The game Diablo II hardly requires an introduction because of its widespread popularity.

This classic action-RPG, which was released in the year 2000, served as the impetus for the creation of a great number of other franchises, and it became an essential component of its subgenre almost immediately. Fans were overjoyed when Blizzard announced that a remastered version of Diablo II would be called Diablo II: Resurrected. Regrettably, it is difficult to live up to such a storied reputation, and the results of this revival were perhaps not what was expected. However, the revival was a success nonetheless.

The hero who emerged victorious over Diablo and saved the world at the conclusion of the first Diablo game is nowhere to be found in the sequel, Diablo II: Resurrected. It appears that a dark wanderer is making their way east, followed by a variety of different hellish creatures. After hearing this, warriors stationed at a rogue encampment make the decision to confront the wanderer in order to learn more about what happened to the missing hero.

At the beginning of the game, players choose one of seven different warrior archetypes to represent them at the encampment. These warrior archetypes come with a wide range of skills and abilities, such as the Amazon's proficiency with javelins and bows, the Assassin's expertise in martial arts and distraction, the Barbarian's reliance on brute force, the Druid's command of natural elements and animals, and many others.

In spite of the fact that it is a remaster, Rob Gallerani, the game's principal designer, stated in an interview that the development team's goal was to keep the gameplay as close to the original as possible, with only a few tweaks here and there. The purpose of this project was to provide a new generation of gamers with the opportunity to experience what it was like to play an action role-playing game in the year 2000. The isometric camera, constant inventory management, lack of map location information and quest markers, and an unending grind to get incrementally better gear and items are the kinds of tedious, tiresome experiences that we rarely see in modern titles. Keeping this in mind, I have to say that they achieved their goal.

Diablo II: Resurrected is the same adventure that I had when I was a teenager, but there is no question that it would benefit from the quality-of-life tweaks that we see in newer work — some of the elements, such as a stamina bar, feel excruciatingly out of date now. Running around the enormous maps without any directional indicators already takes a lot of time, so adding stamina management and limiting movement speed is just going to make the experience even more tedious.

Even fundamental aspects of the game, such as the maximum number of times a player can respec their character, have not been altered. Even more disappointing is the fact that D2 Resurrected Items (click to see) is not possible to use an "offline" character in an online game session, or vice versa. This means that players who have already invested dozens of hours into leveling up and gathering loot in crypts, dungeons, jungles, and deserts will have to do it all over again if they want to play online with their friends or experience the game offline on a day when there are connection issues or server maintenance scheduled. It's ridiculous!

I am aware that it is challenging to modify game mechanics because there will invariably be some kind of butterfly effect, but aren't remasters supposed to be about improving the experience that the player had the first time around? The meager quality-of-life changes included in Diablo II: Resurrected, such as automatically picking up gold or a function that allows for an increased or shared item stash, are (of course) welcome; however, there are far too many vexing issues that are not addressed.

The developers have stated that they were attempting to maintain the original gameplay experience by leaving all of these rough edges unaddressed; however, there have been significant design changes made to the classes that are currently playable

- Nearly all of the female characters have been updated to be less sexualized, as evidenced by the fact that their clothing is now less revealing, some of them have aged significantly, and some of them have changed their ethnicity

- Why implement these shifts while leaving so many glaring gameplay issues unaddressed is beyond me

- These are positive changes that reflect modern standards, but why do this

It is important to note that there have been additional updates. The most notable differences can be seen in the appearance.

The visuals in Diablo II: Resurrected are absolutely stunning, and the remastered graphics are absolutely stunning as well. From the lighting of dark dungeons to the wind that stirs the desert sands, the game's visuals are magnificent. It is possible to toggle between the game's original graphics and its remastered graphics at the press of a button, giving players the option to experience the game as it was when it was first released or as it has been updated.

The increased framerate is another significant improvement to the game. It is no longer a pipe dream to play Diablo II at 60 frames per second (FPS), and this is an important change because it affects the flow of the game. Because of the increased framerate, the battles are more fluid, which is especially noticeable in dungeons where a large number of foes are navigating a relatively confined area.

Diablo II: Resurrected is not even close to being flawless. The revamped character designs are likely to enrage returning players, and the antiquated gameplay is likely to turn off younger generations who have been raised on more streamlined and complex activities. Although I am pleased to report that this venerable title is now offered in a more advanced format, my recommendation does not come without some reservations.