Many players find the endgame inDiablo 4to be barren compared to its predecessor, but there may be a way to provide more variety at little development cost through Strongholds. Though certainly a fun title that keeps breaking records, the critical and popular success ofDiablo 4is interlaced with a nearly inexhaustible stream of feedback from players and streamers alike. The foundation is good, the campaign is fun, and customization has never been better in aDiablogame, but its systems often feel at odds with one another, and thequality-of-life features inDiablo 4are severely lacking.
The complaints and criticisms start to occur as soon as players approach theendgame inDiablo 4, which currently comes in the form of Helltides and Nightmare Dungeons. Running the same instances with extremely punishing affixes over and over again pales in comparison to the Greater Rifts ofDiablo 3.Moreover, the itemization inDiablo 4has often been characterized as unimaginative and rigid, with the truly fun Uniques locked behind a very small drop chance, and then further gated by an unspoken requirement to roll perfect stats.
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These ingredients combined deter most players from enjoying the final stretch of their leveling journey inDiablo 4, as well as the grind that comes after. However, according to thedavv, there may be a way to alleviate some of the tedium by taking the concept of Strongholds and making them repeatable. Given that Helltides tend to cover a town in any of the five Regions inDiablo 4, repeatable Strongholds could function similarly in the higher World Tiers – allowing players to break up the monotony by banding together, clearing out a demon-infested town, and reaping the rewards.
A more dynamic version ofStrongholds inDiablo 4would allow developers to not only randomize the location, but also the enemies, affixes, objectives, and even boss fights. Though it does sound like a Nightmare Dungeon on paper, having more variety in content at the level cap would certainly be appreciated by the community. Ultimately, Blizzard will need to find a way to introduce new content that’s appealing to chase. As it stands, there is no true benefit to tackling higher level Nightmare Dungeons, nor does the added difficulty provide a satisfying challenge.
Another feature that may help enrich the endgame is bymakingDiablo 4’s campaign bosses repeatable, and then connecting them to a reward system similar to Bounties inDiablo 3’s Adventure Mode. Fans seem to be frustrated because Blizzard had years of useful feedback to draw upon with the last two mainlineDiablotitles, thanks to the recent release ofDiablo 2: Resurrected, and ultimately it feels likeDiablo 4is back to square one – still in the process of figuring itself out. Though players are confident that the developers will fix the game’s shortcomings, even the most patient and passionate fans have a limit.
Diablo 4is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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