Diablo III marks the long-awaited return to the decaying world of Sanctuary after an eight-year gap since the Lords of Destruction, Terror and Hatred were slain in Diablo II. The wait is far from over, yet devoted fans and newcomers alike will be glad to learn that unlike most studios, Blizzard has actually been making the most of their painfully prolonged development time.

Although Blizzard is currently considering taking the franchise to consoles, it is first and foremost a PC game. To this end, the developer is stressing strictly mouse-driven gameplay that is intended to make Diablo III a more accessible experience. The keyboard can optionally be used to quickly access any of the menus or items in your inventory, but is not a necessity as the player can also utilise these tools with a simple click of the mouse. The most devastating omission from the control setup is the lack of WASD for movement. Admittedly, this method is not recurring in similar games found in the genre, but after playing World Of Warcraft and every other 3D PC game for hundreds of hours, the lack of an alternative control scheme is definitely felt. Instead, the left mouse button is used for both movement (holding it down will ‘steer’ your character continuously) and combat: standard attacks or any of your skills can be assigned to either mouse button, and can also be held down for continuous use, as long as your mana bank has not been depleted.

When starting a new game, players will have the choice of five different classes, each with a male and female counterpart. Unfortunately, there is no customisation as far as their individual physical traits are concerned. Lead designer Jay Wilson, who has previously worked on Warhammer: Dawn Of War, said they toyed with the option, but ultimately decided that because the on-screen characters are relatively small in play, things like hair style, skin and eye colour would go mostly unnoticed, especially after layers of armour and equipment have begun to pile on as early as the first minutes of game time.

BlizzCon 2008 was not only the first time the game was playable, but also marked the unveiling of the Wizard class, who was even given her own cinematic in-game trailer (the male Wizard only appeared in the class selection screen as a barely visible apparition). In contrast to the other two previously revealed classes, the female Wizard is a young, attractive and cocky spellcaster who walks into dangerous dungeons with the confidence of a supermodel on a runway, and can obliterate roomfulls of enemies in the blink of an eye. The Wizard comes equipped with the flashiest arsenal of magic yet, focusing on trickery and raw destructive power in a manner quite similar to the Sorcerer and Sorceress from previous games. Several live demonstrations and in-depth panels by Blizzard developers stressed the personality of the Wizard, leading into how the in-game NPCs will react differently to each class. Depending on who you choose, you may either be met with adoration and respect or disdain and disgust. This represents just one of the many ways Diablo III will offer a unique experience each and every playthrough.

… continued