Diablo II Resurrected Review: Is It Worth It?

Back in the day, I used to play Diablo 2 and the expansion a lot. It was my main game until World of Warcraft was released. This year, I added Diablo and Diablo 2 Remastered to my collection, as they were on sale on Battle.net during the summer.

Here are my first impressions of the game (so far).

Unboxing Diablo II: Resurrected: More Than Just a Remaster

If you long to come back to Sanctuary and journey toward max level, this is a new opportunity. You gain your copy of a remastered Diablo II, but that is not all.  As a bonus, the expansion Lord of Destruction is included with the purchase of Diablo II: Resurrected. This is nice since you would otherwise have to buy the expansion separately (again).

Beyond the Visuals: What’s New Under the Hood?

The original version of Diablo II was released in 2000; the expansion Lord of Destruction was released in 2001. The remastered version of the game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on September 23, 2021.

A new version of Battle.net was released, but the multiplayer options don’t stop there. According to this article, the latest version of the game was available on consoles from day one. No waiting, and no need to choose only one platform for the game. Even more interesting is that you can access your save from any platform you choose to play on.

When creating a character, you can choose to create a pre-expansion version if you so desire. And Blizzard kept that ability for players to choose if they wish to play with legacy or updated graphics.

There have been more changes made; you can customize your UI more now than you could in the original version of the game. One example is that you can now toggle item names and comparisons on and off, and even move the Automap around.

Resurrected vs. Original: The Core Changes

The remastered version updated the original game graphics as well as improved network functions, but it didn’t change anything regarding the item systems or game balance. In Resurrected, the 3D models were upgraded, and you can change between legacy and upgraded visuals using a button.

The cutscenes have been remastered, and in Resurrected, you have support for 4K graphics as well as 7.1 Dolby Surround sound. The game now both looks and sounds better than ever!

In Diablo II Resurrected, players can respec their talents. This was not part of the original game, at least not before patch 1.13. After this patch, players could reset their talents once for each difficulty of the game. The same is true in Diablo II Resurrected after you’ve completed the ”Den of Evil” quest in Act 1.

At the character creation screen, you have the option to toggle legacy graphics. If you need to see just how much of a remaster this is, just toggle this on for a second.

Hell Has Never Looked or Sounded Better!

The texture updates are obvious and one of the first things you’ll notice. I love that they’ve made updated graphics to a game many of us used to love and play extensively. The game feels incredibly fluid now, with higher frame rates making character movement and combat feel far more responsive.

When I first started, I thought something was different about the audio. I wasn’t sure if I just remembered things sounding differently. Turns out the official notes confirmed my suspicion – the iconic sound effects and ambient tracks have been masterfully re-recorded/remastered, adding incredible depth and atmosphere. Sometimes that first gut reaction is spot on!

Quality of Life Updates

Apart from the updated graphics and audio, I also noticed some minor, quality-of-life changes:

• Shared tab in your stash
• Minor colour changes
• Shared tabs in the stash – no need to create mule characters anymore!
• Automatic gold pickup – No more endless clicking for single gold piles – you can now simply run over gold to automatically pick it up, saving your fingers (and your sanity)!

Beyond the stunning visual overhaul, Diablo II: Resurrected truly shines with its quality-of-life improvements that make the grind much more enjoyable. Perhaps the most celebrated addition is the shared tabs in the stash. For veterans, this means no more logging on and off multiple “mule” characters, or worse, relying on a trusted friend to hold items while you frantically swap characters to transfer gear. The terror of items being stolen during a game without a password was a real fear. But now, those days are thankfully behind us!

Another small but impactful change is the automatic gold pickup. No longer do you need to painstakingly click on every single gold pile, even the meager ‘1 gold’ drops. Just run over it, and it’s yours – a true godsend for marathon farming sessions. And don’t worry, if you still click to pick up your gold, you’re not alone! Old habits die hard – demons don’t!

Dance Party in Sanctuary?

When you play, you sometimes notice things that are more on the fun side, but which may not be of much value (or hindrance). One such thing is glitchy animations.

If you hold Shift, your character stands still. This is by design and useful for ranged characters. However, if you do this and have several enemies in close combat, you may get some interesting visual glitches where your character moves more and twitches than actually using his or her weapons against the enemy. While not the biggest thing to worry about, it is funny to watch. Just make sure to stab, shoot, or cast spells when you need to!

Is Diablo II Resurrected Worth Buying?

Moment of truth: Is it worth buying Diablo II Resurrected? Yes and no.

If you’re a veteran player craving that potent dose of nostalgia wrapped in a beautiful, modern package, especially if you can snag it on sale, then absolutely, Diablo II: Resurrected is a resounding ‘yes! However, for those completely new to the Diablo II experience, be prepared for a game that retains its original, often unforgiving mechanics. If the idea of endless monster slaying, variable drop rates, and significant time investment for powerful gear doesn’t appeal, or if you prefer more modern ARPG conveniences, then Resurrected might not be the best entry point.

Diablo II used to be huge, but it was long ago, and the people playing nowadays are most likely returning players and not new players. The days of auction and trade scamming are (hopefully) over, but this doesn’t mean the threats of Sanctuary aren’t as bad and beautiful as they’ve ever been.

Ready for a dose of nostalgic hack-and-slash action? Looking for treasure and exploring tombs? Give the updated version of Diablo II a try! Be warned, it may still consume you in an all too familiar way!

What were your first impressions of Diablo II: Resurrected? Share your thoughts in the comments below!