I'm not an RPG kind of guy. Unless it's the loveable Zelda or Fable series, the genre never strikes a chord with me. The thought of dungeons, dragons, swords and chainmail makes me yawn at the best of times, and I've even had the illustrious "Henley" from ModDB claim that I am "allergic to fun" at one point. Maybe he was right, because this gamer has fallen head over heels for Blizzard's Diablo 3.
The last PC release that took over a decade to arrive was Duke Nukem Forever, and we all know how that one turned out. To say that the hype and expectations from fans for Diablo 3 was massive is an understatement, and despite early server issues, Blizzard has delivered a fantastic experience.
Why is it fantastic? As I stated, I'm definitely not an experienced RPG gamer. I played Diablo II once for about 40 minutes before I deleted it from my hard-drive. But with the latest iteration, I feel safe and at home with the interface. Everything is spelled out in black and white, and the helpful hints get me up and playing like a regular RPG fan in no time. Instead of second guessing my actions, I know exactly what is going on, and I don't find myself becoming frustrated from lack of knowledge or experience.
Yet there seems to be enough depth to keep even the most experienced Diablo fan engrossed in the dark pits of hell for months to come. With random events, the auction house, and no doubt a slew of new updates on the way, Blizzard have created a perfect blend of accessibility and hardcore for the masses.
I made it a personal goal to branch out and play more games that I would normally avoid this year, and Diablo 3 has been the perfect start to that mission. A game I would have missed out on previously has won over my heart, and I can't wait to adventure into the pits of hell with you all sometime soon!