Right before the beginning of the early access period for Diablo 4 began, the game generated a bit of controversy thanks to the race to level 100 incentivized by the developers. The first 1000 players to hit level 100 in Hardcore mode playing Diablo 4 solo will be immortalized in-game on a statue of Lilith. With the first players now having crossed the threshold, it appears that the race will be heating up as players hope to earn a spot in gaming history. But rushing to Diablo 4's finish line means missing out on one of the game's best elements—its story.
The Diablo franchise has always had interesting lore that players can dig through if they choose to, but most fans will focus on the moment-to-moment gameplay and addictive loop of slaying enemies, acquiring powerful loot, and taking on more powerful enemies. As a result, the stories of Diablo games have largely been told through in-game lore and cutscenes, almost becoming an afterthought. Diablo 4 changes this by featuring some extremely compelling side quests and NPC interactions that, while completely optional, should not be missed.
Diablo 4's Story Is a Series Highlight
When looking back at the Diablo series in its entirety, it's clear that Diablo 4's story has the greatest production value behind it compared to other installment narratives. Even if players may prefer the actual lore and story of another game in the franchise, the inclusion of fully-voiced dialogue and more nuanced NPC interaction immediately sets Diablo 4 apart from its predecessors. Arguably, the main factor that places Diablo 4's story at the top of the pile is its use of a compelling villain in the form of Lilith.
Whereas each game in the Diablo franchise has a clearly-defined villain, it hasn't been until now that players have been given a peek behind the curtain at their motivations and personalities. The story of Diablo 4 and what players learn about Lilith and her plans for Sanctuary help to give motivation to the antagonist outside the typical "bring Hell to Earth" storyline found in past games. Diablo 2's story was famously a huge leap forward from the original game, and Diablo 4 has done the same by not just one-upping its predecessor, but the series as a whole.
As is typically the case with great RPGs, the side quests are often where some of the best writing and character interactions can be found in the world of Sanctuary. While the quests themselves aren't typically that interesting (indeed, lots of fetch quests and "go here, kill that" activities) the conversations that the player can have with quest-givers and the impact of actions and choices made during the quests are. One early quest that was also accessible during Diablo 4's beta periods features a storyline that is equal parts harrowing and heartbreaking, seemingly referencing the legendary horror film Hellraiser.
Rushing to finish Diablo 4's story in record time to then plow through the endgame activities in hopes of reaching level 100 diminishes the work that the developer has put into making the game's content engaging. While the main gameplay loop of Diablo 4 dictates that players should be getting their fill of action, it's important to not forget the "RPG" portion of ARPG and take into account the many compelling distractions that are available in the world of Sanctuary. One of the game's best features is its unexpected interactions and side quests that are tucked carefully into well-timed detours from progress, and missing out on these in hopes of being the first to max out a character misses the forest for the trees.
Diablo 4 is available now in early access with its full launch coming June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.