors, which had a great variety in build and RPG mechanics, which was completely streamlined, for the worst. The the loot system itself is completely atrocious, making one single weapon to be more valuable than the rest of the gear combined, which is a poor loot choice. The art style is bland and generic, another major let down compared to theThe game is a major let down from is predecessors, which had a great variety in build and RPG mechanics, which was completely streamlined, for the worst. The the loot system itself is completely atrocious, making one single weapon to be more valuable than the rest of the gear combined, which is a poor loot choice. The art style is bland and generic, another major let down compared to the unique aesthetic from the originals. Don't buy this game if you value your money.… Expand
  10. poisonedocean
    Oct 25, 2013
    1
    I always use the Metacritic as a good and useful reference, like a good compass. But I'd never wrote a critic. Until Diablo 3 made me do it. I'm know the game, I'm a long time fan of Diablo series and I know that all the selling success was only fault of the success of the two earlier games. They could made the new Hello Kitty game with the name of Diablo 3, and the selling on the firstI always use the Metacritic as a good and useful reference, like a good compass. But I'd never wrote a critic. Until Diablo 3 made me do it. I'm know the game, I'm a long time fan of Diablo series and I know that all the selling success was only fault of the success of the two earlier games. They could made the new Hello Kitty game with the name of Diablo 3, and the selling on the first week would have the same result.
    Everything in this game is rage inducing, the storyline is twisted and the fun is absent. A game with a broken storyline with no fun. I'm must be bold with this: a game with no fun. The thing that what is all about, fun. And it is not there. The horror, the terror mood from the first two titles was gone too. Here in Rio we call it a fiasco, a big failure, a disaster. A sound, loud, clear and big FIASCO.
    My note, 3, is only for those people who was born before 2000, who never knew Diablo series and the Blizzard North geniuses. If you are one of them, Diablo is a score 3 game. Otherwise, it's 0.    … Expand
  11. TommyTanker
    Nov 17, 2013
    1
    Probably the most disappointing game release of my life. I spend days weeks months in total game play, playing Diablo 1 and 2. I waited years for this master to return and what a disappointment it was.

    They took something evil, mysterious, challenging and dark and turning it into a Walt Disney click fest for kiddies. Gone are the half naked sprites and up side down crucifixes. Instead    Probably the most disappointing game release of my life. I spend days weeks months in total game play, playing Diablo 1 and 2. I waited years for this master to return and what a disappointment it was.

    They took something evil, mysterious, challenging and dark and turning it into a Walt Disney click fest for kiddies. Gone are the half naked sprites and up side down crucifixes. Instead you are met with animated characters in bloom, which inspire not fear of death but more of a scene of Alice in Wonderland.

    What a tragic end to one of the best titles ever.    … Expand
  12. kingcnut2626
    Nov 29, 2013
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There’re so many failings with this travesty of a Diablo game that it's difficult to know where to start, I'll start with my biggest gripe about this game:

    1) The necessity to farm items to stand even the slightest chance against certain enemies: you will, pretty often, run up against groups of 3 or 4 champion enemies that will teleport to surround you then wall you in then multiply so for each one you engaged there is now six then use a spell like decimate or poison and hey presto you're dead in the blink of an eye (this could be fixed if blizzard did one of the following: made the enemies spells less powerful, reduced the total number of possible powers an enemy can have or stopped some effect pairings), this gets compounded by the never ending lag: you go to engage an enemy, the picture judders a bit and all of a sudden you're waiting to re-spawn.

    2) Did I mention the ever present lag? I’m pretty sure it did.

    3) The characters are all pretty standard, there is very little difference between them past their active attributes: only 2 stats are worth bothering with for each character type, the rest are pretty much useless.

    4) The items are much of a muchness, even with 1.4 patch it’s still a world of nerf away from being any good.

    5) The story line is pretty boring and unoriginal.

    6) The lesser evils you face off against are clichéd, two dimensional and don’t really fit their reputations: Azmodan, according to the game’ lore, is hell’ chief strategist yet can’t stop himself from telling you his whole plan, Belial can’t lie for s**t, is transparent, predictable and massively boring. Even Diablo sucks and in this title he’s supposed to have all the powers of the 7 evils for f**k sake.

    7) This game loses all playability after the first time round, to be honest it was a struggle to even get through the first play through.    … Expand
  13. ZenBushido
    Dec 14, 2013
    1
    Fun if you are a first timer to this genre, repetitive mindless hack slash otherwise. I liked this game a lot until I noticed that I had to be connected to the internet to play it even single player. So this game has lot of DRM (digital rights mgmt), which means that you may pay full price for the game, but the game is never truly yours to own, because it is constantly dependent on aFun if you are a first timer to this genre, repetitive mindless hack slash otherwise. I liked this game a lot until I noticed that I had to be connected to the internet to play it even single player. So this game has lot of DRM (digital rights mgmt), which means that you may pay full price for the game, but the game is never truly yours to own, because it is constantly dependent on a valid log in to the developers servers. One day someone hacked my game acct. and they closed the game down on, after-which Blizzard (game developer) sent me an email stating that if I want to keep playing I have to but a completely new copy of the game. I thought that was very disrespectful considering that game security is their responsibility. I advise buying a similar game on steam or origin to avoid it getting taken away from you, because as it turns out Blizzard gets hacked a lot and therefore shuts down many innocent costumer's accts. but keeps all royalties for themselves.… Expand
  14. morkov
    Dec 29, 2013
    1
    Worst RPG ever. Beautiful artwork but the mechanics and the endgame sucks hard. Reaper of souls is gonna be even worse than the vanilla. The new Crusader class is boring. Most of the skills are copied from the other ones. Act5 is cool but one act doesn't fix the game. Now the only end game is going to be rifts and bounties which are boring and not enough rewarding. Everything is accountWorst RPG ever. Beautiful artwork but the mechanics and the endgame sucks hard. Reaper of souls is gonna be even worse than the vanilla. The new Crusader class is boring. Most of the skills are copied from the other ones. Act5 is cool but one act doesn't fix the game. Now the only end game is going to be rifts and bounties which are boring and not enough rewarding. Everything is account bound. Public games sucks, no benefits for being in a clan. I played the closed beta of the expansion and I am really disappointed. It doesn't worth the money.… Expand
  15. Gurgl
    Dec 31, 2013
    1
    This game is the definition of instant gratification, no complexity, no challenge and no depth. No permanent meaningful choices, change your mind at any point. It's a shame really because visually it looks good and it has the quality of a Blizzard game in terms of how it runs, they just made some very poor design decisions.

    On top of it all they added the Real Money Auction House pay    This game is the definition of instant gratification, no complexity, no challenge and no depth. No permanent meaningful choices, change your mind at any point. It's a shame really because visually it looks good and it has the quality of a Blizzard game in terms of how it runs, they just made some very poor design decisions.

    On top of it all they added the Real Money Auction House pay real money for success instead of putting in the time and effort. Why did Blizzard turn their backs on the previous games and still decide to call this game Diablo? This game doesn't deserve to be called Diablo.

    Let this game be an example to other developers of what to avoid when developing a game.    … Expand
  16. delamorta
    Jan 1, 2014
    1
    One of the most anticipated games of the decade that turned out to be one of the biggest gaming disappointments of the decade. Aside from the game play everything that made Diablo an awesome game is removed from Diablo 3. Their reason for this is clear they wanted to create and easy to port console game which had to be a watered down version of the original Diablo series. The story lineOne of the most anticipated games of the decade that turned out to be one of the biggest gaming disappointments of the decade. Aside from the game play everything that made Diablo an awesome game is removed from Diablo 3. Their reason for this is clear they wanted to create and easy to port console game which had to be a watered down version of the original Diablo series. The story line makes no sense and the items are boring and horrible. Do not buy this game.… Expand
  17. Morgenes
    Jan 1, 2014
    1
    Diablo 3 has been one of the greatest disappointments for me since I play Video games. The main reasons are:
    1: The game is pathetically easy. On my first run though I played a monk. In the entire game I used a single health potion and I died one single time, mostly because I wasn't paying attention anymore due to an overdose of boredom. I am NOT a hardcore gamer.
    2. With the    Diablo 3 has been one of the greatest disappointments for me since I play Video games. The main reasons are:
    1: The game is pathetically easy. On my first run though I played a monk. In the entire game I used a single health potion and I died one single time, mostly because I wasn't paying attention anymore due to an overdose of boredom. I am NOT a hardcore gamer.
    2. With the introduction of dragonball z-like fighting sequences the game has received a touch of ridiculousness (e.g. is the daemon hunter firing bolts with mounted miniature-nuclear-warheads??)
    3. Extremely boring gameplay: Just left click the mouse and hordes of monsters will die, often even accidently while to try to walk from A to B.
    4. The dialogues are no good. Most annoying are those when the heroes pat themselves on the back noticing how powerful and strong they are. And why do your main opponents need to appear to you in a vision every time you achieve a victory to mock you?? (Kiddy Junk!)
    5. The game developers paid zero dedication to small but important details which give a story (or game) an air of sinisterness, gruesomeness or fearfulness, in short, there is absolutely no horror element in the game anymore.
    6. Boring story.
    In summary blizzard did remarkably well in creating a game so close to industry standards in any regard that there remains nothing unique and special about it anymore, it is a game without flavour. A game for kids.    … Expand
  18. kpc
    Jul 7, 2023
    1
    An unmitigated disaster.

    I've tried evaluating the game on its own merits, though doing so is merely an exercise in reality denial for etiquette's sake. On that level, it lacks very basic RPG replayability features like skipping through dialogue, story variation, meaningful choices, environment randomization, and bosses more difficult than trash packs. On the plus side, Diablo has boobs.    An unmitigated disaster.

    I've tried evaluating the game on its own merits, though doing so is merely an exercise in reality denial for etiquette's sake. On that level, it lacks very basic RPG replayability features like skipping through dialogue, story variation, meaningful choices, environment randomization, and bosses more difficult than trash packs. On the plus side, Diablo has boobs. If this were brand new IP, I'd consider giving it 2 or 3 out of 10 for the fine graphic detail if nothing else.

    As a chapter in the hallowed Diablo franchise, it goes from bad to unquestionably the biggest disappointment in the history of gaming. And I'm not even one of those who holds up D1 or D2 as the greatest games ever. Both had many flaws I considered gamebreaking and exasperating. But they both had that "it" factor. D3 has a variation of that... prefixed by "sh". The eerieness and danger of the previous games is completely absent. Godlike demons mock the player using taunts befitting a third grade playground. The whole experience feels cheap and rushed, especially the inane dialogue and awful voice acting. The only thing I can truthfully call an improvement over the prequels would be the cutscenes... too bad you have swim thirty laps through an olympic size pool full of raw sewage to get two minutes of fresh air.

    I won't go so far as to cast aspersions on the pro reviewers over there regarding whether they were paid for that 88 metascore, but I do highly doubt they bothered playing the game more than a few hours before rendering their verdict. Indeed, D3 seems designed to let a reviewer check items off their rubric in Act 1, intentionally obscuring the fetid fecal matter lurking beneath. Act 1 even occasionally drops some useful, well-itemized loot, hinting that the rest of the game will follow suit. If only it were so.

    What about that "Blizzard polish"? Wasted... on a micro transaction system of all things. I mean, if you're going to bollucks up something this badly, at least go for broke trying to innovate something people actually want. If you screw up trying to make it work with gesture control, or make too many abilities to choose from, or introduce a never before seen game mechanic, that's forgivable. But using paying customers and your most beloved brand to focus group test Bobby Kotick's microtransaction wet dream is just despicable on all levels.

    So the game has just enough of that Blizzard polish to make it distinguishable from a Chinese F2P translated into broken English... great job team. Unfortunately the polish was spread unevenly, and it is abundantly clear that the lion's share of the development effort in this game went toward driving people to the RMAH after selling them a title undeservedly bearing the Diablo franchise name at full retail price. Not that it matters; the game is terrible with or without the RMAH. No amount of polish will bail you out if the core product is lacking the fundamentals. Ask the FFXIV developers... whose first attempt was still many orders of magnitude better than D3 and they were all fired.

    I would be remiss if I did not address the always online DRM, the icing on this failcake. Those with satellite internet, rural DSL, or basically anyone outside of big cities in the first world with sub-50ms latency need not apply. Sounds like a good business plan to me. No, let's let everyone lag to hell because it's easier to not have to actually fix exploits and regulate the online community. But yeah, let's still have hardcore mode... nothing says skill like a reliable internet connection and dodging lag spikes. D3's sole innovation in the genre... showing the world to what extreme DRM brute force can be taken and still sell games on name recognition alone.

    So let's pretend for one minute that the game isn't terrible. Let's pretend that it is the most awe-inspiring artwork of a game ever created or ever even imagined. Guess what... it still gets an F. A Ferrari gets an F as a car, no matter how pretty it is or how fast it can theoretically go, if it won't bloody start. No one, and I mean no one, will ever make a single player RPG so good that they get to dictate how I play it or require that I let them watch my activity, lest I might try to steal something, AFTER I GODDAMN WELL PAID FOR IT. Arrogant, authoritarian nonsense like this makes me want to START botting and hacking just to piss them off, and I have never been even mildly tempted to do either.

    D3 has succeeded in one thing however: converting a formerly wide-eyed, kid-in-a-candy-store, diehard fan of Blizzard's game craftmanship into a "never again" cynic, instantly suspicious of anything Activision (let's face facts... there is no Blizzard any more) will ever produce.

    TLDR: You can polish a turd, but it's still a turd.    … Expand
  19. timmylace
    Feb 9, 2014
    1
    This failed to deliver as a true ARPG. It has no competitive aspects. Failed promises. The D3 development team does not know what they are doing. bad game.....
  20. zeldainkneehigh
    Feb 18, 2014
    1
    Gameplay is fun but..... the story is awful, the art/feel of the game is terrible, and required internet is garbage. Will never back Blizzard on another one of their games ever again. After seeing Reaper of Souls beta being streamed -- sucks to be anyone buying that load of crap. Maybe you guys will enjoy your trip through a well-lit and cartoony fairy tale with units/lands pasted from D2Gameplay is fun but..... the story is awful, the art/feel of the game is terrible, and required internet is garbage. Will never back Blizzard on another one of their games ever again. After seeing Reaper of Souls beta being streamed -- sucks to be anyone buying that load of crap. Maybe you guys will enjoy your trip through a well-lit and cartoony fairy tale with units/lands pasted from D2 and the same lame class coming back into play.

    Out of 8778 reviews, having a 3.9 score is pretty terrible. There have been 86 critic reviews giving it an average of 88 which is even more of a joke.

    Also: The months of creating PVP? What a joke.    … Expand
  21. larggg
    Mar 30, 2014
    1
    As if the game wasn't bad enough (it's a copy of Diablo II!!!), the customer support and account management are by far the worst I've ever seen. Put your pw wrong three times and you'll end up in a miserable agony and disbelief trying to get back into your account. I have never met so idiotic "security" measurements that go **** from tiniest changes or mistakes, for example logging to yourAs if the game wasn't bad enough (it's a copy of Diablo II!!!), the customer support and account management are by far the worst I've ever seen. Put your pw wrong three times and you'll end up in a miserable agony and disbelief trying to get back into your account. I have never met so idiotic "security" measurements that go **** from tiniest changes or mistakes, for example logging to your account from different computer makes your account go locked. Good luck if you don't have your full name saved in account or you mistype it three times. I had to queue almost one hour to get service in english (not my mother tongue). And yes, that was the only option given. No email addresses or messaging systems, just phone number to diff. country. Yes, there is a ticket system but how's that supposed to help if you can't log in account and submit the ticket.

    By far THE worst 60€ I've ever spent on anything.    … Expand
  22. Itisntallbad
    Apr 11, 2014
    1
    Updated my review for the expansion.

    Blizzard has taken leaps to improve this game but after leveling another character I feel it is still lacking something fundamental, fun. The skill trees are still lacking in variety but this isn't the main issue as D2 had this same plan. If I had to pick the main thing that really annoys me about this game.. it would be the story. For me, this story    Updated my review for the expansion.

    Blizzard has taken leaps to improve this game but after leveling another character I feel it is still lacking something fundamental, fun. The skill trees are still lacking in variety but this isn't the main issue as D2 had this same plan. If I had to pick the main thing that really annoys me about this game.. it would be the story. For me, this story is lacking so much more than the original had and the loot system still isn't as rewarding as many would have you believe. In fact, the improved loot system seemed to just make the game much easier at higher levels. I literally almost fell asleep while playing.

    This could be a different story with the expansion. However, I refuse to pay $40 for an expansion after having my trust in blizzard ripped away from me. Many of you may be fine with companies that extort you but I have a fundamental problem with them and refuse to support them with my very hard earned money. Any who would argue against their extortion is blind to what happened with their DRM in the auction house and how you could pay nearly as much for an expansion that is majorly just a fix for what shouldn't have been a problem in the first place? Granted it has a new act and class and I would have payed 40 for it without question if all of the issues hadn't come about in the first place. Blizzard has lost my trust and will have to earn it back. Considering trends of other big box production companies, I doubt they will even care enough to try.    … Expand
  23. shapesforms
    Apr 17, 2014
    1
    Unfortunately D3 does not live up to its predecesors. Blizzard seems to create a singleplayer ARPG but they are doing MMO balancing every few patches. it allready pissed me off big time getting nerfed in wow because of pvp concerns,but nerfing classes and items in a non competitive singleplayer game with co/op is just ridicolous. if you want to play a good arpg there is plenty more funUnfortunately D3 does not live up to its predecesors. Blizzard seems to create a singleplayer ARPG but they are doing MMO balancing every few patches. it allready pissed me off big time getting nerfed in wow because of pvp concerns,but nerfing classes and items in a non competitive singleplayer game with co/op is just ridicolous. if you want to play a good arpg there is plenty more fun stuff out there. check out torchlight I & II for example. they are more diablo than d3!… Expand
  24. Alpha_X
    Jun 27, 2014
    1
    Simply put, Diablo 3 is not a Diablo. anymore. i would've been more generous at my scoring if it were named differently instead of tricking us that we have purchased a sequel to Diablo.
  25. Vamrem
    Aug 22, 2014
    1
    "Diablo Online" should be called instead the shameful "3" that ruins the saga, it was meant to be played by a massive casual market, even most of the high scores to this game are based on "how good was simplified to all audiences" ignoring that this used to be a hardcore franchise. Also have lost features! There aren't stats, skill tree, lan, offline... how can be "good" a game who offer"Diablo Online" should be called instead the shameful "3" that ruins the saga, it was meant to be played by a massive casual market, even most of the high scores to this game are based on "how good was simplified to all audiences" ignoring that this used to be a hardcore franchise. Also have lost features! There aren't stats, skill tree, lan, offline... how can be "good" a game who offer less than its predecessors? And new features was only to destroy the playability like real money, while new features that could improve the game like mod support were discarded... the shameful casualization of Blizzard.… Expand
  26. demephitize
    Sep 15, 2014
    1
    Let me start by saying I made a Metacritic account JUST to make this review.

    I've been a Diablo fan since the release of the original Diablo. I've been a Blizzard fan since Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. I bought this game based on the opinions of fellow friends that seemed to have good taste in gaming. Many people praised it's incredible gameplay, awesome multiplayer action that would    Let me start by saying I made a Metacritic account JUST to make this review.

    I've been a Diablo fan since the release of the original Diablo. I've been a Blizzard fan since Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. I bought this game based on the opinions of fellow friends that seemed to have good taste in gaming. Many people praised it's incredible gameplay, awesome multiplayer action that would extend for days beyond it's release.

    When I first started, the plot seemed exactly what I wanted. The hero is almost immediately involved, checking out the damage done by the meteor that hit the hall. As the cutscene continued, the dialogue kept losing credibility, lots of gaps were made in the unholy plot and the writing was definitely written for a 5th grade audience. These were things I kind of expected. I read a few of the books after playing diablo 2 and they were good when I was a teenager. But this plot? Jesus, don't get me started. I actually spent a good while laughing at the crummy dialogue.

    Let me tell you this plot is pretty basic and extremely lackluster compared to the previous two. I beat the game, not once was I hooked or compelled by the story. I don't know how they managed to write such a mediocre plot within YEARS of development. This game is f*cking atrocious in far more aspects than just story, however.

    Lets list the problems with the gameplay. First, the skill tree doesn't really require you to know what synergy is. It's practically non-existent. When I first started playing, the visuals were pretty astonishing, but that's not saying much. It looks like WoW that takes place in a graveyard/hell/whatever halloween-related **** setting. It wasn't even mildly horrific. So, then you go on to complete somewhat mundane quests, following the path that blizzard set out for you. The plot line is linear, but even MORE linear than the second! You literally have a check list of things they want you to do and procedurally go through them mindlessly. Normally, I can dig it. It's just the story left such a **** taste in my mouth that I got bored by the third act! I decided to push further, just to beat the game to give a holistic response to this game.

    Also.. The BUTCHER? In DIABLO 3? A reused character? Laughable. At least the bosses in D2 were unique and interesting (not to mention, characterized to the setting..)

    Items... Let's look at how uncharacterized the items are. Everything boils down to Damage, toughness, healing. This is the naive approach. However, it does delve deeper than that. What's with the ridiculous stat increases? It's unnecessary and makes it slightly harder to estimate. Loot is pointless. There's no dynamic character building because your character gets all the f*cking skills. What's the point? I hardly want to perfect ONE character, much less several different characters that have unique attributes (BECAUSE YOU CAN'T).

    No chatrooms. Awesome. One of the most memorable things about Diablo/Starcraft is gone. How did this sound like a good idea? Just make it an option for people who want it.

    No making games with actual NAMES to join. Another non-intuitive thing blizzard made by REMOVING features. When is removing features a feasible options to improve a game? It's almost comical.

    I don't know if I covered everything about this game that I dislike. I think I threw in a few redeeming qualities but it wasn't much.

    Bottom line is, I don't give two sh*ts whether or not your servers work the first time I log in or not if the gameplay is horrid. The fact people are rating this game on that is absolutely absurd to me.

    Also, Blizzard fanboys are blinded to crappy games. Not my problem anymore.    … Expand
  27. permagoldlink
    Oct 24, 2014
    1
    This game is so flawed that it actually needed an auction house component to be playable. Since that component has been removed, the game is beyond redemption. It deserves the trash can. An embarrassment to the Diablo name.
  28. MrSaVaGE59
    Jul 20, 2023
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Blizzard hates fun. In all honesty, this is my first Diablo game and enjoyed the first 40 hours with my friends, but realized I wasn't getting anything back for my time. The legendaries and good loot wouldn't be enough for me (Sorcerer) to be viable in the ene game content compared to other classes. When you've done all the statues and main story, things fall off after level 70 because you're left with nothing new to do. Tree of Whispers becomes repetitive, world bosses don't spawn enough, helltides are now bugged. You're left grasping for straws trying to get a unique in hopes it will being back the dopamine of fun you had in the beginning.… Expand
  29. zimmer600
    Aug 19, 2017
    1
    Blizzard lost conscience for so much that they sell the game in micro pieces, and in fact at the start the game still gave hope for something good, this game is just a mistake of the universe, like all the games from Blizzard.
  30. DLight03
    Oct 3, 2015
    1
    An absolute abomination in the Diablo franchise. Websites and magazines gave it high scores almost entirely out of hype, and also because of a rush to get scores out as soon as possible, which gave them no time to actually extensively play the game, which is what is required to see it for what it truly is. Diablo 3 is a small, shallow game that strips away most everything that made DiabloAn absolute abomination in the Diablo franchise. Websites and magazines gave it high scores almost entirely out of hype, and also because of a rush to get scores out as soon as possible, which gave them no time to actually extensively play the game, which is what is required to see it for what it truly is. Diablo 3 is a small, shallow game that strips away most everything that made Diablo great. The combat and polish to the game feels absolutely fantastic, however, so on a quick play through you might swear you are trudging through a fantastic game. It's only skin deep, though, and the fanbase knows it.

    Please, do not buy and support this game. It represents everything that is wrong in the gaming industry. The development team was madly out of touch with the player base. It disrespected the Diablo lore, franchise and game mechanics, and it just flat-out has no real depth... Player-dealt Elemental damage is purely aesthetic with no actual nuanced function, Itemization is simplified down to "get more strength to deal damage" or "get more dexterity to deal damage" or "get more intelligence to deal more damage." Depth is just nonexistent. A horrible death sentence to a game that is supposed to thrive on its replayability.

    Go play Path of Exile instead. The combat is clunkier and it lacks the polish of a Blizzard game, but it is free and if you stick with it, you will be rewarded with a wildly deep game that demolishes Diablo 3.    … Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best PC Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 86 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 86
  3. Negative: 1 out of 86
  1. Thunderbolt
    Aug 31, 2012
    90
    My one major complaint is that the game never feels very difficult, especially on Normal. There are frustrating moments, hordes of baddies, and increasing difficulty levels, but the same feeling of utter defeat never really happens as it did in the past.
    Read full review
  2. Hyper Magazine
    Jul 18, 2012
    80
    For all the game's missteps, though, you certainly can't accuse Blizzard of phoning it in - if anything, the game suffers from the tendency to try a little to hard at times to evolve the design. [Aug 2012, p.61]
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Jul 3, 2012
    80
    When it works, Diablo III is the best of the Diablo games. When it doesn't, all it does is make you mad. [July 2012, p.54]
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »