01-29-2006, 08:51 AM
I hope Hellgate:London does live up to, and exceed, its apparent potential (when it's released in 2009, that is). It does seem to be a real potential successor to the original Diablo, whose repayability and excitment were never captured by the horribly (respectively, somewhat) tedious Dungeon Siege (respectively, Guild Wars), or by the semi-entertaining but cheesy knock-offs Sacred and Divine Divinity --- and DII, fun as it was, never quite managed to do it either.
The concept of fighting through a demon-filled London is wonderful and the emphasis on randomization of items and --- much more so --- of maps is great. (The randomization of levels was one of Diablo's keys IMO.)
But I'm not convinced that the first person perspective is such a big or desirable innovation (they seem to be back peddling there anyway), and perhaps no Diablo successor 10 years hence can ever recapture or replace the original...
The concept of fighting through a demon-filled London is wonderful and the emphasis on randomization of items and --- much more so --- of maps is great. (The randomization of levels was one of Diablo's keys IMO.)
But I'm not convinced that the first person perspective is such a big or desirable innovation (they seem to be back peddling there anyway), and perhaps no Diablo successor 10 years hence can ever recapture or replace the original...