Diablo IV is a dark fantasy action RPG that sends you into the war-torn world of Sanctuary. Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One, it officially released on June 5, 2023. This installment stands out for its gritty atmosphere, open-world exploration, and class-driven combat that keeps both series veterans and newcomers occupied for weeks.
Did we end up loving Diablo IV overall, or were the drawbacks too big to ignore? Read on and find out.
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Quick Facts About Diablo IV
| Developer/Publisher | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Platforms you can play it on | PC, PS5/4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One |
| Release date | June 5, 2023 |
| Genre/Mode | Action role-playing, hack and slash/Multiplayer |
| ESRB/PEGI | M for Mature 17+/PEGI 16 |
| Price | 49,99€ |
Story & Setting in Diablo IV
Diablo IV’s premise is simple enough: evil is back in full force, and Sanctuary is once again the unlucky battleground. Without going into spoiler territory, let’s just say Lilith, the Daughter of Hatred, takes center stage, and her presence alone sets a darker, more personal tone than past entries.
The world-building here is top notch. Sanctuary feels alive, as alive as a cursed, demon-infested landscape can be. Each region is filled with stuff, from snow-choked mountain passes to desolate deserts and blood-soaked ruins.
Bits of lore are put into side quests, NPC dialogue, and even the environment itself, rewarding you for slowing down and paying attention.
I was completely hooked on the story and really immersed in it, so you can imagine my devastation when I went to continue the main quest… and it was nowhere to be found. That’s when I realized I had somehow skipped it entirely. To this day, I still don’t know how I managed to do that.
First 60 Minutes With Diablo IV
My first 60 minutes in Diablo IV could be described as nothing short of awe. Those cinematics at the start just blew me away and I didn’t expect that at all. It left a good impression on me that I still remember it vividly.
Once you recover from that masterpiece of an opening, you’ll be carving through enemies while piecing together what kind of nightmare you’ve walked into.The world design really hits in these first 60 minutes. Snowy paths, abandoned villages, and creepy underground tunnels make it clear this isn’t a colorful fantasy world. It’s dark and filled with things that want you dead.
All of that was enough to get me really hooked and I just couldn’t stop.
Diablo IV Gameplay & Mechanics
When you first dive into Diablo IV, it’s clear that the heart of the game lies in its gameplay loop like fighting hordes of enemies, collecting loot, and slowly shaping your character into a powerhouse. But Diablo IV gameplay is more complex than people give it credit for. I’ll try to talk about it as much as I can before stepping into madness.
Classes
Diablo IV features 6 distinctive classes with 1 being part of expansion that has to be bought. Those classes are Barbarian, Sorcerer, Rogue, Necromancer, Druid, and Spiritborn. Each class can be built in so many ways that you’ll have your hands full if you intend on trying them all. My current favorite class to play is Necromancer. It’s just so fun watching my army decimate anything that appears on the map. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend trying it. Especially if you feel like playing it on a chill, relaxing, and no hassle mode.
Player Progression – Skills, Loot, and Endless Builds
Progression in Diablo IV is all about freedom and experimentation. Every class has a huge skill tree that lets you choose your own playstyle, whether that’s a tanky melee brawler, a glass-cannon mage, or something in between. Loot plays just as big a role, new weapons and gear drop constantly, and you’ll often find yourself tweaking your build after a single upgrade. Then there’s the Paragon system, which unlocks after the main leveling curve and gives hardcore players even more room to fine-tune their characters. It’s the kind of system that rewards tinkering, and for players who love theory-crafting and chasing the perfect setup, there’s a ton of depth here. I’m not even willing to say the amount of time I spent working on my characters.
Combat – Fast, Brutal, and Addictive
As far as the combat goes for video games, Diablo’s combat is nothing short of addictive. It’s fun, flashy, filled with action, and as you progress deeper into the game, it gets more challenging. I had such a hard time adjusting to it. In a sense, I hop on to play just for a few moments because I was literally craving it and the next moment, it’s already time for sleep. It got to a point where I was justifying that if I stay 30 minutes longer, I’ll be fine with sleeping less than I need to.
Exploration & World Design
Each region has its own look and atmosphere, from snow-covered peaks to rotten swamps, and the level of detail makes wandering around feel rewarding in itself. You’ll run into random events, hidden dungeons, and even other players, which gives the world a sense of being alive instead of just a backdrop for grinding.
Multiplayer & Online Features
Diablo IV leans heavily into its always-online setup, which makes Sanctuary feel like a shared world instead of a lonely grind. You’ll bump into other players out in the wild, team up for world events, or join forces to take down massive world bosses that would be impossible solo. The MMO-style hubs give the game a social layer, but it doesn’t force you into groups. If you prefer running solo, you can still do pretty much everything. It strikes a nice balance between being an ARPG and having just enough MMO flavor to keep things interesting.
Controls & Interface – Smooth but Not Perfect
I’ve been playing Diablo on a PS5 and while I understand that navigating on a Playstation is harder than on a PC, I didn’t have any major issues. Getting into and out of the party sure takes more than a second but is it a big deal? I don’t think so. Inventory management can get messy when loot starts piling up, and switching between menus sometimes feels slower than it should. It’s not game-breaking by any means.
Replayability
If you didn’t figure it out by now, the replayability of Diablo IV is extremely high. Multiple classes that can be built all kinds of ways combined with seasonal content where you’ll have to start with a new character equals to an endless content. It all depends on how much of your time you want to invest.
The endgame grind is built around Nightmare Dungeons, Helltide events, and Paragon progression, which means you’re rarely short on challenges once the story’s done.
That said, if you’re not the type who enjoys chasing better gear or min-maxing builds, the loop might feel repetitive after a while. That’s definitely not me, I love chasing better, shinier, and improved gear.
Graphics, Art & Sound
Diablo IV has a dark and realistic look that really sells the tone of the game. The world feels harsh and unsettling, with ruined villages, creepy dungeons, and landscapes that look like they’ve been torn apart by endless wars. It doesn’t try to be colorful or over the top.
Performance-wise, Diablo IV runs smoothly across platforms, hitting 60 FPS on consoles and scaling well on PC. Load times are impressively short, which keeps dungeon-hopping not a hassle .
On the audio side, the game absolutely nails it. The soundtrack sets the mood perfectly, with quiet, eerie tracks when you’re exploring and heavier music that kicks in during big fights. Voice acting is solid too.
Monetization & Microtransactions
Diablo IV isn’t free-to-play, so you’re already paying upfront to get in. On top of that, Blizzard added a seasonal battle pass and an in-game shop filled mostly with cosmetics like armor sets, mounts, and other visual upgrades.
The good news? Nothing here is pay-to-win. You can’t buy power or gear that gives you an edge, so it’s really down to whether you care about how your character looks. That said, the pricing of some cosmetics has raised eyebrows, many players feel they’re just too expensive for what you’re getting. The core game experience stays intact nonetheless.
Oh I almost forgot, the expansion is also not free. So there’s that too.
Diablo IV Pros & Cons
Diablo IV is type of game that I have a lot of opinions about and in case if you still feel unsure about it, here are pros and cons when it comes to Diablo IV:
Pros:
- Combat feels impactful – every hit and spell has weight, making fights fun and satisfying.
- Massive open world – exploration actually feels rewarding with events, dungeons, and bosses everywhere. There’s always something to do.
- Endless replayability – multiple classes, builds, and seasonal content keep the grind fresh.
Cons:
- Always-online requirement – server hiccups and disconnects can ruin the flow, even in solo play.
- Some grindy progression – loot hunting and endgame can feel repetitive if you’re not into the loop.
- UI & inventory clutter – menus can feel clunky compared to other action RPGs. It takes a while getting used to everything but even then it can be too much sometimes.
- Battle Pass — some players feel that it’s underwhelming, the pressure of daily/weekly challenges is a turn-off, and just a greedy cash grab. But at the end of day it’s just skins, no harm in that. Just don’t buy it.
Final Verdict
Diablo IV is a game built for anyone who loves the thrill of slashing through hordes of enemies, chasing loot, and experimenting with builds. Hardcore ARPG fans will find plenty of depth in the endgame systems, while casual players can still enjoy the story campaign and explore Sanctuary at their own pace.
In terms of value, it’s a strong package. The campaign alone gives you a lot of hours, and the seasonal updates, world bosses, and build variety mean replayability is practically endless. Yes, the always-online requirement and occasional grindy patches hold it back, but it never stops being fun to dive back in “just for one more dungeon.”
Final Rating: 9.5/10 🌟
FAQs
Diablo IV is available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. There’s no offline mode, the game is always online, even in solo play.
Not at all. While returning players will notice lore connections, Diablo IV is designed to be accessible to newcomers with a standalone story and intuitive mechanics.
You can definitely play solo, which I did most of the time, but the game features shared-world events, world bosses, and PvP zones that are more fun (and sometimes easier) with friends.
There are five playable classes at launch, each with unique skills. Between skill trees, loot, and seasonal content, replaying with different builds keeps the game fresh.
Yes, Diablo IV has cosmetic microtransactions and a seasonal Battle Pass, but there aren’t any items that can help you get ahead of others.
Absolutely, if you love dark action RPGs, deep combat, and open-world exploration. It has its flaws, like occasional server lags and some grindy progression, but the atmosphere, replayability, and class variety make it worth your time.
Focus on completing main story quests, side events, and dungeons. Grouping for world bosses and taking advantage of experience-boosting items or seasonal events can also speed up leveling.
Endgame revolves around Nightmare Dungeons, Helltide events, Paragon boards, and seasonal content. These provide high-level challenges, loot optimization, and replayability once the campaign is finished.
No, Diablo IV is always-online, even in solo mode. This allows for shared-world events and multiplayer features but means you need a stable internet connection.
Pavle is the founder of PlayForge and its lead writer and reviewer, covering PC, PS5, and mobile games, a with a focus on RPGs, MMOs, FPS games, and more. He’s been gaming since the PS2 days and now writes in-depth reviews and guides to help players find their next obsession and get gaming insights from real players, not just critics. His reviews are honest and transparent, but he always tries to stay positive, because in his opinion, almost any game can be fun if you look at it the right way.
In his free time, he likes to (obviously) play more games, spend time with his family, theorycraft about various media with his wife, and watch anime. So yes, he’s a complete nerd, even if he’ll never admit it.