I tried Diablo IV for the first time in 2025, and I could kick myself

We’re in a bit of a lull in terms of big new releases, so I finally got my hands on Diablo IV. Now, to set the stage, I’m a huge fan of the first two titles, but I fell off hard at the third.

Diablo III just felt empty and linear to me, especially when compared to the first title, which was an absolute banger back in the day. I never got into the multiplayer aspect of it, and so when the fourth title was announced, I didn’t even care.

I’d moved on to other games, and since many players loved the third title, I figured there wasn’t enough incentive to change this new formula. So I figured IV would be another bland, multiplayer-focused experience.

Boy, was I wrong. I could kick myself for not playing sooner.

The first thing that struck me about Diablo IV is the oppressive feel of the game, something I felt the third title lacked. It threw me back to the first game, feeling constantly threatened by the gloomy dungeons and powerful beasties. This didn’t last too long, since the campaign is laughably easy, but it was enough to draw me in. And, even when you do feel overpowered, it’s still an eerie game, isn’t it?

By the time I finished the campaign, which was great, I was far from done with the game. I’m still loving every moment of it, and I can’t get enough. I feel like it’s absolutely nailed the seasonal format, and many titles out there can learn a lot from it.

What blew me away the most was the sheer volume of endgame content. The campaign is merely an intro, a teaser, if you will, to what’s really out there to discover.

And yeah, the game’s been around for eight seasons, and is well into its ninth, so it’s had some time to get the kinks ironed out. And, judging by what a colleague told me, I definitely missed out on a lot of teething issues.

As a day one player, he confirmed how the game started out pretty rough and that it wasn’t until the fourth season that they finally overhauled the subpar loot system. There were other issues as well, but the folks at Blizzard Entertainment have definitely course-corrected and created what I deem to be one of the best new-player experiences in MMOs today.

The moral of my little story? Fans of Diablo and Diablo II, it’s time to hop back on. You shan’t be disappointed. There’s no need to chase meta builds, either. I play a lazy Flurry Rogue build, and I’m still having the time of my life.

I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below, but while you formulate your best response, let’s settle something first. Which is the best Diablo game ever?