Building A Better Diablo 3

In about six weeks, Blizzard will launch Reaper of Souls, the first expansion pack for Diablo 3. I've spent the last few weeks playing in the beta for RoS, and while I normally hold an article this extensive for a launch, there's enough locked-in differences to be worth discussing at this stage.



This new expansion comes with the usual slew of goodies -- a new Act for the game, new quests, a new enchanting ability, and a new skill for each existing class, as well as a new Crusader class to experiment with.



The ancient city of Westmarch: Location of Act V





Fixing Diablo III's Core Problems

Diablo 3 has had something of a mixed run. The game sold extremely well, but it didn't enjoy the staying power of its predecessors. It copied Diablo 2's difficulty structure -- beat the game once, and the only thing to do afterwards was to start over again at a higher difficulty level. The game's design suffered from several significant problems, including: All of this falls into the "expected" category. What's more important about Reaper of Souls is that it makes core changes to the way Diablo III feels and plays, changes that, in aggregate, have made the game a great deal more fun.Diablo 3 has had something of a mixed run. The game sold extremely well, but it didn't enjoy the staying power of its predecessors. It copied Diablo 2's difficulty structure -- beat the game once, and the only thing to do afterwards was to start over again at a higher difficulty level. The game's design suffered from several significant problems, including:





Diablo III: Reaper of Souls showcases Blizzard's dedication to realistic female armor