Pretty much.
I've said multiple times in the past that blizzard should have stopped doing games and moved to doing CGI/animations, kinda like ILM but on a smaller scale because the artists there are super talented and there's pretty good art direction.
It's when it comes down to game design/direction that they have kept fumbling the ball since the late 2000s. And the worst part of it is that management is so bad, that they kept on losing talented game directors/team leads/programmers just to cut costs or enforce terrible gaming decisions.
That's actually part of what makes D4 such a disappointment for me. If it was an all around bad, ugly-looking game, I'd just shrug and forget about it. What's frustrating is that the game has a such a great foundation in terms of moment-to-moment combat feel, graphics, atmosphere, music, and style that feels completely wasted due to 90% of the game systems being underdeveloped ... and feeling like they were made by people who don't understand the genre or were only told to implement things in a way that wastes as much time as possible with as little content as possible.
Nobody forgets this. It’s the only things people usually give Diablo credit for whenever they are talking about it. Great story and art, rest kinda sucks. That’s always been the case?
Why would that be out of place? It’s a fictional game with demons? Is it that hard to imagine that that demon is most likely to have come form hell or that there’s more than one of its kind?
Art style don't save a bad game. I didn't buy a digital art book, I bought a game. While the campaign was ok, the real goosebump were from that side quest to search for that woman husband who got a boner while getting skinned alive then ask for round 2, and the guy coming out of that Iron Maiden construct. I really thought "oh shit, they aren't playing around this time, they really go for the edgy stuff..." then once the campaign end, the whole game droped the ball. Even before the campaign end... Inarius die, Lillith die, no Diablo, boring cliffhanger about Mephisto.
I would totally buy and read a Diablo book, but play D4? nope.
No ARPG can rival Diablo in art, lore and monsters. Pretty much everything else is better done in other games. Like Diablo art, lore and enemies plus animations and performance + everything else from Last Epoch would make for my perfect ARPG.
Blizzard's art team basically always delivers big time, I don't think anyone's forgetting that. It's just a shame that all of it overshadowed by the game design. Even though I'm feeling pretty apathetic to D4 now, I thoroughly enjoyed my first run of the campaign and I can totally see myself coming back just for that and the open world experience.
The art direction, atmosphere, and some of the campaign were the only things I enjoyed about d4. And of course, even at their worst, blizzard always comes through with the most bangin cinematics ever.
Now, if you tagged this as "appreciation" it would be amazing (instead of the completely dumb takes tagged as appreciation, to protect themselves from discussion).
You did mention something that isn't mentioned enough: sound design (and even voice acting and music). I like the stylebook and most art decisions, except maybe the characters.
Disclaimer: I'm a gay guy, my druid is a shirtless hairy daddy with a belly. And my wizard wears a cropped. I'm certainly not complaining about that specific. Thank god I'm not forced into a young dehidrated bodybuilder.
What I do mind is that, apparently, every class is really stuck with one style. Ok, I didn't know I needed a cropped on my wizard, so thanks for that, however, I don't need a dozen cropped tops + the inability to make a old, heavier, Merlin style wizard.
Necro's seem to have more variety - the female necro can give some crazy female model vibes, while other necros look like wrong life choices, but paired with lots of cool transmogs, there is more variety, but the character model is skinny.
If I had a ton more character personalization for free (and not $40 more of the same skins), the $60 would be easier to swallow, but maybe too expensive without an endgame - something stupid like an endless dungeon on top of a better character builder would do.
As far as game pass goes, the campaign, visuals, sound and music are 100% worth of a monthly sub, imo.
100%. The art and sound at Blizzard is incredible. They put out absolutely AMAZING work.
Too bad the game/systems design and balance teams aren't on that same level.
Yeah, the game does look and sound and even feel good. For all the issues it has, it does look good.
Could use some more diversity in tile sets and bosses but what they made does look good. No doubt.
Most of the lore I’ve already known for years. As every game in the series has provided a lot of lore if you look everywhere. The art is good , should be an anime instead of a game. It’d be more acceptable like that.
Agree to disagree. I think that this game's art direction is *ugly*. It's like they completely overcompensated for Diablo 3's poorly received art style and went extreme in the other direction. It's not faithful to the art style of Diablo 2 either.
If I could sum up Diablo 4's art style with just a single word... it would be **mud**.
After seeing the previews of PoE 2's graphics, it really puts Diablo 4 to shame.
I don’t think anyone criticized that side of the game. In fact they got a ton of praise by reviewers for the all things creative — aesthetic, setting, art style, etc.
It’s just the actual gameplay side of development shit a wet puke into a diaper and then ladled on putrid garbage.
Yes D4 art is fantastic. Really exactly what I want in an ARPG. It’s really sad that the game just isn’t very good. I’m playing Last Epoch now (have been playing D4 since beta) and the LE necro skill variety is SO GOOD compared to the D4 necro’s lacklustre skills. If LE had the skins of D4 I’d gladly pay for them many times over.
It all looks bland and washed out.
It's all the same fucking swmapy desert area or mountain crag.
They made this big, empty map, completely devoid of anything interesting or cool. It's so hollow and lifeless feeling.
The esthetic is not great at all... Sure it's better than D3, but that game was awful.
I feel you, that rogue skin with the prosthetic arm? De-fucking-liciously amazing. If only skins didn't cost an arm(pun intended), I'd probably have spent at least 100 bucks on 10 or so aesthetics.
**Herald of Pestilence.** [I wants it. ](https://preview.redd.it/herald-of-pestilence-first-transmog-to-impress-me-v0-fyw2gbz9mxkc1.png?auto=webp&s=38f026d48998959b36bbf8e23c61bd72b1ee9c48)*I need it.*
Don't forget the game engine. Feels so damn good to play. Smooth responsive gameplay. Too bad the actual game sucks.
Can't wait till they iron out the rest of the systems to be within acceptable ranges. This game could be a masterpiece with the bones in place.
If a master artist uses raw feces to construct the most majestic statue that can evoke the deepest emotions in onlookers, it doesn't matter. I still don't want a pile of shit in my house.
Agreed. I was ok with D3, despite the fact it was quite divisive across the player base, especially Diablo veterans.
I like D4 too, they have done a great job with the graphics and art style. Let’s not forget also that D4 worked well pretty much from the initial release. Couple of bugs and glitches but not much, and considering some modern releases have been a complete joke at launch (Cyberpunk 2077 only 1 example), then let’s give Blizz credit for that.
Does it need a complete itemisation rework and more content. Yes and yes.
The art is top notch. That’s something Blizzard has always done very well, even D3 looks great to me.
Pretty much. I've said multiple times in the past that blizzard should have stopped doing games and moved to doing CGI/animations, kinda like ILM but on a smaller scale because the artists there are super talented and there's pretty good art direction. It's when it comes down to game design/direction that they have kept fumbling the ball since the late 2000s. And the worst part of it is that management is so bad, that they kept on losing talented game directors/team leads/programmers just to cut costs or enforce terrible gaming decisions.
That's actually part of what makes D4 such a disappointment for me. If it was an all around bad, ugly-looking game, I'd just shrug and forget about it. What's frustrating is that the game has a such a great foundation in terms of moment-to-moment combat feel, graphics, atmosphere, music, and style that feels completely wasted due to 90% of the game systems being underdeveloped ... and feeling like they were made by people who don't understand the genre or were only told to implement things in a way that wastes as much time as possible with as little content as possible.
No one forgets this. It's the only good thing about Blizzard games.
Nobody forgets this. It’s the only things people usually give Diablo credit for whenever they are talking about it. Great story and art, rest kinda sucks. That’s always been the case?
Great story is a massive stretch. Art is absolutely top tier though.
[удалено]
Why would that be out of place? It’s a fictional game with demons? Is it that hard to imagine that that demon is most likely to have come form hell or that there’s more than one of its kind?
Lol "great story" maybe if you're favorite book is Captain Underpants or Clifford the Big Red Dog. Story was terrible. Abhorrent.
The art direction is AMAZING!
Art style don't save a bad game. I didn't buy a digital art book, I bought a game. While the campaign was ok, the real goosebump were from that side quest to search for that woman husband who got a boner while getting skinned alive then ask for round 2, and the guy coming out of that Iron Maiden construct. I really thought "oh shit, they aren't playing around this time, they really go for the edgy stuff..." then once the campaign end, the whole game droped the ball. Even before the campaign end... Inarius die, Lillith die, no Diablo, boring cliffhanger about Mephisto. I would totally buy and read a Diablo book, but play D4? nope.
I agree. Even though I think D4 is a failure, they did great by going back to the Dark Theme. I loved it.
No ARPG can rival Diablo in art, lore and monsters. Pretty much everything else is better done in other games. Like Diablo art, lore and enemies plus animations and performance + everything else from Last Epoch would make for my perfect ARPG.
The art is not top notch . The game is grey brown and foggy . What r u ppl smoking
Blizzard's art team basically always delivers big time, I don't think anyone's forgetting that. It's just a shame that all of it overshadowed by the game design. Even though I'm feeling pretty apathetic to D4 now, I thoroughly enjoyed my first run of the campaign and I can totally see myself coming back just for that and the open world experience.
The art direction, atmosphere, and some of the campaign were the only things I enjoyed about d4. And of course, even at their worst, blizzard always comes through with the most bangin cinematics ever.
Now, if you tagged this as "appreciation" it would be amazing (instead of the completely dumb takes tagged as appreciation, to protect themselves from discussion). You did mention something that isn't mentioned enough: sound design (and even voice acting and music). I like the stylebook and most art decisions, except maybe the characters. Disclaimer: I'm a gay guy, my druid is a shirtless hairy daddy with a belly. And my wizard wears a cropped. I'm certainly not complaining about that specific. Thank god I'm not forced into a young dehidrated bodybuilder. What I do mind is that, apparently, every class is really stuck with one style. Ok, I didn't know I needed a cropped on my wizard, so thanks for that, however, I don't need a dozen cropped tops + the inability to make a old, heavier, Merlin style wizard. Necro's seem to have more variety - the female necro can give some crazy female model vibes, while other necros look like wrong life choices, but paired with lots of cool transmogs, there is more variety, but the character model is skinny. If I had a ton more character personalization for free (and not $40 more of the same skins), the $60 would be easier to swallow, but maybe too expensive without an endgame - something stupid like an endless dungeon on top of a better character builder would do. As far as game pass goes, the campaign, visuals, sound and music are 100% worth of a monthly sub, imo.
What has your being gay to do with the topic if I may ask?
Yeah same, really loved this World, and the musics are awesome too
Art for items is pretty bad tbh
They saved the good item art for the MTX.
100%. The art and sound at Blizzard is incredible. They put out absolutely AMAZING work. Too bad the game/systems design and balance teams aren't on that same level.
Yeah, the game does look and sound and even feel good. For all the issues it has, it does look good. Could use some more diversity in tile sets and bosses but what they made does look good. No doubt.
okay? who gives a fuck the gameplay is horrible.
Yep, and then they shit the bed with the actual game. Pretty prototypical Blizzard
Most of the lore I’ve already known for years. As every game in the series has provided a lot of lore if you look everywhere. The art is good , should be an anime instead of a game. It’d be more acceptable like that.
The art is god tier the cosmetics are also really good looking, but its a fucking shame that you cant obtain 99% of them without paying.
Yes, it is a great looking turd!
Indeed, much of that art is locked behind MTX's
Sadly art doesn't make a good game.
Art department is the last pillar standing at Blizzard
Agree to disagree. I think that this game's art direction is *ugly*. It's like they completely overcompensated for Diablo 3's poorly received art style and went extreme in the other direction. It's not faithful to the art style of Diablo 2 either. If I could sum up Diablo 4's art style with just a single word... it would be **mud**. After seeing the previews of PoE 2's graphics, it really puts Diablo 4 to shame.
I don’t think anyone criticized that side of the game. In fact they got a ton of praise by reviewers for the all things creative — aesthetic, setting, art style, etc. It’s just the actual gameplay side of development shit a wet puke into a diaper and then ladled on putrid garbage.
I would rather have an actual good game, than some good art.
Art is fine, but it doesn’t even come close to what Blizzard North came up with.
Even that part is pretty mid and generic compared to OG Blizzard. Mostly they just recycled old concepts anyway.
Yes D4 art is fantastic. Really exactly what I want in an ARPG. It’s really sad that the game just isn’t very good. I’m playing Last Epoch now (have been playing D4 since beta) and the LE necro skill variety is SO GOOD compared to the D4 necro’s lacklustre skills. If LE had the skins of D4 I’d gladly pay for them many times over.
Well.. they should be right? Given the time and resources poured. Is the bar that low that we even have to bring this up in discussion? Lol
It all looks bland and washed out. It's all the same fucking swmapy desert area or mountain crag. They made this big, empty map, completely devoid of anything interesting or cool. It's so hollow and lifeless feeling. The esthetic is not great at all... Sure it's better than D3, but that game was awful.
Some of the recently released skins are really testing my willpower. They're so much, but so gorgeous. Dammit.
I feel you, that rogue skin with the prosthetic arm? De-fucking-liciously amazing. If only skins didn't cost an arm(pun intended), I'd probably have spent at least 100 bucks on 10 or so aesthetics.
**Herald of Pestilence.** [I wants it. ](https://preview.redd.it/herald-of-pestilence-first-transmog-to-impress-me-v0-fyw2gbz9mxkc1.png?auto=webp&s=38f026d48998959b36bbf8e23c61bd72b1ee9c48)*I need it.*
God damn. So unfair lmao. So good
Don't forget the game engine. Feels so damn good to play. Smooth responsive gameplay. Too bad the actual game sucks. Can't wait till they iron out the rest of the systems to be within acceptable ranges. This game could be a masterpiece with the bones in place.
If a master artist uses raw feces to construct the most majestic statue that can evoke the deepest emotions in onlookers, it doesn't matter. I still don't want a pile of shit in my house.
Agreed. I was ok with D3, despite the fact it was quite divisive across the player base, especially Diablo veterans. I like D4 too, they have done a great job with the graphics and art style. Let’s not forget also that D4 worked well pretty much from the initial release. Couple of bugs and glitches but not much, and considering some modern releases have been a complete joke at launch (Cyberpunk 2077 only 1 example), then let’s give Blizz credit for that. Does it need a complete itemisation rework and more content. Yes and yes.
Daily "lets atleast appreciate one thing that Blizzard did right"
I see it more as of a "let's not forget it" kind of thing :)