Skip to main content

Diablo III console review

diablo iiiconsole review 3 console screenshot 14
Diablo III console
“Diablo III is a decisive success in its highly anticipated console appearance, with smooth gamepad controls complementing the action-RPG play perfectly.”
Pros
  • Gamepad controls fit the play very well
  • Removal of the Auction House is a very good thing
  • Local co-op is a blast
Cons
  • Minimal tutorials create steep learning curve
  • Elements of the UI still embrace PC design philosophies
  • Losing sick loot to your thieving friends in local co-op

Diablo III doesn’t stumble onto consoles like so many sub-standard PC game ports before it. Blizzard’s work here shines. There’s even an argument that the definitive take on Diablo III is realized in its console release, a content-complete port that is bolstered by a combination of perfectly executed gamepad controls, a streamlined user interface, and a handful of experience-improving feature tweaks.

After more than a decade of mild-to-severe sequel anticipation, Diablo returned in 2012 with a forceful, re-energized take on the series’ click-and-hotkey-driven play. The new character classes, the spit-shined graphics, the ever-accumulating piles of loot… even after the extended absence, the old-school play and new-school look of Diablo III impressed us with its PC release. Read Ryan’s review for the full story on that.

Diablo III doesn’t stumble onto consoles like so many sub-standard PC game ports before it. Blizzard’s work here shines.

What’s changed so much on the console version, then? Very little, in terms of the actual gameplay. The story, the cutscenes, the locations, the monsters and bosses, the multiple playthroughs… everything. It’s all carried over directly from the earlier release, all the way up through the most recent patch updates. You can’t use your PC characters here, but you can enjoy the same post-release additions that they do now.

The only major feature removed for consoles is the widely criticized real money Auction House. The absence of a for-cash marketplace is a tremendous boon to Diablo III’s in-game economy. Loot drop rates, crafting prices, and a number of other moving parts have been tweaked to account for the shift in the economy. You’re seeing more rare loot on the ground as you play, and spending less in-game gold to create it yourself once you reach that point. The satisfaction of watching a fountain of loot issue forth from a defeated boss is never dulled.

Diablo-3-console-screenshot-6
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s more treasure to be had as well thanks to the new Master difficulty settings, which mirror the PC game’s Monster Power. In addition to Diablo III‘s Normal, Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno playthroughs – each of which unlocks after completing the preceding one – players can also set the difficulty, at Easy, Normal, Hard, and five levels of Master. Monsters don’t just get stronger at higher settings, they also offer bigger XP and gold/loot rewards.

Local co-op is another big win. You can set out with up to four players on one screen at the same time. There’s something immediately gratifying about charging into combat at your friends’ sides… or sneaking in to vulture a tasty piece of treasure out from under them. All loot in local co-op is shared on a first-come, first-serve basis, unlike the online game’s individualized drops. Couch multiplayer grinds when it comes to gear shuffling, since only one player can browse the character menu at a time. It’s nonetheless a tremendous addition to Diablo III if you like to quest with friends over a couple of beers.

The absence of a for-cash marketplace is a tremendous boon to Diablo III’s in-game economy.

The real gem of Diablo III on console, however, is the gamepad-friendly control scheme. Blizzard takes all four face buttons and three of the four shoulder buttons for skill mapping (the fourth shoulder is for health potions). As with the PC version, skills default into different categories, but players can turn on an “Elective Mode” to map any skill to any button. The learning curve for using a character’s abilities is what you make of it, literally.

In place of precision mouse clicks, Diablo III on consoles uses an auto-target feature to ensure that your attacks reach their intended destination. It’s surprisingly reliable, even when there’s a thick crowd on screen. More than that, the success of auto-targeting highlights Diablo III‘s combat focus on reactive improvisation over measured strategy. There’s also a handy new dodge maneuver mapped to the right stick. It’s especially useful with melee-centric brawlers like the Monk and the Barbarian, but everyone benefits from an easier scramble away from enemy fire.

The only really shortcoming to speak of is a somewhat schizophrenic approach to the design. While much of Diablo III is re-tooled to be more console-friendly, there are still elements that lean too strongly toward a PC development mindset. There’s no tutorial to give players a sense of how complex, investment-required systems like crafting work. It’s the same as it was on PC, of course, but ready access to wikis and the like isn’t as easy to manage on a console.

That said, this is a series that encourages experimentation. Diablo III‘s progression system speaks to that, with no cost attached to shuffling around the abilities and ability modifiers that you’ve already unlocked into new character builds. There’s considerably less hand-holding here than most console games tend to offer, but, at worst, the only penalty is a little gold to spend patching up your damaged gear.

All of these points add up to a legitimately better Diablo III on consoles that we’ve seen on PC. For fans of the series that are jumping platforms now, Blizzard’s assembled a useful FAQ that highlights what’s different. Despite any changes, you almost get the sense that the game was designed from the outset with a mind toward being console-friendly. Maybe that’s true. Whatever the case, this early salvo of the 2013 holiday season is a powerful one.

This game was reviewed on an Xbox 360 using a copy provided by Blizzard.

Highs

  • Gamepad controls fit the play very well
  • Removal of the Auction House is a very good thing
  • Local co-op is a blast

Lows

  • Minimal tutorials create steep learning curve
  • Elements of the UI still embrace PC design philosophies
  • Losing sick loot to your thieving friends in local co-op

Editors' Recommendations

Adam Rosenberg
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
The best weapons in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
A soldier standing in an armory.

To the layman, every gun in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 probably seems the same. They all shoot bullets, right? In reality, that couldn't be further from the truth. Even when you take player skill out of the equation, each gun has vastly different stats and applications that make some, even within their own category, just plain better choices for everyone. Each gun is broken down into various stats, including recoil, ADS speed, damage, and much more, which makes it hard to easily compare them. When you factor in just how many guns are available as you level up and keep unlocking more, the prospect of picking the best ones becomes overwhelming. If you're trying to build the ideal loadout to dominate the current meta, these are the best weapons in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for each weapon type.

We will detail the top picks per each class, and then list the rest in terms of how they rank.
Best assault rifles in MW3

Read more
Best Perk-a-Colas in Modern Warfare 3 zombies, ranked
A lineup of perk sodas from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Ever since perks were introduced to the series, they've been a staple in every game mode in Call of Duty. For Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, you can obviously pick your perks during multiplayer, but not so in Zombies. This mode has always made perks work slightly differently, using different names, but similar mechanics. This time around, the Perk-a-Colas have returned, and these cans of refreshing soda just so happen to give your character a massive improvement. You can grab one from a vending machine on the map in exchange for your points, but they don't come cheap. Since these perks last you the rest of the match (or until used for some of them), you will want to choose your flavor wisely. These are all nine Perk-a-Colas in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 ranked from best to worst.

It is important to note that the location where each perk machine spawns on the new Zombies map is random for every match. There's no way to know where any specific perk will be, but you can see where perk machines spawn on your map as indicated by a downward pointing arrow.

Read more
The best field upgrades for Modern Warfare 3 Zombies
A man holding a mysterious glowing vial.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode puts a slight twist on the mechanics you are already familiar with. It now plays much more like a souped-up DMZ mode rather than its old round-based format. And Field Upgrades have been modified in terms of both their effects and how you get them just for this game type. There are six different Field Upgrades you can bring into the map and use on a cooldown timer to help improve your chances of survival, but you can only pick one at a time. You will begin the game with only one option, but steadily unlock the rest as you level up. Once you have them all, the question then becomes which is the best Field Upgrade? We've managed to exfiltrate with the answer.

Healing Aura
Regardless of whether or not you're playing with a team or running solo, Healing Aura is no doubt the best Field Upgrade to bring on any Zombie run. When activated, you and any teammates in the area will not only gain immediate healing, but it will also instantly revive any downed teammates. The downside to all this power is that this upgrade has the slowest recharge time and is unlocked at level 19.
Aether Shroud
This is another upgrade that you will be glad to have. Aether Shroud makes you you temporary invisibile to all Zombies. This won't make you invincible, mind you, and PMCs can still take shots, but if you're getting swarmed and have no way to escape, becoming instantly invisible to a bloodthirsty pack of zombies can save your skin more often than you think. This upgrade has a medium recharge rate and is unlocked when you hit level 39.
Frenzied Guard
Just past the halfway mark, Frenzied Guard has a massive upside, but not without some risk. When you pop this Field Upgrade, you instantly repair all your armor, but also draw all the aggression of any enemy nearby for 10 seconds. However, another perk is that anything you kill during this time also repairs your armor, so situationally, it can be great or detrimental. This one recharges slowly, unlocking at level 9.
Frost Blast
Frost Blast does exactly what you expect: it fires a freezing blast that will slow down any enemy you hit with it and deal a bit of damage. It's decent in a pinch, but not a game-changer. You can get it when you hit level 29.
Tesla Storm
An odd ability on paper, Tesla Storm is only good if you have a team working together. Activating it will create a lightning chain between you and your team that will damage and stun enemies that get close to any one of you. It lasts for 10 seconds and can be great in the final moments while holding out for an extraction, but not in other situations. It recharges slowly and is the last upgrade you unlock at level 50.
Energy Mine
This is your default Field Upgrade, so it makes sense that it's the "worst" on the list. Energy Mine isn't exactly bad; you simply lay down a mine that does what a mine does -- explodes. It's just that setting up traps like this in Zombies isn't all that applicable except when kiting a boss around or waiting for the helicopter. It has a medium recharge speed.

Read more