What has been your "next Diablo"?

[Hammerskjold]

I often feel like some kind of gaming hipster whenever I mention "Diablo" and people immediately start talking about Necromancers and Sorceresses. It makes me wish I could channel "Pulp Fiction"'s Jules and blast them with, "ENGLISH, MONDAY-TO-FRIDAY, DO YOU SPEAK IT? I SAID DIABLO, NOT ITS MONKEY-FIGHTIN' SEQUEL." Because most gamers these days have played D2 and never really bothered with D1.

Also blame it on the 'whatever is the latest sequel, is now called the franchise'. IE: Fallout 3, is 'Fallout'. Exception being if there is a sub title, so Fallout :New Vegas, is 'New Vegas'. Or Elder Scrolls #2904, Skyrimmdalegothron.

D2 being fun, but a massive disappointment in my expectations of atmosphere (treasure hunting adventure) and gameplay (mob combat), has always left me longing for a successor to Diablo.

D1 for me, is like Conan The Barbarian. (The first one with Ahnold)
It's not perfect, but it's fun. It has a stark, dark world atmosphere.

D2 = Conan the Destroyer. It's got more characters, (GRACE JONES!!11), but became more fantasy adventure. It ain't horrible, but more became less to me.

Tiny enemies aren't scary, they're irritating.

Fallens in D1 was basically the 'lvl 1 rat' trope, yet it never felt to me like a 'hit 100 low level critters to advance to next level' routine. Even though technically it still is. I dunno, D1 hit on a magical formula IMO of making low level games fun for me. Compare that to what I feel is a chore for D2 starting chars raising.

Gentlelurkers of like mind, what have been your successors to D1?

If we're going to be super precise about it, then Hellfire for me. I tried playing D1 classic a few months ago. And I could not do it.

If we're including D1 and Hellfire, then nothing for me yet. And I tried a lot.

Darkstone almost came close, but was hobbled by the typeface. Staring and trying to read their font choice after an hour or two, will make your eyeballs bleed.

D2&D2:LoD, I already mentioned. Fun in it's own way, but not quite the same.

Phantasy Star online PC and Guild Wars was on my radar, but unfortunately they require constant connection which is a strike in my book.

I tried a bit of Torchlight, I think I'll keep an interested eye on Torchlight 2 if or when that comes out.

This is not exactly Diablo like, but playing Borderlands on a friends PS3 for 30 minutes or so, convinced me enough to look out for the PC version in the bargain bins.