Diablo 2: Resurrected has finally released, bringing the classic title to modern gaming hardware with entirely new graphics and updated gameplay. The game has been very well received by fans of the original and new players checking it out for the first time. Diablo 2: Resurrected also bundles together the base game with both of its expansions, making it a perfect way for new players to see everything that Blizzard's classic action RPG has to offer. However, all of the options that Diablo 2: Resurrected offers players can be a bit overwhelming for newer players.
The first decision that players have to make when booting up Diablo 2: Resurrected is which class they wish to play. Classes play a very big role in Diablo 2: Resurrected, with each one being able to be built in a variety of ways that determine what gear, abilities, and playstyle players will experience throughout their playthrough. What classes players pick will also play a big role when they play multiplayer, as groups will want to coordinate their characters to be as effective together as possible, particularly when tackling the game's harder difficulties. Thankfully, there is a class for every type of Diablo 2: Resurrected player and a couple are much easier for newcomers to get their feet wet with.
The Classes in Diablo 2: Resurrected
There are seven total classes in Diablo 2: Resurrected including the Amazon, Barbarian, Sorceress, Druid, Necromancer, Assassin, and Paladin. Every class in Diablo 2: Resurrected plays a bit differently, but they tend to fill a number of different roles based on how players build them. Classes can focus on either melee or ranged attacks while dealing either melee or magical damage through their attacks and abilities. Using their abilities classes tend to perform some mix of dealing damage, tanking, healing, summoning creatures, or controlling the hordes of enemies that players face off against throughout the game.
Each class offers players a variety of different ways to approach each of the aspects that they incorporate whether it be deciding between more direct damage or more area-of-effect abilities or choosing between healing oneself and other players. This gives players a lot of variety and choice in how they play the game while also making each class feel complicated and varied enough to play in enough different ways to help it feel as though there are more than just the seven classes in the game. This is one of the strongest aspects of Diablo 2: Resurrected and helps two particular classes stick out as the best for newcomers to check out.
The Melee Class for Newcomers
As far as melee classes go in Diablo 2: Resurrected, the Barbarian is the perfect class for newcomers. Not only can it take an incredible amount of damage, but it also is extremely capable on the battlefield without having to worry too much about balancing abilities, relying on specific pieces of equipment, or having to pay too much attention to positioning or other elements of the game. Diablo 2: Resurrected's Whirlwind Barbarian build is particularly well-suited for newcomers as it rewards players for being aggressive and allows them to experiment with different types of equipment while still remaining effective in large crowds.
Another great aspect of the Barbarian is that new players who start getting a hold of the game as they play can still enjoy the relatively high skill ceiling that the Barbarian offers. Once players feel more comfortable in Diablo 2: Resurrected the Barbarian can be customized with a variety of more situational abilities to use as well as numerous pieces of gear to mix things up as well. Barbarian players can also mix up their playstyle quite a bit in Diablo 2: Resurrected with different runewords, allowing them to explore the game more and experiment later on in their playthrough. This makes the Barbarian a great option for players who don't want things to be too difficult when they start the game but want the option to see more of what Diablo 2: Resurrected has to offer later on as well.
The Casting Class for Newcomers
For new players who really want to check out casting classes in Diablo 2: Resurrected they need to look no further than the powerful Sorceress. The Sorceress requires players to stay at a range to take advantage of their abilities and stay out of trouble and features three trees of skills and abilities that each focus on a different elemental type. Players can follow builds like Diablo 2: Resurrected's lightning Sorceress if they want to be specialized, otherwise, they can also mix the three trees together to have a bit more variety. This makes the Sorceress a great starting caster class as it lets players see the variety offered by other casters without overwhelming them or requiring a more specific playstyle.
This is particularly because the Sorceress does not include the summoning options that Necromancers or Druids offer while also not leaving the door open for melee or tank builds, the abilities of which can be wasted or lead builds astray if they aren't incorporated properly. Despite lacking those options, the Sorceress in Diablo 2: Resurrected still has plenty of options for players to experiment with; it's a very capable damage dealing class that will fit well into any party composition in multiplayer and that can grow well into an endgame build later on.
It is great to see so many new players checking out Diablo 2: Resurrected, and it will be very interesting to see where the game goes with its post-launch support as well. Hopefully, the developers are able to address the few technical issues that players have been experiencing since launch so that fans can get to Diablo 2: Resurrected's endgame and continue enjoying it. It will also be very interesting to see what possible impacts the game's reception has on Diablo 4 when that eventually releases, so hopefully, new players now will want to check out the sequel in the future as well.
Diablo 2: Resurrected is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.