Background: I came from a competitive D2 player from launch and watched it grow in my earlier years. Played D3 up to season 3 casually. Completed 100% of many MMORPG, ARPG, Shooter games - Some titles: Apex Legends, Dark Souls 1-3, Elden Ring, Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, ESO, etc.
My experience with D4: I have been playing daily for 3 weeks now (did not play beta). Overall, I am casually grinding Rogue and at level 80 in Season. The game seems pretty easy once you have mid-end game gear and a good idea of what type of build you want for your Class - similar to how it should be. The Problem *lack of end game content (as many others have said).
*No repeat of “Campaign” bosses - result of not having an Act System = Poor design.
*No rewarding grind to “Uber bosses” - just an end game completion boss.
*NM Dungeons are better since Patch 1.1.1, but lacking creativity and diversity…big time!
*Lack of Unique tier items that alter build diversity, thus lack of drop rates on Uber uniques.
*Lack of crafting system for Weapons/Armor/Jewelry - via transmutation of items for higher power and unique affixes, general crafting for 2-3 affixes (will get to loot and RNG).
*Lack of Codex updates as we find better stat Aspects. Instead of breaking down into inventory to re-slot, update the Codex with the new stat and change the Aspect tab in inventory to a Junk stash - fix a lot of problems with Inventory Management.
TL:DR First Section: Campaign is entirely too rushed and laughably incoherent from a story standpoint. End Game needs more goals to grind toward that aren’t repetitive rinse/repeat tasks. Crafting…
Season 1 gave a pretty good change from Eternal IMO. They did alright with this. My only gripe is that the seasonal content “Malignant Hearts” will no longer be kept at end. The reason we play seasons is to constantly ADD to our builds. This seems more like a high interest loan that is sold to another creditor then repossesses your S***.
D2 Ladder was the whole point in how to GET and TRADE gear…Runewords were only available in Ladder and thus had to be grinded for to trade for better stat Uniques, rushes and Ubers.
I am hopeful that they will add some sort of system like Runewords to later season, but if they’re just going to take them away at season’s end, no thank you.
Seasonal content should remain throughout Eternal AND post season to season. These should be a compounding feature.
The TRADING in this game is a joke…Half of the accessible content is not even tradeable. No crafting mats, no Legendaries or Uniques, no Aspects, etc.
Drop Rate/RNG on stat affix’s - just why…?? Entirely too many conditions possible to roll.
X>X on barrier>X on injured>X on condition> X on specific type, etc.
We do not need all of these options. If I want Crit Damage, I don’t need additional Crit Damage on Imbued (Rogue). Just silly.
Transmorg only 1 stat per item? When you have 4 stats available and MOST gear RNG’s with max 2 valued stats the item is worthless. Not saying this shouldn’t exist, but RNG rate for 3/4 or 4/4 valued affix’s is trash.
Normal and Magic items are 100% worthless in this game. Unless they make them viable via Runeword-type system like in D2, normal and Magic items.
Gameplay (Not touching on balancing): Horse is a Fail. Could have been great, but nuances like mounting cooldown, stuck on pebbles, etc.
Cooldowns - Should NOT exist!!! I will use Rogue for examples, but apply to all classes.
*Imbuement - applies to two attacks and has X second cooldown. This should be a buff with a timer, not a cooldown, and apply to all attacks of CORE skills.
*Traps - should not have a cooldown. Limit to X traps at a time. Start with 1. Rank up to 2 Max. Use Gear stats to increase available traps at a time. (Similar to apply to Hydra on Sorc for example).
The ONLY skills that should have a cooldown is Ultimates. Period!
Resource generation…ugh…D2 gameplay is BiS, IMO. Add resource potions, in addition to stat affix’s to reduce resource cost. Basic Skills should generate SOME resources, but mainly be used as openers to BUFF Core skills. For example, Puncture is a ranged skill that slows and makes Vulnerable. PERFECT! Others…need some work.
CORE skills should be usable 100% of the time without weaving basics for resources - these are the skills that make our builds what they are. PERIOD.
Edit: NO SECRET COW LEVEL either…Huge disappointment.