On Nov. 1, Blizzard released a trailer for Diablo 4, and gamers everywhere probably had a shared sentiment regarding the next iteration of the series – that it will not continue the trend started in Diablo 3 of giving players fewer options compared to the previous game. One big change is the move to a more open-world design; as opposed to the hub system of previous Diablo games.
Another welcome change is a skill progression that resembles the one in Diablo 2. In addition to the return of the skill progression from Diablo 2, Blizzard also added a talent system that seems to resemble the skill progression in Diablo 3. Blizzard has also claimed the game will include areas that players will explore vertically (like a tower), but gameplay footage so far only shows small changes in elevation.
10 The Ability To Manually Zoom In And Out
During large fights in Diablo 4, the camera view zooms out to give players a better view of the battlefield. This zooming feature is a very welcomed addition, but why not give players the ability to manually adjust how much the camera is zoomed in or out?
This seems like it would be an easy change to make. It doesn’t need to be something the player can do on the fly; just make it an option that is adjusted in the settings menu. The ability to change the camera angle would be nice too, but this might be asking too much.
9 A More Robust Crafting System
The crafting system in Diablo 3 left a lot to be desired. There were only six types of gems with which to empower items, and other than weapons and helmets the power imbued to items was the same (per gem type).
Gone were the runes of Diablo 2 that gave more unique powers to the items they were attached to; however, gameplay footage of Diablo 4 does show some form of rune system for empowering items. A crafting system that is less “cookie-cutter” and allows players to craft/create items that are somewhat unique would be a very welcome change.
8 The Ability To Select A Race/Gender
One mainstay of the Diablo series is the ability to choose from an assortment of different classes. So far the classes Blizzard has revealed are the druid (which looks really fun), the barbarian, and the sorceress. There will almost certainly be a class that utilizes distance weapons, like the amazon from Diablo 2 and demon hunter from Diablo 3. W
hat fans still don’t have (apparently) is the ability to choose their player's race or gender. Now it’s true that the Diablo universe does not seem to have elves, dwarves, or other fantasy world races, but there are other humanoid races in the Diablo games. Some players would love the opportunity to play as a goat-man.
7 Residences
A stash box is nice, but how about letting players buy or earn a place of their own. The ability to own a residence could open-up several other gameplay options. There could be relics that remain at the character’s residence that give them bonuses. A good example of this feature would be the bobblehead figures in Fallout 3.
The town portal could open inside the character’s residence instead of opening in the middle of town. The player could also be given the option to expand or improve their residence; like the house-building system in Skyrim.
6 Slower Level-Up Progression
The leveling system in the first two Diablo games was just about right, but then Blizzard changed the system in Diablo 3 – and not for the better. Characters advanced in a level far too quickly in the third game; after only a few days of grinding a player could max-out the level of their character. This fast level advancement made getting new skills/abilities a bit less rewarding.
A player would just begin using a newly unlocked ability when another would become available. The level advancement should be slowed down a bit so players can appreciate the newer, stronger abilities when they become available.
5 Single-Player Offline Mode
According to Blizzard, Diablo 4 will not have a single-player offline mode. This decision will essentially make Diablo an MMORPG like World of Warcraft. This is a mistake on Blizzard’s part. The inclusion of an online cooperative mode is certainly expected and welcome, but why take away the option of playing the game off-line by yourself.
This decision will alienate many gamers who may not have a reliable internet connection, or simply don’t wish to play the game online. The Diablo games have always had a single-player offline mode, and Blizzard should continue this tradition and offer this option in Diablo 4.
4 Manual Saves
One major gripe players had about Diablo 3 was the removal of being able to manually save the game at any time; the only save feature was an autosave. The autosave should of course remain, but why not give players the option of being able to manually save their game if they wish. The manual save doesn’t have to be available at any time, maybe it could only be an option while the character is in town.
If Blizzard included the ability to own a residence the manual save could be tied to the character’s residence like in the Grand Theft Auto Games. It would be nice to be able to go back to an earlier version of your character if a mistake is made.
3 Light Radius
Another feature Blizzard removed in Diablo 3 was the light radius around a character. This needs to be brought back for Diablo 4. The gloom that surrounded a character in Diablo 1 and 2 was great at heightening the tension for the player and making them feel as if they were constantly surrounded by the malevolent forces of hell.
Instead of being able to see all the way to the edge of the screen, the player would instead only see dark, moving shapes at the screen’s periphery. Diablo 3 was way too bright – this really changed the atmosphere of the game.
2 Mana Potions
Many players would love to see mana potions be brought back to the Diablo series. Diablo 3 changed the “mana” system, and instead of potions to restore the energy that fueled certain attacks, there was a set of attacks that restored this energy. These attacks were incredibly weak and took too long to restore a character’s “mana”.
These restorative attacks should remain, but the mana potion needs to be brought back. Many times players would find themselves running from a group of enemies while waiting for their character’s energy to replenish. If necessary make mana potions rare and/or expensive, but please Blizzard, bring them back.
1 The Ability To Sprint
One feature that has never been in Diablo games, but seriously needs to be included, is the ability to have characters sprint – even if it is just for a few seconds at a time. This could be represented by a meter that goes down as the character sprints; like in Skyrim. The sprint ability could be linked to a character’s vitality score so that more athletic characters, like the barbarian, are able to sprint further.
This would allow players to close the distance between their character and the enemy without using a skill that costs energy. It would also allow players to more effectively run from enemies; who in Diablo 3 were able to move nearly as fast as the player-characters.