I have multiple Points for feedback, and i have to say, i really don’t like Diablo 4. It just feels like a game that you need a subscription for, like WoW, considering how stretched out everything is and how you get artificially slowed down trying to just play the story.
Now, here’s the list of things i came across that prevent me from purchase:
The Interface:
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The Interface is probably designed for small screens/devices. The Skillbar is raised to show the keybindings below it, keybindings are shown at EVERY button, which i have only seen in Console/Mobile games/ports.
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The Characterscreen overlaps the Skillbar, with a big blank bar at the bottom for no reason, just scale it so that it either sits atop or next to the Skillbar.
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There is a lot of empty space in the Character screen, extremely wide spacing between text/icons/buttons. The mainstat frame could be condensed to either reduce the size of the window or to make room for additional useful stats. The profile-button could be integrated into the Name/Title-frame, freeing up additional space. The “Materials”- and “Stats”-button should be split into two separate ones, to make accessing the stats easier. Spacing in the Stats-window could also be reduced, worked just find in D3, text was way smaller, but still easily readable. Currency does not need to be listed in the Stats-window, just add the limit to the Inventory, where currency is already displayed.
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Transparent map where you can move while it is open is missing, was a really nice feature in D2, missed it in D3, would be great in D4 due to its wide open map.
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The Skillselection window could also be scaled down a lot, considering there’s only 6 rows+ class feature. Just remove the dead space, and also don’t block movement when its open, especially since it is designed as an in-combat-feature.
Social:
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In my first try, i just wanted to experience the first part of the story, but as soon as another player came across my screen, it just lost immersion. In a game where you as the player have always been THE main character, the hero, it just doesn’t make sense seeing others doing the same thing as you. I don’t mind seeing others in towns for interaction, but i want to play the story on my own, or with selected party-members. But, well, the whole open-world MMO-style doesn’t do this any good either.
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The chat is currently in the same space as the Character screen, with the left side of the screen completely unused. You could move the Actionbar to the left, but then everything else would still be overlapping on the right. It is also nice that you can fullscreen the chat, if you hit the exact center of the fullscreen-button that is. But the fullscreen chat should be transparent and should not block movement, or at least have the option to switch between transparent/movable and opaque/no movement.
Gameplay:
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No Pause! That is one of the biggest oversights in my eyes. Since you are always in a shared world with other players, you can not pause the game, forcing you to kill everything around you and portal home. Which sometimes takes longer than a few seconds. So, you have to choose Reallife or Death ingame. RIP HC. And RIP soloplay.
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I really don’t like the WoW-like world- and quest-design. That fits into an actual MMORPG where you pay for time, and therefore get slowed down artificially to make you spend more time before you finish your goals. That doesn’t fit into a game that is supposed to be a Hack&Slash/Dungoencrawler like D1-3 have been. You spend so much time just running around doing NOTHING but running to you objective, with nothing but annoyances in the way.
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The Skillsystem also feels made primarily for mobile/console with the short duration of skills. Since D2 you had some longer-duration buffs or effects, now it all feels like D:I or other mobile button-smasher for short attention spans. It feels like you made a dedicated PC-version of D:I, but designed it for console.
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The Evade-mechanic also feels like console/mobile port, especially the integration of it in traversing the landscape. Having to use “evade” to climb etc. just slows you down and makes you feel the Devs don’t want you to play. Could have just made it like any other interaction, left-click on the terrain to traverse it. no need for another button, but you still get immersion.
All in all, this doesn’t feel like a sequel or successor to the other Diablo-games (D:I is ignored here), but rather a complete remake of Diablo into a pure MMO, based on D:I. You should have named it “World of Sanctuary” or something like that, since it plays more like WoW than Diablo. Or rather, a mix of WoW and D:I. Which is especially disappointing.
I expected something in the spirit of D1-3, not the failed D:I. Yes, D:I probably prints money, as all (P2W) mobile games do. But Diablo never was a mobile game and never should.
Probably gonna skip until Solo/Party-Mode is implemented so i can enjoy the game on my own.
Addition to the above:
Bossfights now feel like they came straight out of Dark Souls or the likes, with mechanics just to annoy you, with ridiculous timings necessary, requiring specific builds. And that just to make a lvl 15 side quest. If i want to torture myself with evading undodgeable attacks from bosses, i go play Dark Souls or similar. Not Diablo.
I hope they rework the evade/boss mechanics…