In only one year (2026) the Diablo series will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
It is a testament to Blizzard Entertainment game’s strength that after so much time and only four main game releases, it remains relevant and undefeated champion in the hack’n’slash action RPG genre.
Come for the loot…
Although it wouldn’t be apparent from gameplay videos and screenshots showing mostly a lone hero fighting against hordes of monsters, there is more to Diablo than just hacking and slashing your way through increasingly dangerous dungeons. Each of the available champions (the roster changes with every entry) has unique abilities and no two characters play the same way, even when they may seemingly cover a similar area of expertise, like casters or frontline fighters. Only the original Diablo game had characters with largely similar abilities, save for one unique skill.
There are also mountains of diverse loot: armor pieces, diverse weapons, magical trinkets and more. Some of these items may have slots for magical gems you can find in the world, significantly boosting the items’ effectiveness.
…stay for the story
Diablo video games’ storyline has been going on for more than two decades, and what was merely mentioned and hinted at in the games was further expanded upon through licensed novels and comic books.
As a result, there is a lot of lore to read through if you’re so inclined. Although there is too much to describe it here, much of it revolves about a primordial conflict between angels and demons. The titular Diablo is an immensely powerful devil locked in a crystal deep in the dungeons beneath a town of Tristram. But one day the prison failed, and one of the three greatest rulers of hell broke loose.
Three games were devoted to dealing with Diablo, who always managed to get the upper hand and return to wreak havoc. And that’s despite the help the really out-of-its-depth humanity receives from one of the angels, named Tyrael. There is of course much more nuance, including the origins of the world of Sanctuary, and it’s a connection to the celestial and infernal forces, but that’s a matter for another article.
At this point, you might be wondering, “Should I play it from the first game?” You can, but you don’t have to. Each instalment of Diablo has its own story that you can follow, and the gameplay will provide plenty of entertainment. However, if you enjoy uncovering intricate details, desire immersion, and want to fully explore the unique world of Diablo, it’s worth starting your adventure from the very first game!
For now, let’s move on to discussing the individual games of the Diablo (so far) tetralogy.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | Video | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Diablo | 1996-12-31 | Adventure | Blizzard North | |
 | Diablo II | 2000-06-28 | Hack and slash/Beat 'em up & Role-playing (RPG) | Blizzard North | |
 | Diablo 2 Lord Of Destruction | 2001 | Role-playing (RPG) & Hack and slash/Beat 'em up | Blizzard North | |
 | Diablo II: Resurrected | 2021-09-23 | Role-playing (RPG) & Hack and slash/Beat 'em up | Blizzard Entertainment | |
 | Diablo 3 | 2012-05-15 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | Blizzard Entertainment | |
 | Diablo IV | 2023-06-06 | Role-playing (RPG) & Hack and slash/Beat 'em up | Blizzard Entertainment |
Diablo
| Release year: | 1996 |
| Number of characters: | 3+3 in the expansion. |
| Expansions: | Hellfire (1997) |
From the time perspective, the original Diablo was but a taste of things yet to come.
It had three characters (three more were added later), but they differed mostly due to their single special skill and assigned attributes, making them more proficient in one type of combat over another.
Crucially, Diablo had online multiplayer for up to four players, who could team up to descend through the dungeons and defeat Diablo unleashed, or duke it out among themselves.
The Hellfire expansion added a Monk as a new character class (supporting the Warrior, Rogue, and Sorcerer from the base game), and a new quest. There are also 2 unfinished characters, Bard and Barbarian, who can be accessed by manipulating game files.
Diablo II
| Release year: | 2000 |
| Number of characters: | 5+2 in the expansion |
| Expansions: | Lord of Destruction (2001) |
The champion from the original Diablo succeeded…mostly. Despite defeating the demon, they are now corrupted by the devil’s soulstone and spawn demons into the world.
New adventurers find themselves in a position to stop the Dark Wanderer and prevent Diablo from freeing his brothers from captivity.
This epic tale returns in Diablo II: Resurrected, a modern remake of the legendary action RPG. Featuring fully remastered graphics, enhanced audio, and improved quality-of-life features, the game faithfully preserves the dark atmosphere and addictive gameplay of the original while bringing it to a new generation of players.
Diablo II introduced much greater diversity between each champion, who now have their own skill trees and specialties. There were five heroes initially:
- The Amazon with an affinity for ranged combat
- The Necromancer summoning minions, using dead bodies as weapons, and casting curses
- The Barbarian capable of dual wielding and surviving large amount of damage
- The Sorceress using the primal elements as her playthings
- The Paladin who can invoke heavenly power to enhance his offensive and defensive powers
The Lord of Destruction expansion added two more fighters:
- The Druid using shapeshifting and command of nature to defeat enemies
- The Assassin who uses claw gauntlets, traps, and dark magic to outwit the demonic hordes
D2 also implemented a Hireling system, allowing the player to recruit an NPC filling the gaps in the chosen champion’s offensive and defensive tactics.
Diablo III
| Release year: | 2012 |
| Number of characters: | 5+2 in the expansions |
| Expansions: | Reaper of Souls (2014), Rise of the Necromancer (2017) |
Launched over a decade after the previous entry, Diablo III boasted a new graphics engine, a new cast of characters (collectively called the Nephalem), and a more prominent story, which explored more of the Diablo series’ cosmology that has been explored ever before.
With the two expansions installed, Diablo 3 boasts seven playable characters: the Witch Doctor, the Barbarian, the Wizard, the Monk, the Demon Hunter, the Crusader, and finally the Necromancer.
In addition to unique abilities, each character also uses a different resource in place of generic mana. For instance the Crusader needs Wrath gained through attacking and being attacked, while the Necromancer gathers Essence with primary attacks and spends it on more specialized ones.
Diablo IV
| Release year: | 2023 |
| Number of characters: | 5 |
| Expansions: | Vessel of Hatred (2024) |
Since the release of Diablo III, another decade has passed — specifically 11 years — until the launch of Diablo 4.
This fourth instalment arrived a full 27 years after the first game (wow!). The title greets us with entirely new, enhanced graphics (dark and gloomy, based on this we know from the second Diablo), yet it mechanically returns to the series’ roots, reminiscent of the first two games.
Diablo IV transports us back to Sanctuary, where the main antagonist this time is not Diablo himself, but Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto. She was once the lover of the Archangel Inarius, and it was their union that gave rise to the first Nephalem.
The game reintroduces the classic classes from the earlier instalments: Sorceress, Rogue, Druid, Barbarian, and Necromancer, each with unique skill trees, special abilities, and distinct weapons and attacks. For instance, the Druid can transform into wild beasts, while the Necromancer can resurrect the fallen to assist in battle. Another interesting feature is the inclusion of PvP combat. The game does not offer an offline mode.
The future of Diablo
What does the future hold for the series? Right now, we’re just before the release of the Diablo IV expansion — Vessel of Hatred, which is set to launch on October 8, 2024. Rod Fergusson, one of the game’s creators, revealed in an interview that the studio plans to release up to four expansions for Diablo 4, though no specific details have been confirmed yet.
Given the acclaim and popularity of the Diablo series, it seems quite likely that we could see more instalments in the future or remakes of older titles adapted for modern computers and consoles.
Between Heaven and Hell
That concludes a summary of the Diablo franchise. There have been many games to follow in Diablo’s footsteps, notably Titan Quest, Sacred, and the MMO Path of Exile, but none have managed to throw Lord of Terror from his throne. Between distinctive characters, a dark fantasy atmosphere, and well-tuned game mechanics and loot, Diablo is the apex hack and slash action RPG on the market is likely to stay that way for years to come.