Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition Review
By Vince Ingenito
Posted: Aug 14, 2014 11:44 pm
It’s been a long road for Diablo 3 fans, following every twist and turn from pre-release to now, hoping that the Diablo game they truly wanted was right around the next corner. Don’t get me wrong, Diablo 3 nailed the moment-to-moment combat experience from the get-go, but the reward loop was way off-kilter. With the release of the Reaper of Souls expansion on PC, the somewhat erratic rhythm of its reward and progression cycle steadied into constant thrum. Now, with the Ultimate Evil Edition on PS4 and Xbox One, Diablo 3 takes on its highest form, melding the successes of two years of patching with the positive side-effects of porting to current-gen consoles.LoadingUltimate Evil Edition teems with content. You’re getting everything from Diablo 3 and its expansion, Reaper of Souls, including the incredible endless Adventure mode. The raised level cap, reworked skills, and of course that handy fourth passive slot are all here as well, and importing your character from a last-gen console is a breeze, so you won’t have to replay a bunch of content you’ve likely already replayed over and over to experience it. If you’re returning from the original console release, you won’t miss a beat.LoadingIf you’re a new player, and you don’t already know what’s in store, just ignore the cheesy story. Diablo 3 is about killing things, all the things, whether alive, undead or inanimate, and seeing what sweet new piece of gear drops so you can kill more, bigger things. Ultimate Evil’s excellent analog stick controls, deep bestiary, and varied character classes make that hunt enjoyable both in the short term, and the long haul.A regular stream of upgrades and legendary items means that even over the course of a short, 1-hour play-session, you’ll often see your avatar make tangible progress, and by your 200th hour in the endless, infectiously rewarding adventure mode, you’ll still be finding ways to eke out ever more power from your character. I can still remember leveling my first character In vanilla Diablo 3 to 60 without crafting a single thing, or even making very many decisions. Starting a new character from scratch really highlighted how much Blizzard has changed for the better.
That well-tuned cycle of violence, profit, and growth is easier on the eyes than ever here too. Last-gen consoles had to make visual sacrifices to run Diablo 3’s more heated battles at a respectable frame rate, but on PS4 and Xbox One, no concessions are necessary. At 1080p, and an almost constant 60 fps, the action looks sharp, plays smooth, and is mostly on par with Reaper of Souls on a nice gaming PC. There are very occasional hiccups in framerate during huge battles, and the effects, while greatly improved, aren’t quite at max PC levels, it’s still a huge step forward from the last console iteration.
Finally, Ultimate Evil serves up a few social-minded twists like an in-game mail system to gift loot to friends, and a new nemesis system which allows a monster that slays someone on your friend’s list to grow in power and come into your game to give you a chance to avenge your fallen comrade. It’s a cute trick, but not a game-changer in any way. The real star is still the ability to play on the couch with up to three friends, tearing through the angry hordes that await you in adventure mode, where the wildly randomized dungeons form the backbone of Diablo 3’s endgame. Loading
This is the third time I’ve reviewed some version of Diablo 3, and each time I’ve been met by a better, more refined experience. Ultimate Evil Edition collects the entirety of that experience in a slick new wrapper, giving console owners a complete, and uncompromised version of Diablo 3.
In This Article
Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition
Blizzard
Rating
ESRB: Mature
Platforms
PlayStation 4Xbox 360PCPlayStation 3Xbox One
Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition Review
amazing
Flush with content and prettier than ever, Ultimate Evil Edition is the best way to experience Diablo 3.
Vince Ingenito
Ultimate Evil Edition (PS4) Review – ZTGD
The best version of Diablo III.
I have always been a Diablo fanatic. I’ve put well over 200 hours into Diablo II, and in the past few years have dropped at least 100 hours into Diablo III. D3 had its fair share of problems – we all know how that auction house stuff panned out – but over the past several months, Blizzard has gradually improved the game back to the point where I feel like that 15 year old playing Diablo II all over again. We already had a version of D3 on the last gen consoles, now it’s time to push it forward onto the current gen. After spending a good amount of time with the PS4 version, I’m still surprised at how much Blizzard can do to a game to make it work great.
The game has been out for over two years now, so I’m sure most of you have at least heard of it, but for the ones uninitiated, here’s a quick overview – Diablo III is an action RPG that is focused on obtaining loot and upgrades for a character. Travelling through different dungeons and gaining experience points will allow players to level up and learn new abilities, as well as augment their skills using unlocked runes. It is very combat heavy as well as stat tracking heavy.
Now this is a party.
Platforms: PS3, 360, PS4, Xbox One
MSRP: $59.99
Price I’d pay: $59.99
Multiplayer: 2-4 co-op online and local
Diablo with a controller? Actually, yes.
Now, let me talk about the PS4 version. Since this was my first time trying D3 with a controller rather than a mouse and keyboard, I was a bit skeptical. As a hardcore Diablo player, I can safely say using a DualShock 4 to move around and attack feels great. In fact, I will go as far as to say I felt more in control of my character using a controller. Yes, blasphemy, I know. Using the right stick to dodge out of the way of attacks is a major game changer, and a welcome addition to the game. Due to the use of the controller, the menus have been redesigned to accommodate. They all work very well, as do some of the shortcuts. When obtaining a new item, a quick summary of what it would change in my stats would pop up. I could use the D-pad to automatically equip, drop, or junk it without even going into the inventory. It’s the small touches like that that make it feel like more than just a port.
The Ultimate Evil Edition comes with the Reaper of Souls expansion. That means a brand new Act, and the Crusader class to play with and the forever lasting Adventure Mode where getting all the loot my heart desired was only a few steps away. The only way to play Reaper of Souls on consoles is to buy the Ultimate Evil Edition. No DLC is available, but if you’re a big Diablo fan, it’s worth it.
The Nemesis appears.
A few interesting additions to the console version are the gifts that players can send to others on their friend list. Every once in a while, an item will drop labeled as “A gift for _” this can be sent to the person in their game, and they can unwrap it to obtain an item. The one time I received a gift it was a legendary item, so the more friends I have playing, the more chances I’ll have to get a gift from them. Another new addition is the nemesis system. At random, a powerful boss will appear that will have killed another player on the friend’s list. If the boss defeated me, it would disappear and then reappear in a friend’s game with even more power. I’ll be honest, I haven’t killed this guy yet, but I’m sure when I do, it will drop some great stuff. Let’s just hope I kill it before my friends do.
Indeed it was.
On top of all that, one of the bigger hurdles D3 had was the fact that if I were to play with my friends that were much higher level than I were, I would be totally useless in their games. Well, the new Apprentice Mode allows for an even playing field. So If I was level 30 and a friend were to jump into my game to play with me and he was only level 10, his stats would temporarily increase to match the enemies I was taking on. It’s a smart way of handling co-op and Blizzard has done it well.
Get that foreground out of here.
There is only one gripe I have with the game overall. It’s a small one, but it has irked me on more than one occasion. In the PC version, when my character would walk behind the foreground, the foreground would turn transparent so I could see my character. In this version, the foreground stays solid, and a bright white outline of my character appears. This is all well and good, but it doesn’t do this for the enemies. I found myself multiple times fighting enemies that I couldn’t see because the foreground was in the way. It’s not game breaking, but it is a little annoying at times especially in the heat of battle.
Diablo III is an amazing game, and it holds its own with practically every other RPG out there. The things that are in the Ultimate Evil Edition are done so very well, while still keeping it very simple and easy to play. I’m surprised I even like the controller controls, but they work, and work very well. Blizzard took the time to make this version special, and it turned out to be a worthy cause. Now, I know the big question is, if you already own Diablo III and its expansion on the PC, should you buy this? I think it all depends on if you want to go through it again, or if you have a group of friends that are picking it up. After all, it’s fun playing solo, but it’s a blast playing co-op. If you haven’t played Diablo III before and are interested, do yourself a favor and get this. You will have at least 30 hours if not more just in the main content. Diablo III was a fantastic game to begin with, and Blizzard has just refined it once again, making this the best version to have.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
Eternal Collection — 60 FPS demonic meat grinder
While unconfirmed rumors about the upcoming Diablo 4 are in the air, the third part of the series, subtitled Eternal Collection, visited the Nintendo Switch hybrid console this month.
There are not so many innovations and changes in this version. They all stem from the Switch’s strengths, portability, and having two mini-gamepads. Therefore, as part of the experiment, the review of the game will be in the question-answer format. Only the most important information for those who planned to buy the game. nine0005
Why does everyone love Diablo III so much?
Loot, co-op, replay value — that’s what fans love for the third part is based on.
Diablo has an incredibly meditative gameplay that rewards the player every minute with juicy loot. Characters are thrown new elements of armor and weapons that can be improved and change their appearance.
Dungeons, gothic cities, castle walls, hell and heaven can be explored not only alone, but also with friends. The four of you can distribute roles in the team thanks to the abundance of classes and their unique talents, help each other with the accumulation of levels and gold, and just have fun playing together. nine0005
Thanks to the system of seasons and unique rewards for participating in them, there is an incentive to replay the game over and over again and download new characters.
Is this the full version of the game or do I need to buy something separately?
Diablo III: Eternal Collection contains all the content previously released for the third part: the Reaper of Souls expansion, a new necromancer class, as well as cosmetic items and the season system. To date, this is the most complete edition of Diabla, which does not require any additional expenses. nine0005
If you were planning on getting the Switch, grab it right away in the Diablo III bundle. Get a console with a cool art on the back and a great co-op game for hundreds of hours.
Is Diablo III easy to play in handheld mode?
More like. Diablo III can now be comfortably played anywhere: on the way to school, on the plane, while queuing at the bank, or during a break from work.
All active skills of the character are assigned to separate keys, the gameplay remains unchanged. The game feels great on Switch hardware. Sound problems like in port Dark Souls, was not seen.
Online co-op only?
No. There is also a local co-op for up to four people. Each player takes a joycon or Pro controller, helping the owner of the console in the campaign for gold and loot.
Local co-op works both when connected to a TV and in portable mode. A subscription to the Nintendo Online Service is not required.
In this mode, the camera is fixed behind the player whose session was joined by other participants. nine0005
How to play if you have only one joycon?
If you have only one joycon in your hands, then some of the commands are key combinations and movement controls.
Pull the joystick sharply — the character jumps to the side. When playing with two controllers, this option is performed by the right stick. Not the most convenient solution, but while playing at the optimal difficulty level for the character, you will not need it.
To go to the game menu or to manage the collected good, you need to hold the stick in combination with other keys. Instructions for activating these combinations are always displayed at the bottom of the screen, in case you suddenly forget where to press. nine0005
Unusual, a little strange, but after an hour in the game you get used to such a control scheme.
Does the game look worse on Switch than on other consoles or PC?
Slightly, but you can see the difference. The resolution is lower, some effects have gone under the knife. Armor pieces look like medium-low settings on PC. At the same time, there were no fewer enemies, as well as the effects of magic and summoned creatures.
What about the frame rate?
Thanks to compromises, the frame rate is stable around 60. The Necromancer deftly summons carpets of thorns, skeletons march cheerfully behind him and mage ghosts levitate. nine0005
You need good performance to play Diablo comfortably. Therefore, the port for Switch can be forgiven for the lack of a couple of effects and low-resolution textures for the sake of a stable frame rate.
- Blizzard reveals a lot about Diablo at BlizzCon 2018
- Nintendo releases Switch bundle with Diablo 3, exclusive case and unique docking station — video III: Eternal Collection, Russian version
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PlayStation
Playstation 4 games
Sony
1
review
Product code: 1280863
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Description
With generations of players battling hordes of demons in the Diablo games, it’s your turn to join one of the pillars of the action/RPG genre. nine0008 Diablo III: Eternal Collection Ultimate Edition includes Diablo III, the Reaper of Souls expansion, and the Rise of the Necromancer bundle.
Get ready, mortals! The gates of Hell are opening!Characteristics
General specifications
Edition
boxed
Compatibility
PS4
Genre
RPG
Age limit
005
Russian version
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Sergey Vakhromeev
August 12, 2020
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Advantages
I also bought the regular version of Diablo 3 on Playstation 3, and then reaper of souls. I bought this game, on one console you can play together. Of course, there is a mode for one. In order to play together, you need to create a second account on one Playstation 4. But here we are talking about the publication of the game itself. In general, all the major additions to Diablo 3 are included here (Samo diablo, reaper of souls, necromancer). Briefly on the pluses: 1) You don’t need to buy anything else; 2) The most current version of the game; 3) You can complete the game together completely on 1 console;
4) My girlfriend liked it, despite the fact that she bought a ton of games, and this is the only one she plays; 5) An interesting plot; 6) The game at your discretion can be easy or difficult, you chooseDisadvantages
1) There are no inserts in the box itself, as it was on Ps3
2) Price: the necromancer add-on used to cost 300 rubles. on PSN, and the regular version of Diablo 3: reaper of souls is 1500, so count;
3) You play on 1 screen without separation, that is, you can’t run away from your partner tied to youComment
As a result, we get: as always, an excellent game from Blizzard, no equipment, like all activations, running together is gorgeous, it’s boring alone .