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
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  1. vsworld
    May 15, 2012
    1
    Blizzard made their bed with unusable DRM, and now they need to sleep in it. I wouldn't give any other company a pass if their game was completely unplayable on day one, so I shouldn't cut any slack for Blizzard, regardless of how much I *used* to love the company. Outside of the DRM issues, the game was mediocre during the beta, but I haven't been able to play it since launch, so I haveBlizzard made their bed with unusable DRM, and now they need to sleep in it. I wouldn't give any other company a pass if their game was completely unplayable on day one, so I shouldn't cut any slack for Blizzard, regardless of how much I *used* to love the company. Outside of the DRM issues, the game was mediocre during the beta, but I haven't been able to play it since launch, so I have no basis for raising my review of the finished product. Just writing this review makes me sad, but it is what it is. 1/10… Expand
  2. coltergiest
    May 15, 2012
    0
    This is the last title that I will ever purchase from this company. Terrible consumer UN-friendly piracy prevention mechanisms they've tried their best to dress up and try to convince us, their customers, that it's for our benefit. It's almost as if they're actively trying to drive their customer's away. The move to make this game an "exclusively online" title, had everything to do withThis is the last title that I will ever purchase from this company. Terrible consumer UN-friendly piracy prevention mechanisms they've tried their best to dress up and try to convince us, their customers, that it's for our benefit. It's almost as if they're actively trying to drive their customer's away. The move to make this game an "exclusively online" title, had everything to do with appeasing shareholders, and absolutely nothing to do with giving the consumers a product they might actually enjoy using. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a disgruntled Blizzard employee to leak the server database and code to some willing party that will come up with an offline workaround for this abortion.… Expand
  3. tricon
    May 15, 2012
    3
    The turned this into a weird WoW game. I was so excited for the hardcore D2 sequel we've been waiting years for, and they've gone the cash cow road with this game. Its a damn shame, Blizzard is capable of so much, but wasted it on this drivel.
  4. Xyster
    May 15, 2012
    4
    Can't play a single player campaign without the servers up. Inexcusable. The graphics are average, but the game play is fun...if you can play it. There is no customization with your characters, which is also a minus.
  5. Lorax2000
    May 15, 2012
    0
    It looks like a great game, well polished, good graphics, good play style, and good skills.

    However, all of that means nothing if you cannot play. Blizzard clearly lost their way once they saw all the preorders come in. Why work when you have all your money up front right?
  6. Cleric_Storm
    May 15, 2012
    2
    I was so excited to play, and I did for like 30 minutes, now for the past few hours I can't connect. I have a real life and job, so I can only play for an hour, maybe 2 tops at a time. I can't do anything with this game due to errors. If you are going to do an always online requirement, you better have your act together and prevent this from happening. First impressions are everything.I was so excited to play, and I did for like 30 minutes, now for the past few hours I can't connect. I have a real life and job, so I can only play for an hour, maybe 2 tops at a time. I can't do anything with this game due to errors. If you are going to do an always online requirement, you better have your act together and prevent this from happening. First impressions are everything. The game looks promising, but I can't review on promise, only on what is, and right now, that is I have a $60 paper coaster on my desk.… Expand
  7. jpoon
    May 15, 2012
    2
    The game looks great plays great and handles great but EVERY SINGLE excellent feature about this game is completely marred and damaged because of this bullsh!t "always online", hyper-DRM requirement (scheme). I would have rated this game MUCH higher were there no DRM scheme present but this one is a doozy. If you are the least be bothered by DRM that will not let you play and prevent youThe game looks great plays great and handles great but EVERY SINGLE excellent feature about this game is completely marred and damaged because of this bullsh!t "always online", hyper-DRM requirement (scheme). I would have rated this game MUCH higher were there no DRM scheme present but this one is a doozy. If you are the least be bothered by DRM that will not let you play and prevent you from using the game you just rightly paid for then SKIP THIS GAME!!!

    If you can put up with the bullsh*t then please by all means get this game, it's a lot of fun but you are going to make a sacrifice to play it. F*CK DRM, and f*ck the morons who made blizzard implement this crap and ruin their name in the process.    … Expand
  8. ambiguousphoton
    May 15, 2012
    10
    I loved Diablo 2 and I have to say that this game so far exceeds my wildest expectations. This is almost definitely my favorite game I have ever played and I am only 4 hours in. Blizzard did such a good job keeping all the good things I loved from D2 and removing all the crap that people didn't like. The concerns that people are bringing up like the lack of offline mode, drm, etc doesn'tI loved Diablo 2 and I have to say that this game so far exceeds my wildest expectations. This is almost definitely my favorite game I have ever played and I am only 4 hours in. Blizzard did such a good job keeping all the good things I loved from D2 and removing all the crap that people didn't like. The concerns that people are bringing up like the lack of offline mode, drm, etc doesn't really matter when the play experience for those who bought the game is fantastic. Kudos to Blizzard, they just need to get the servers running super smoothly!… Expand
  9. AUslugger
    May 15, 2012
    3
    Disappointed to say the least. Got to play it for about 30 min and now servers are down again. DRM for this game is insane. Especially when it's not that great a game. It almost looks browser based. I tried to like it, but since I can't even play it when I want to, it lowers the score even more for me.
  10. DKFunk
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Guess what? Bought the game, can't **** play it. Don't know if its good or not, so I'll just give it a 0. Blizzard needs to mature as a company.
  11. TROLIO
    May 15, 2012
    0
    I have been one of Blizzard's longest and most stupidly loyal fans. I have bought and played every game they've released with the exception of Warcraft I, and never for anything less than a matter of months. But if they could see how poorly Diablo III is actually functioning on my end, I'm certain they would be professionally embarrassed.

    With anything less than an ironclad connection,    I have been one of Blizzard's longest and most stupidly loyal fans. I have bought and played every game they've released with the exception of Warcraft I, and never for anything less than a matter of months. But if they could see how poorly Diablo III is actually functioning on my end, I'm certain they would be professionally embarrassed.

    With anything less than an ironclad connection, the performance of the game is simply appalling. I played Everquest on a 56k connection in the late 90's, and only the rarest of the worst lagspikes would cause issues like I'm seeing with Diablo III. And unlike that case, I don't mean occasionally: the BEST performance comes with about 3-5 seconds of delay between input and output for ANY action, enemies ghost about half the distance of the screen for every movement, I'm rubberbanded all over the place to the point where my only character deaths have occurred several screens over from what was hitting me, I could go on.

    The merits of online-only DRM are one thing; I can honestly, without an ounce of anger or rose-colored nostalgia, say I've never seen any online game function so horribly in my entire gaming history, going as far back as Windows 3.1 and AOL when I was just a kid playing on my parents' dime and phone time. I've never before considered getting a refund from a game, and the fact that I'm considering doing so from a Blizzard title is a bigger disappointment than I can come up with a clever analogy for. I didn't even want my money back for the Star Wars prequels, and I felt physically nauseous from shame as I witnessed those animated first-draft fridge-magnet-quality disasters unfold.

    In all fairness, I'm going to give this game two weeks to see if these problems get sorted out. But as bad as it is, I'm seriously wondering if this is a deliberate attempt on Activision's part to kill the brand name. I want to enjoy this game, I really do. But I can't as long as it doesn't actually work. And that's what kills me: up until now, the Blizzard name meant that they took as long as they needed to to release a finished product: and now (undoubtedly due to executive meddling) they've tossed out something that doesn't even work. Flaws I can overlook, (the only other company I'm a bigger unapologetic fanboy for is Bugthesda) but the game has to at least be playable. This... this is simply, unarguably, downright broken.    … Expand
  12. Korsimar
    May 15, 2012
    0
    y u no have better severs?

    #Error37

    This game isn't all that great. Blizzard not support servers for paying customers is like robbing Helen Keller.
  13. jinsethelils17
    May 15, 2012
    1
    Very disappointing game. I was fortunate enough to have the game work alright, however the combat was dull and uninteresting. It felt more like wow then a diablo game and the story was abysmal even for blizzard. I would not recommend this game to anyone. The game play was best suited for casual gamers, but I doubt that they would want to jump through all the hoops to play this game.
  14. alrightandrew
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Worst thing Blizzard could have done, this game would be really cool if I could play it. The videos look really cool, but all I get is a chance to practice my typing over and over again as my login attempts get rejected by Blizzard's anemic battle.net. Good news, I am adjusting to my new keyboard, so THANKS, BLIZZ!
  15. JamieLee
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Been gaming for a long time. 30 years. This is one of the first times i can remember getting a game that isn't an mmo that will not allow me to play without being logged into to some fantasy account. Dying in Single player because of internet lag is definitely a step in the wrong direction.
  16. AbeLincoln
    May 15, 2012
    1
    2 days without being able to play the game now, because of server issues. the worse launch ever, I've never seen a mmo launch this bad. Do not buy this game.
  17. partshark
    May 15, 2012
    1
    To review this game, one MUST review the forced online option which is the worst feature of the game. Lets starts with the good:

    Graphics are acceptable, not amazing. Cinema scenes are brilliant. Soundtrack is top notch. Gameplay is hack'n'slash greatness. The Bad: No Offline mode. No Online mode if servers are down. Constant server stability issues cause frequent disconnects. Constant    To review this game, one MUST review the forced online option which is the worst feature of the game. Lets starts with the good:

    Graphics are acceptable, not amazing.
    Cinema scenes are brilliant.
    Soundtrack is top notch.
    Gameplay is hack'n'slash greatness.

    The Bad:
    No Offline mode.
    No Online mode if servers are down.
    Constant server stability issues cause frequent disconnects.
    Constant login issues.
    If you don't have internet access, forget it, even if you own the game.

    Overall the forced online feature, is enough to destroy this game completely. Due to fear of piracy, Blizzard has kneejerked a reaction which causes true gamers, you know, the fans of D3, to reject this game. The DRM protection method is causing more harm than good. Sure, it protects your account from being hacked, at the expense of your account never getting to play a game you paid for. Servers can't stay online, forums can't even stay open, and the rising bitterness of customers are turning this into one of the worst video game launches in history.    … Expand
  18. Frustated_Nerd
    May 15, 2012
    0
    A huge disappointment, no more skill points to distribute, no more attribute points to distribute, skills unlock automatically as you level up, WoW inspired skills. World PvP removed and the only PvP options is a WoW-clone arena. At the moment it seems I've spent $60 for a wow-clone I can't even play....
  19. Artanian
    May 15, 2012
    0
    No offline mode. Servers can't stay up. Activision has destroyed everything that was previously good about Blizzard. Stay away unless you want to be disappointed.
  20. femmefatal
    May 15, 2012
    1
    It has been a horrible nightmare trying to get this game downloaded and then to get logged in. They let you go through an 8gb download only to find at the end there's a corrupted file and you have to reinstall. They give you a line of bunk that you have to reset your modem and turn off your firewall and all this other crap that doesn't do squat.

    Then when I finally get into the game I    It has been a horrible nightmare trying to get this game downloaded and then to get logged in. They let you go through an 8gb download only to find at the end there's a corrupted file and you have to reinstall. They give you a line of bunk that you have to reset your modem and turn off your firewall and all this other crap that doesn't do squat.

    Then when I finally get into the game I am shocked at how it plays compared to Diablo 2. No more stat customizations, no more skill choices, no more anything customized by the player to make his character unique. It's just a romper room game of hack n slash. The 8 year olds out there will love this. Look Mommy Look I beat up dah bad guy, I rock.....can I have some juice now peeze.

    It is so simple easy and linear it's just not worth playing. Gawd I hate getting ripped off in the computer gaming industry but you know how they work NO REFUNDS SUCKAH.

    So, I'm just telling you DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS! It's just not worth it and the headaches will be horrible because you'll be sitting looking at the screen to login more than you'll actually be able to play    … Expand
  21. coballast
    May 15, 2012
    0
    This is a single player game. It should not require a server to play. When the servers fail, I cannot play. There is no point to this. It would work fine if there was no client server model. I want my money back.
  22. Korbsy
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Disappointing & pathetic "launch". Make an offline-mode available and things may be better, but as-is ... it's an embarassment to Blizzard. They should be ashamed of their 'best effort'. It's a joke, especially after years and years of "testing". Just give me my pre-order money back Blizzard and all is forgiven.
  23. just2rage
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Absolute **** that I paid for two copies of this game, which is mediocre at best to play with my wife and they cant keep it up for an hour. Why do I need to be logged on to their server again? It is so they can protect their game, which I will need to go download a pirated version of off so I can actually play it.

    I have to assume they fired all the talented coders so they could hire more    Absolute **** that I paid for two copies of this game, which is mediocre at best to play with my wife and they cant keep it up for an hour. Why do I need to be logged on to their server again? It is so they can protect their game, which I will need to go download a pirated version of off so I can actually play it.

    I have to assume they fired all the talented coders so they could hire more legal **** and artists to make this pretty fail they call a game. I am happy to go back and play Dark Souls until Guild Wars comes out, fing losers.    … Expand
  24. therealgamerevo
    May 15, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Diablo 3, if I had to describe it in one word it would be, rapid. It keeps your heart pounding and your fingers bleeding. Blizzard has made the action of the game a fluid and fast experience, but it seems more a method to cover up the games many flaws. First I want to start off by saying that the game made some great innovations. The inclusion of being rewarded for finding lore was quite enjoyable. Also the gameplay was quite challenging. However challenging, it loses the urgency that the first two games in the series had. If you die, while grouped, any of your teammates can resurrect you, any number of times. While the resurrection feature is somewhat necessary, it takes away ultimately any gravity to your death. Though this feature might become more involved on the harder difficulties, it is apparently apart of Blizzards attempt to make Diablo main stream. There is a growing trend in games that tend to be shallow or even flawed to have gameplay be too fast to catch your breathe, let alone enjoy the beauty of the design. This trend is a means to open a game series up to a broader spectrum of clientele. I do not fault Blizzard for that, I even support there goals, but forgetting the core gaming group who made Diablo a flagship title for a company is not good business practice. When I talk about forgetting about the core I mean that Diablo 3 Rehashed a great deal from their older games, and not in an original manner. In two of the acts we return to areas we have previously explored in the older games. That means that more than half the game is unoriginal. The first act, in keeping with Diablo 2 starts of in Tristram, you save it and rescue Deckard Cain. I was happy to see Tristram again, especially in 3d isometric graphics, but what drills the thought of the game being rehashed is the next two acts. The second act takes place is Caldeum. Though an original name, it not only plays a great deal like Lut Gholein, but it is a desert land too. Even more so the area deals heavily with illusions, sewers, and alternate spaces all large parts of what made Lut Gholein. In act 3 you are taken back to Arreat. In Arreat, guess what..., the fortress is under siege by demons again, and you also have missions that operate like in Lord of Destruction. Some including destroying demon siege weapons, or rescuing overwhelmed allies, only to learn at the end you have been betrayed by a close ally. Almost identical to the story in LOD. Another indication of the rehashed nature of the game is that Azmodan is a poor version of Baal he attacks the fortress with his army trying to get the black soul stone. Unlike Baal, his nature which is sin, has nothing to do with his actions or his Act. Also another slap in the face for fans of the series is that the third act will always be a reminder that the actions at the end of LOD have nothing to do with Diablo 3. The world stone, it wouldn't have made a difference if it was corrupted saved destroyed. It doesn't effect the story of Diablo 3 what soever. Making Baal who was a true gaming memory,and LOD, completely pointless. The writing is artificially convoluted, and acts as if the previous games never happened. Even going so far as to change the history of Diablo 1 and 2 and giving the Dark Wanderer a back story. Instead of taking from the brilliant ending that Lord of destruction had, they come up with their own reasoning to play Diablo 3, discarding over 20 years of lore. The final nail to the rehash coffin is, like diablo 2, the fourth act is half as long as the other acts. It is the only truly new area, which happens to actually be Heaven. Unfortunately even the enemies are rehashed from diablo 2 as you fight some of the similar unique monsters from hell, like Tyrael's lieutenant. Diablo herself, as Leah was the daughter of Adria and the dark Wanderer, is a repeat of the previous games mechanics even using a circle of fireballs as an attack. Also it uses the overly used nightmare world where they extend the battle by having to fight shadow versions of yourself and Diablo as well. Furthermore, all member of the horadrim are dead, Deckard dies in act one, and his niece turns into Diablo. So because of the brilliant writers there is no one to guide future heroes as you have to kill Leah, Deckard's inheritor, and cannot save her, lets face it Bizzard you've done the fallen hero bit enough. The game is just a massive regurgitation of ideas, even stealing from horror movies having the part separate only to have someone die or get captured. If the bogus premise to slay demons didn't turn you off then the annoyance of having to be online to play single player will. I had no problem playing during launch, but many others did not get to play at all, and took off of work because of love for the game. Blizzards insistence to DRM the damn single player shows it cares more for its profits then the experience.… Expand
  25. Notips
    May 15, 2012
    3
    This would be such a great game, if it was playable. This has to be the most horrible launch in the history of PC gaming. Blizzard should be ashamed of themselves. Working on this game for 10 years, with the experience of running the most successful mmo in history, and they can't even handle a co-op game. Shame on you, blizzard. Shame on you.
  26. OblivionSpawn
    May 15, 2012
    9
    I've played the game for about 6 hours now and played co-op and single player both. The game has only provided constant enjoyment and it keeps getting better. People complaining about lack of skill points and customization need to give it a rest. There are PLENTY of customization options relating to skills. Thousands of total combinations. Half of the people complaining seem to have onlyI've played the game for about 6 hours now and played co-op and single player both. The game has only provided constant enjoyment and it keeps getting better. People complaining about lack of skill points and customization need to give it a rest. There are PLENTY of customization options relating to skills. Thousands of total combinations. Half of the people complaining seem to have only played the beta or not even played the game at all yet. Reviewing the game based off of server stability at launch is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in a review.… Expand
  27. Archangel158
    May 15, 2012
    0
    I wouldn't mind the DRM if it was actually working... Worst launch ever. Really disappointed. The game itself seems ok, but not great. These guy ruined one of the most enjoyable and profitable franchise of all time.
  28. onanist
    May 15, 2012
    0
    I was a tremendous fan of the game during beta. I played the hell out of the 2 hour beta, beating it with every character. There were some problems getting the beta off its feet, but the experience became seamless. I heard the open beta weekend performed similarly. But now? On the release day? Blizzard's intrusive DRM is preventing me from playing my single player game. GG Blizz, you had aI was a tremendous fan of the game during beta. I played the hell out of the 2 hour beta, beating it with every character. There were some problems getting the beta off its feet, but the experience became seamless. I heard the open beta weekend performed similarly. But now? On the release day? Blizzard's intrusive DRM is preventing me from playing my single player game. GG Blizz, you had a good run.… Expand
  29. beefalo
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Well this review is based on the fact that Blizzard does not allow you to play from 4pm to 4am, which means either I have to skip work to play or get up obscenely early in the morning for some play time. How about next time you realize the entire planet is going to be trying to play the first month after launch and not require playing online for single player??!!!
    Online only game where    Well this review is based on the fact that Blizzard does not allow you to play from 4pm to 4am, which means either I have to skip work to play or get up obscenely early in the morning for some play time. How about next time you realize the entire planet is going to be trying to play the first month after launch and not require playing online for single player??!!!
    Online only game where your servers can't handle the load? FAIL    … Expand
  30. wyndamn
    May 15, 2012
    0
    Another black eye for Blizzard, a complete and blatant failure at launch despite open beta testing showing there server load was no where near ready. Blizzard openly mocking their customers with hamster videos in their twitter feed, and as always blaming the customer for the inability to connect to the game in the first place. In their concerns for piracy they opted not to provide a singleAnother black eye for Blizzard, a complete and blatant failure at launch despite open beta testing showing there server load was no where near ready. Blizzard openly mocking their customers with hamster videos in their twitter feed, and as always blaming the customer for the inability to connect to the game in the first place. In their concerns for piracy they opted not to provide a single player experience in the truest sense, demanding a high speed internet connection to even play the game this has left a bad taste in even the most rabid Blizzard supporters mouth. Most criticism of the game falls on the constant need to be connected to the Blizzard servers, which have spent more time offline then on as launch day continues.

    A myriad of installation issues have also been reported, some which had existed even in the beta, but yet were never corrected.

    The game it self leaves little ground breaking material, it feels and plays like Diablo II, for a new game it feels more like a expansion on a game nearly a decade old. Your sixty dollars are better spent elsewhere.    … Expand
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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

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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
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