Originals

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[Continued] Page 2

A second chance: Diablo II (2000)

Diablo II followed a course of four acts, with more complexity to the story and more locations. Players controlled one of five classes: the Amazon, who could equip bows, spears, and javelins; the Necromancer, a spellcaster and summoner of the dead; the Barbarian, a melee fighter and the only character capable of dual-wielding weapons; the Sorceress, a witch proficient with ice, fire, and lightning spells; or the Paladin, a crusader with holy power.

Occurring after the events of the first game, Diablo II brought back the Warrior who futilely trapped Diablo in his own body. The demon had since burned Tristram and wreaked destruction upon the lands of Sanctuary.

An adventurer who listened to stories and rumors of the evil lord (known now as the Dark Wanderer) decided to find the demon and end his terror. First he faced two Lesser Evils, Andariel and Duriel, and two of the Prime Evils, Mephisto and finally the Dark Wanderer, who had by this time completed his transformation into Diablo and released Mephisto and Baal from their Soulstones.

The game also introduced a crude form of crafting. Its expansion, “Lord of Destruction” (2001), housed a whole fifth act, new weapons and armor, gameplay tweaks, and the Assassin and Druid classes.

Although it launched with Diablo in 1996 (leading to problems with game hackers), Blizzard’s Battle.net service was much more impressive by the time Diablo II released, allowing players to run the game from the server and participate with up to eight players.

A false rumor that started in the mid-90s about a secret cow level inspired Blizzard to include such a hellish dimension in the sequel.

Tags: Diablo III, Diablo 3, RPG, Blizzard, PC