Diablo III Closed Beta Impressions

Wasting no time after getting into the Diablo III closed beta earlier this evening, Rock, Paper, Shotgun has already doled out some early impressions of Blizzard’s highly anticipated action RPG threequel. They promise much more information in the coming days, too:

I’m also loving how loot springs from dead bodies like a geyser, gold erupting from a corpse then splashing down next to it. And the journals you find. Rather than a screen of text to awkwardly read in the midst of battle, instead they’re narrated as you play on. Also narrated is lore, appearing as an optional button, and explained to you, again, as you play. What a splendid touch. And you can blow up the pumpkins.

In fact, much of the scenery is destructible, wagons can be pulverised, and even buildings can crumble as you explore them. It’s bizarre to experience, doubled by its being bizarre for destructible environments to feel so unusual in this genre. But this of course means I now feel obliged to demolish every table, cart and chair I encounter. I must smash. Smash all. And it’s worth keeping an eye out of any interesting switches or levers, as giving these a tug might bring down some more ceiling furniture on nearby mobs.

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The skills work pretty traditionally. You have your basic attack, improved as you level, and then can assign two special skills on top. Either mapping one to replace your standard attack on the mouse, or as a number key press. So I’m currently enjoying a standard attack on the left mouse, and Fan Of Knives on the right, that sprays out an insane circle of blades when I’m dangerously surrounded. Bola Shot, that fires an explosive (bola) at enemies is on 1. But I’m promised that at level 6 I’ll get an extra skill slot available, with more at 12, 18 and 24, as well as passive skills at 10, 20 and 30.

A bit later comes the Nephalem Cube another inventory add-on that lets you break down unwanted items to their constituent parts. Which can then be used for crafting. But that shall wait until we’ve all had a bit longer with the game to tell you all about.