From the PC version of Diablo II: Resurrected, in general, it is clear what to expect - the friv game was pulled up for computers visually, leaving the basic principles of keyboard control unchanged. But how does it feel on consoles? Did Vicarious Visions manage to adapt the remaster to gamepad control and did they lose sight of the fact that the console player is sitting at some distance from the screen? We've tested Diablo II on PS5, and we're ready to answer all your questions.
The Diablo series is no stranger to consoles. Even the very first part in 1998 visited the PlayStation, and was not only adapted for this platform, but also acquired features not available in the PC version - for example, local co-op for two.
Diablo III was also released on consoles, where it received some gameplay innovations (like the ability to tumble), a simplified interface and co-op on the same screen.
That, and Friv2Online obsession with perfecting its friv games, left no doubt that Diablo II: Resurrected on consoles would look great and play well. And so it happened, but there are still some nuances.
The first thing that catches your eye when you start the remaster on the console is a huge interface with large buttons. This is understandable: console gaming involves playing at a distance of one and a half to two meters from the TV, so you need to make the UI more readable. It turned out quite conveniently, and you do not have to squint to see the descriptions of items or the names of skills on the screen.
The Quick Access Toolbar has also been changed. On its left side, near the character's health indicator, the buttons for entering various menus have given way to commands that are assigned to the function keys of the gamepad. You can, for example, hang an active skill on a “triangle” and bring it to this panel for quick activation. For these commands, 12 cells are allocated, divided into groups of 6: the first is visible by default, the second appears when the left trigger is pressed.
If you hold down the left trigger and touchpad, you can switch between classic and modern graphics in Diablo II: Resurrected.
The menu key on the gamepad is responsible for accessing the inventory, quest log, character window, and so on. The touchpad key opens and hides the map, and if you hold it down, the map changes size and position - in the left or right corner or in full screen.
You can navigate between the menu tabs using the controller bumpers, and the cursor is controlled by the left stick - not the most convenient solution, but you can’t think of anything else, due to the nature of the gamepad. The cursor in the console version is quite slow and has little inertia, the stick is less accurate than the mouse, so misses happen during inventory management.
Another controversial detail is the need to hold down a key to perform a number of actions: when recognizing, selling and buying items, pumping characteristics and skills. If you like to accumulate points in dozens and then distribute them, you will have a hard time.
But in battles with control, everything is fine. Melee warriors furiously rush into the crowd of enemies and cut left and right, while ranged characters take out enemies with arrows and fireballs. Attacks are automatically aimed at monsters, and with proper skill, you can even fight those who hid behind the screen. Successful hits are given by the vibration of the gamepad.
All of the above is relevant for the open beta and the base difficulty of Diablo II: Resurrected. It is not yet known how comfortable the control layout will be in hardcore modes, where the requirements for precise control of the character increase many times over. However, the way the console version feels right now is encouraging, so you can expect it to get even more comfortable at release.