(When I say 'rewards,' I mean stuff that your character can equip for special offensive or defensive abilities. The first one I earned gave all of my attacks a 10 percent chance to add an electric spark that chained to nearby foes. Players can 'guarantee' the number and quality of each dungeon run's rewards based on the number and type of 'crests' they dump into its entrance. The loot-boxiest of these is the 'Elder Rift,' which is a randomly generated dungeon delve. The game's linear, Diablo III-like introduction eventually leads players to a hub town, and its storefronts advertise the game's full slate of in-game purchase opportunities.

the best loot requires spending 'legendary crests,' which either take forever to grind via in-game mechanics or can be bought instantly with real-world cash. The game indeed includes 'loot boxes' that run afoul of regulations in the Netherlands and Belgium, though Diablo Immortal's system differs from popular examples like EA Sports' card packs or Fortnite's 'llama' system. I'll start by getting to the microtransaction content since at least two nations have banned Diablo Immortal from their marketplaces ahead of its launch. (Worse, as of press time, the publisher appears to be doubling down on a famous 2012 fiasco.) That's doubly tragic because the game is otherwise a fun, smartphone-friendly option for addictive dungeon delving-which leaves me stuck between recommending a perfectly fine smartphone adventure and warning about its ickiest aspects. At best, the game can be enjoyed despite this nonsense.īut the bean counters at Activision Blizzard aren't willing to offer a one-time purchase in Diablo Immortal for fair, nag-free adventuring. My pre-release testing of the final game was marked with menus and in-game characters alike selling me new types of 'orbs,' 'stones,' gold, and other confusing microtransactions. The worst thing about Diablo Immortal is its economy.

And my 10 hours in its universe have allayed my previous fears about its production values. The new Activision Blizzard game, launching on iOS and Android on Wednesday and Windows PCs on Thursday, immediately impresses as one of the better smartphone-first ARPG games on the market. The best thing about Diablo Immortal is that it's a fun, professionally crafted action RPG befitting the Diablo name. Activision Blizzard reader comments 215 with

Diablo immortals gameplay