Format: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Release Date: 8/19/14
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Developer: Blizzard
Price: $59.99
ESRB Rating: M
After pouring countless hours into Diablo 3 and Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls on PC, I told myself I was finished with Diablo 3 for a while. But with the release of Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition on consoles, I have once again fallen in love with the dungeon-crawling action and endless loot that Diablo 3 offers. Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is an excellent game that offers an addicting experience for both new players and returning players.
Presentation: Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition looks great on consoles, particularly on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Playing on a television as opposed to a PC allowed me to notice little details I hadn't seen before in the areas throughout Diablo 3. Players can appreciate the aesthetics of their characters more because they are bigger on the screen. The game runs smoothly on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game didn't slow down and the frame rate stayed consistent when there were a large number of enemies on the screen at once. The game has the beautiful cutscenes Blizzard is famous for. The soundtrack in Diablo 3 sounds strong on consoles. It's subtle and intense enough to fit the premise of the game. I rarely actually heard the soundtrack on PC for some reason, but I can hear it well in the Ultimate Evil Edition, which is nice to know.
- Dem visuals, though.
Story: The story remains unchanged in Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition; stop the prime evils from taking over the world and creating chaos. Included in the Ultimate Evil Edition is the expansion, which includes the fifth act of the game, though not much for the story has improved. Unfortunately the characters seem hollow and dull and the plot is not anything worth remembering. Malthael has the potential as an interesting antagonist, but the story is not the main focus of Diablo 3.
- Badass
Gameplay: The gameplay in Diablo 3 is fluid. There are six different characters, including the crusader for the first time on consoles, and each character has a wide variety of skills to choose from, which can lead to different builds among players. The Diablo series is known for its randomly generated loot and the dungeons that players can explore over and over again Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is no different. The loot players will get in Diablo 3 pertains to the character they use. For example, Barbarians will get gear with strength based stats and Witch Doctors will get gear with intelligence based stats. Finding the next legendary, or super powerful item from a monster or an elite pack of monsters, is what makes it worth playing through areas over and over again.
Ultimate Evil Edition Features: Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition comes with a number of features - features that are new to the console version. Like previously mentioned, included is the Reaper of Souls expansion, which includes the Crusader character. Also new is the Apprentice Mode, which is aimed for lower level characters quickly gaining levels and loot. Players will group together, primarily with a high level character. Lower level characters will gain stat boosts for the duration of the multiplayer game. Nemesis Mode is where a monster who kills a friend in one game can enter your game, stronger than before and players have the opportunity to avenge the fallen ally. Co-op: Playing local co-op on consoles is more fun than playing on PC. Everyone remains on the same screen and when one person moves, everyone moves. Players can't run off and attract unwanted monsters. Online multiplayer does not have the same benefit, though. Entering a lobby with friends online is a breeze and you can gift items to friends with the mailbox feature, which is located next to the player's stash. I have some minor gripes with Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition and these do not hurt the experience in a major way. If an item is close to an entrance, sometimes I will exit the area rather than picking the item up and I will have to go back into the area to get the item. In local co-op, only one person at a time can access their inventory, the shops and the blacksmith. Other players will have to wait for the player to finish so they can access the aforementioned inventory, blacksmith and shops. Verdict: Chock-full of content, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is a strong version of Diablo 3 on consoles. With pretty visuals, an addicting loot system, fluid gameplay and convenient co-op, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is a must own for new players and experienced Diablo fans. It could have had a better story with more complex characters, but the story is not the primary focus. 9/10 +Great visuals +Fluid gameplay and addicting loot +Diverse playable characters -A forgettable story