Diablo II (2000) - MobyGames (original) (raw)

Atari 7800+

Atari 7800+

aka:D2,Diablo II: The Calling

Moby ID: 1878

Moby Score

8.0

#1,933 of 25.2K

Critics

88%(65)

Players

(304)

Review Ranking

Collected By

687 players

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Description official descriptions

Knowing well that Diablo's spirit could never be truly destroyed, the hero of Tristram made the noblest sacrifice of all: he took the spirit of the Lord of Terror into himself, hoping that his strength of will could contain the demon within. He was wrong. Diablo's essence corrupted him, gradually taking over his human nature. He has turned into the Dark Wanderer, a mysterious being whose every step causes destruction and death. A nameless adventurer visits the Rogue Encampment and decides to help its inhabitants by slaying monsters surrounding the area, and eventually pursuing the Dark Wanderer himself.

Like its predecessor, Diablo II is an action role-playing game. The player may choose between five available characters classes: Amazon (a rogue-like class with ranged attacks), Necromancer (can summon undead and inflict status ailments), Barbarian (a powerful melee fighter who can dual-wield weapons), Sorceress (offensive spellcaster), and Paladin (fights with shields and can cast support spells). Much of the game takes place in randomized dungeon-like areas heavily populated by enemies. Unlike the previous game, the environments are not restricted to a single dungeon and include variously themed locations, each with its own town and quests.

The player character gains experience points from slaying monsters, and can be leveled up manually, increasing his or her primary attributes and acquiring abilities. Much of the customization relies on equipment and item combinations. Diablo's magic has been replaced with skills: class specific abilities that can be purchased with skill points as characters level up. For example, a Paladin's skills allow him to cover allies with a protective aura, while a Sorceress can learn to fire lightning bolts and frozen blasts from her hands. Skills can be purchased several times to level them up, and some skills, when purchased, will increase the effectiveness of other skills. A new item type, socketed, has been added as well. Socketed items can be modified permanently by adding magic gems to them, increasing their statistics or adding elemental properties.

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Screenshots

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Credits (Windows version)

1,450 People (295 developers, 1,155 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 88% (based on 65 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5(based on 304 ratings with 19 reviews)

More of the same, and that can be both good or bad...

The Good
Good Points:

1.A lot of game content: huge areas chock-full with monsters and items;

2.Cool, imaginative, well created and animated monsters, with great sounds;

  1. Incredible cinematics (the best in any game so far, and sure worthy of some kind of award...)

4.A whole lot of items, armors, weapons...

5.Skill system, which really adds a lot to character customization;

The Bad
Bad Points:

1.Average graphics;

2.Gameplay that is, with the exception of the skill systems and the added classes, identical to that of Diablo 1; and this is a double-edged sword, meaning that if you liked D1, you will love D2, but if you hated D1, you'll feel the same way about D2.

The Bottom Line
An improved, polished, and simply better Diablo. If you loved the first, you will certainly love the second. If you hated the first, well, don't buy this game. Personally, though, I had a hell of a lot of fun with it...

Windows · by Timotei Centea (5) · 2000

Mostly fun, strangely addictive

The Good
If you take the time to follow the story of the game, its fairly interesting, if for no other reason than to learn more about the lore of the world of Diablo. The real pleasure of the game comes from finding that new item that's better than what you had before. Item hunting is the name of the game for a lot of people, which isn't surprising, since it's really the only variable in the game that keeps it interesting. There's something oddly addictive about playing for just a little longer in hopes of finding an incredible item that transforms your character into an untouchable engine of instant death.

Player vs. player can be fun; there isn't much skill required and just deteriorates into a comparison of who has better equipment, but there is an element of fun hidden in destroying other people's characters.

The Bad
This isn't really a Role Playing Game technically. Not that every RPG has to be based on GURPS or AD&D or anything, but frankly, having an avatar with a few statistic choices and skill allocations an RPG does not make. There are 7 Classes now, and there are maybe 2 different types of characters within each class. If you're an amazon you either use a bow/cross-bow, or you use a javelin/spear. There's no such thing as an Amazon who uses swords and axes, or is a healer or anything like that. Minor complaint, but it's relevant nonetheless.

The first time you do all the acts, they're pretty challenging in that "click until they die" sort of way. After that they become a chore to endure in order get your character up to a higher level. After beating the game you are presented with the opportunity to beat it once more on a harder difficulty, and once you've completed that, do it again! Such fun has never before been had.

In all fairness to the game, Hardcore can truly add to the game, making it challenging in that your character is actually mortal, it dies, it's dead forever. It injects another level of strategy that is absent from normal play.

PvP, as I said before, it's an unskilled exercise in click-ology. It's fun to show off your character's stats/equipment, but nothing more.

The Bottom Line
Action Adventure game with light sprinkling of RPG elements. Play it once for fun, then play it again to find better items, play it again...and again...lose yourself in making your character better than anyone else's...then bring yourself back and go to work, you slob.

Windows · by MA17 (252) · 2001

The mind suck master of computer addictiveness - just like its predecessor...

The Good
Diablo 2 is ridiculously compelling. The combination of scenery changes and character progression will keep your mouse finger clicking for months, if you let it. Multiplayer (with friends, not necessarily online) is great fun, as the various combinations of character type create havoc: Blizzard wisely made it very hard to do one-sided player kills, as the possibilities for (non) co-operation are extensive...

The Bad
Diablo 2 displays a very interesting characteristic: it's an almost completely skill-less game. All that's really involved in progressing are lots of playing hours and mouse clicking. Once you realise this (after several months), the enjoyment becomes a bit tortuous. As computer entertainment, Diablo 2 is a pinnacle of what the old folks tell you - it's just about the ultimate waste of time.

The Bottom Line
Diablo 2 is best enjoyed as a relaxing way to go adventuring with friends. It's extremely good at what it does, which is keeping the player hooked and excited at a low level of brain activity. The atmosphere is incredible, and as a halfway substitute for gaming and tv watching combined, Diablo 2 is in a class of its own.

Windows · by Colin Rowsell (43) · 2002

[ View all 19 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
Why am I addicted?.. Unicorn Lynx (181677) Jul 2, 2013

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Diablo II appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Dungeons & Dragons

Diablo II was adapted into a set of two D&D rulebooks: Diablo II: Diablerie, published in 2000, and Diablo II: To Hell and Back, published in 2001, in addition to which a Diablo II set for the Dungeons & Dragons boardgame was released by Wizards of the Coast in 2000.

Promotion

Blizzard itself produced an action figure line, with figures depicting the Barbarian, the Unraveler, and of course, Diablo. They also released a whole stack of merchandise, including Zippo lighters, wristwatches and mouse pads, all in limited edition.

References: Diablo

The much rumored and non-existent secret "Cow Level" from the original game was actually added to Diablo II. It is just a flat plain, populated by bipedal cows, which go "Moo! Moo!" in deadpan human voices. The level also features a boss, "The Cow King", who looks just like all the other cows.

In Act I, the player can enter a portal to the town of Tristram, now destroyed by demons. Some characters from Diablo can be seen there. Decard Cain and Griswold the Blacksmith are alive; the former will help the player with his quests while the latter is possessed by evil powers. The remains of Wirt the Peg-Legged Boy can also be spotted; his leg allows the player to enter the cow level.

References

Once in a great while, one of the zombies can be heard uttering "brainsss". This is a reference to the numerous Living Dead movies, in which zombies hunger for human brains.

Awards

Information also contributed byAjan,Kasey Chang,Patrick Bregger,PCGamer77,phlux,Tibes80, andScott Monster.

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by MAT.

Macintosh added by Xoleras.

Additional contributors: Blackhandjr, Zovni, Unicorn Lynx, Indra was here, Brian Jordan, Vaelor, Ajan, Pseudo_Intellectual, SharkD, Paulus18950, Cantillon, Patrick Bregger, FatherJack.

Game added July 4, 2000. Last modified September 4, 2024.