Release Date: 2001-06-27
Developer/Publisher: Blizzard North / Blizzard
Genres: Role-Playing
Platforms: PC Games
Most expansion packs are released when the core game's popularity is
beginning to wane, but that's not really the case with Diablo II: Lord
of Destruction. In the time since it was released a full year ago,
Diablo II has proven to have a very enduring appeal. Players have
continued to pit their characters against the collective forces of hell
and debate among themselves about which of the five original character
classes is the mightiest. If interest in Diablo II has waned at all
since last year, then Lord of Destruction will certainly rekindle it.
This official expansion introduces two powerful new character classes
and scores of other new features and enhancements that all serve not
only to bolster the surprising longevity of Diablo II, but also to
improve on virtually every aspect of the game.
The most obvious addition in Lord of Destruction is the option to
choose from two brand-new character classes, bringing the total number
of playable classes in Diablo II to seven. The original classes offered
rather diverse play experiences, so you might be skeptical as to
whether the expansion classes, the assassin and the druid, would be
sufficiently different from the others. Fortunately, they definitely
are. In fact, not only are these two classes notably different both
from one another and from the other characters, but they're also quite
powerful and provide a lot of different tactical options.
Some of the other changes in Lord of Destruction affect the game's
interface and how it plays. All these changes are for the better. You
can now access an onscreen minimap instead of Diablo II's full-screen
map overlay, and it doesn't clutter your view as much and is generally
easier to look at. There are now convenient hotkeys for buying multiple
types of common items, such as health potions, and for quickly dropping
health potions into your belt for easy access in battle. The game also
gives you access to eight additional skill hotkeys, so you can have as
many as 16 different character skills mapped to your keyboard. Another
very significant interface change lies in the fact that each character
can now readily switch between two completely different sets of
equipment in his or her hands. For instance, a barbarian might use two
swords in most situations, but he can now switch to a more-powerful
two-handed polearm with the touch of a keyboard hotkey. This new
ability creates a major tactical advantage in many situations, just as
it gives the game more depth of play.
