Summary
For more than two decades, theDiablogame series has been synonymous with greatdungeon-crawlers featuring incredible content. With each game release, new expansions arrived, always bringing something new to the player, from innovative new mechanics and unforgettable stories that delve into the franchise’s extensive lore to the development of beloved characters.
Each expansion was responsible for makingDiablothe success it is today, enhancing elements of the base game or even correcting some flaws from its launch. Over the years, these expansions not only maintained the games' relevance but also contributed to the growth of a dedicated community, always eager to explore the new additions to the series' universe.
Rise of the Necromancerwas the last expansion released by Blizzard forDiablo 3and one of the DLCs that added the least amount of new relevant content to theDiabloseries. Released in June 2017, the expansion was developed by Team 3 after the alleged cancellation of a new title for the franchise, codenamed Project Hades.
The expansion’sprimary addition to the game is the Necromancer, a playable class inDiablo 2that was brought back to the series and incorporated intoDiablo 3. This new class functions as a sorcerer with a theme of death and darkness, meaning they control the dead, summon minions, and revive enemies to use their bodies in abilities, forming a small army of the undead at their disposal in combat.
Rise of the Necromanceris a great DLC forDiablo 2players who loved the Necromancer class and wanted to see it return to the game. Despite this, the content received some criticism upon release for its price and for not offering new content for the campaign or new missions, as seen inReaper of Souls.
In addition to the new class, the expansion added new accessories, achievements, and Challenge Rifts, zones introduced for free into the game with new challenges for players.
Diablo 3faced backlash at launch due to bugs that plagued the campaign. However, Blizzard remained dedicated to rewarding loyal fans and regaining the trust of those who were disappointed.The Reaper of SoulsDLCproved to be a turning point, introducing significant changes that made the game more enjoyable and bringing players back to Sanctuary in droves.
Released nearly two years after the third installment, in March 2014,Reaper of Soulsintroduced Act 5, a new chapter in theDiablosaga. After defeating Diablo and his brothers, players face a new threat: Malthael, the Angel of Death, who steals the Black Soulstone and plots to destroy Sanctuary.
In addition to a new storyline and missions, the expansion added the Nephalem, a powerful new class hailing from the holy city of Kurast. A new game mode, allowing players to freely explore the world and seek out challenges, was also introduced. The expansion also featured visual enhancements, a revamped user interface, and much more.
TheHellfireexpansion forDiablowas a content pack developed by Synergistic Software, a division of Sierra, and published by Sierra On-Line in November 1997. Although considered one of the most beloved expansions by fans of the franchise, Blizzard was initially against its release as they werefocused on the development ofDiablo 2. However, the company responsible forHellfireobtained permission from Davidson & Associates, a partner company of Blizzard at the time.
Hellfireis an expansion ofDiablo’ssingle-player campaign contentthat develops a new story when a sorcerer accidentally releases the demon Na-Krul in Tristram but seals the creature behind magical doors. In this new adventure, the player must enter Na-Krul’s lair to defeat him and prevent his complete freedom.
In this new journey, players have access to various new quests and dungeons with extra game items, runes, new spells, weapons, armor, and much more. In addition, the Monk class was added to the game, along with the axe-wielding Barbarian and the dual-wielding Bard.
Diablo 2: Lord of Destructionwas the first expansion officially made by Blizzard for the franchise and was responsible for further increasing the game’s popularity, which became a classic and was one of the main reasons theDiabloseries became as popular as it is today.
The expansion, in addition to adding new character classes and a new story to the game, also completely improved the gameplay in both single-player and multiplayer modes. After its release in June 2001, theLord of Destructionexpansion (or LoD) was considered a must-buy for any player who wanted to venture into the dungeons ofDiablo 2.Lord of Destructionadds new regions, bosses, items, as well as the Assassin and Druid classes.
The expansion’s story takes place after the end ofDiablo 2, when the player defeats Mephisto and Diablo, destroying their respective Soulstones. However, Marius is deceived and delivers the last Soulstone of the Three Prime Evils to Archangel Tyrael, who reveals himself to be Baal, the third brother of the villains. Baal is searching for the Worldstone, a stone that is the source of power for all Soulstones. Thus, it is up to the player to thwart his plans and prevent the possible end of the world.
