Diablo IV effectively tempts me to commit sin at every opportunity. A exhilarating search for uncommon treasure satisfies my insatiable desire for wealth and authority. The gratification of killing thousands of enemies, preternatural or otherwise, leaves little space for regret. Whether battling the forces of darkness alone or with companions, this is a vast and utterly engrossing action role-playing game that keeps me coming back dozens of hours later.

Diablo IV satisfies the fantasy of transforming a character from a one-trick pony to an unstoppable, highly specialized murdering machine due to its well-paced progression and cascade of systems that reward multiple aspects of play. Regardless of which of the five classes you prefer, the increased emphasis on player maneuverability and the abundance of adversaries that encourage dexterous play result in entertaining, strategic, and tumultuous combat situations. Titanic, protracted boss encounters straddle the line between being manageable and winning by the skin of my teeth, exemplifying the game’s excellent difficulty balance.

I appreciate that becoming stronger has less to do with slogging to level up and more to do with optimizing loadouts for my playstyle and abilities. I am encouraged to frequently respec skill points in order to try out new abilities and benefits, and I enjoy the great sense of agency I have over how my character develops. Upon reaching level 50, the skill tree is replaced by a revamped version of the Paragon Board, which provides an even more intricate and engaging method of self-improvement.

The ability to replace undesirable armor characteristics with new ones, demolish pointless treasure for materials to enhance favored equipment, or add sockets for stat-boosting jewels makes tinkering with equipment an obsession. The frequency with which I obtain potent gear from loot drops is satisfactory, but even mediocre gear feels valuable because I can convert common detritus into vital materials to complete a great weapon. As odd as it may sound, I’m also happy I’m not discovering incredible treasure too frequently, allowing me to customize and grow attached to equipped gear without the concern or inconvenience of having to continually replace it with the latest and greatest.

Despite the fact that traversing Sancutary’s five vast regions can be a burden due to the time it takes to acquire a mount and the near-constant attacks from adversaries, it’s a thrill to discover. As they contribute to Renown, completing over 100 noteworthy sidequests, some of which tell engaging multi-part stories, locating dozens of stat-boosting Altars of Lilith, and exploring countless random dungeons feels worthwhile. Effectively rewarding players for completing mundane tasks such as discovering new areas, completing objectives, and unlocking waypoints with additional skill points and, most importantly, more beverages. Renown also incentivized me to run dungeons that do not offer Aspects, potent item benefits that are class-specific, or to clear up areas of the map that I would have otherwise neglected. Strongholds, hostile zones with objectives, are my favorite secondary activity. Their precipitous and one-of-a-kind difficulties presented me with skill-testing opportunities, such as new settlements and missions.

The centerpiece of Diablo IV, its always-online shared open world, has minimal impact on moment-to-moment gameplay. Multiple pre-release technical evaluations appear to have paid off, as I have not yet encountered any significant connection issues. I prefer solitary play, but I never felt that the presence of others hindered my expedition, and the few times I did encounter another human avatar added interesting moments of emergent narrative. A deus ex machina-style bombardment of frost bolts from an intervening sorcerer player felt like a clever scripted rescue when throngs of goatmen nearly tore me to pieces while confronting one of the many diverse and often difficult live events. While I’m glad to offer a cordial greeting to such aid-givers before continuing on, forming groups with strangers and assembling friend parties to assault dungeons as a squad is simple.

Conceptually, Diablo IV’s reliance on an internet connection is still annoying due to the actuality of server issues that prohibit log-ins. As for the cosmetics-only in-game store, the prices are comparatively high for a full-priced release ($8 for a small accessory pack? ), but the abundance of great-looking discoverable gear doesn’t make me want to spend money on snazzy outfits.

It’s not difficult to convince me to play an entertaining dungeon-crawling action RPG, but Diablo IV’s compelling story is a delight. I was captivated by Lilith’s hostile conquest of Sanctuary and the subsequent disquieting events due to the game’s enhanced cinematography, which is uncommon in top-down dungeon explorers. The in-game cutscenes do justice to the excellent performances and characters. I was almost as interested in discovering more about a character or discovering the next major narrative point as I was in dungeon exploring. Numerous references and surprise cameos will likely please Diablo veterans, but even newcomers can appreciate the story since it does not heavily rely on familiarity with previous installments. Combined with an infectious respect for Diablo’s history, the plot, particularly its conclusion, has me eager to see what the cast does next.

Sanctuary is a fun sandbox for transforming a powerful character into a godlike force, thanks to a substantial conclusion that offers several interesting diversions. In addition to activating new World Tiers with more difficult challenges and greater rewards, I enjoyed participating in Whispers of the Dead missions, which award exclusive rewards for completing them within the allotted time. Exploring Helltides, recurrent zones abounding with ferocious variants of existing dangers, is yet another reliable indicator of my skill. Nightmare Dungeons and PvP battles add additional entertaining twists, forming an impressive conclusion that fueled my motivation to become stronger despite the long hours spent playing.

Diablo IV continuously seduces me with its promises of power and wealth and consistently delivers. I’ve had a hard time setting it down, even after beginning from scratch multiple times, and I’m looking forward to foiling Lilith’s plans in the coming months as seasonal enhancements are released. Until then, I’m content to continue purging Sanctuary of its riches – and demons of their lives – in this diabolically impressive epic.