Back in the early 2000s, when Diablo 2 was the new kid on the block, role-playing games were all about the grind. Players would spend countless hours pushing through levels and hunting for the most coveted loot. These days, things seem to have sped up, with a quicker pace offering more immediate rewards. David Brevik, co-creator of Diablo, isn’t sold on this shift in game design. He’s concerned that many RPGs have lost something valuable along the way.
When Diablo 2 debuted in 2000, it set a new benchmark for action-RPGs. Its captivating storytelling combined with strategic combat and immersive dungeon-crawling provided an experience so engaging that players are still drawn to it, even 25 years later. Brevik, who served as the lead programmer for the original Diablo and took on project and design lead roles for Diablo 2, suggests that the game’s lasting appeal is partly because newer releases have veered away from the deliberate pacing his team originally crafted.
“I think ARPGs, in general, have shifted towards this trend where you wipe out hordes of enemies incredibly quickly,” Brevik explains in an interview with VideoGamer. “Your character is plowing through everything on the screen, all for more drops and leveling up, but most of it is clutter you don’t even care about.”
This emphasis on rapid, all-encompassing destruction and instant gratification through waves of foes doesn’t resonate with him. He describes it as “kind of silly,” pointing out that the focus on early rewards distorts what he believes made Diablo so memorable. Revisiting the earlier titles, it’s evident the encounters were more spaced out, providing depth and meaning to each battle.
Brevik also observes a similar trend in MMORPGs. “How quickly can you level up? How fast can you eliminate everything? It’s all about speed,” he notes, commenting that these mechanics might cheapen the gaming experience, one he personally prefers to avoid.
While there’s logic in his perspective, modern experiences like Final Fantasy 14 offer a streamlined approach, which enhances accessibility. Getting players into the action faster can capture their interest early on, as battling monsters is often what they look forward to the most.
Yet, Brevik argues this approach could be diminishing the value of new PC games. “When you compress that journey and make it somewhat ridiculous, in my view, you’ve lessened the entire experience,” he points out.
Fortunately, gamers today can enjoy the best of both worlds. With Diablo 3 and 4 easily accessible and the 2021 remaster of Diablo 2 ensuring the classic is ready to play on modern systems, everyone can find something to enjoy.
On that note, if you’re curious about future updates, take a look at our Diablo 4 Season 8 guide to see when that might come around. Plus, if you’re hunting for something with a Diablo-esque feel, we have a rundown of the top games that might just be your next obsession.
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