Diablo 3 followed in the footsteps of series entries before it, introducing a new generation of dungeon crawlers to the hellish world of Sanctuary back in 2012. Since then, thanks to a loyal player base, they’ve kept the hack-’n-slash RPG party going with countless updates. But now it’s time for the future, and Blizzard is molding Diablo 4 to deliver just that.
While the title looks to the past of both the real world and that of Sanctuary for inspiration, the upcoming sequel pushes the Diablo series in new ways. In an immense and gorgeous new landscape, you’ll encounter all-new elements to the Diablo formula that let you control the game’s direction even more while dealing with more darkness than ever. Ready your defenses. We’re returning to Sanctuary.

A return to darkness
Upon jumping into this newly realized Sanctuary during a hands-on session with an in-development PlayStation 5 version of the game, it’s clear that Diablo 4 harkens back to the grim tone of the first two Diablo games. The world is more mature and grounded than Diablo 3, adding to its renewed focus on horror and fear. Dead bodies paint the white snow during travels. You can hear howling cries of anger and distress when passing a populated town. A soft moonlight illuminates the hallowed grounds like a haunted spotlight. With a hefty thematic focus on hatred, how it consumes once hopeful hearts, and its corruption and consequences, it’s easy to quickly get immersed when all of these elements work in tandem. And naturally, it’s inevitable to feel the heroic urge to stop whatever caused all this pain in Sanctuary.

Evolution of classic Diablo
Diablo 4 is a culmination of what made past Diablo entries so iconic and memorable. The bleak tone of the original, the more open world of the second, and the combat of the third all come together here. There are more gameplay options than ever, and the bits of small details and extra care applied to every nook and cranny of its mechanics make it one of the best entry points to the series.

This is your adventure
Diablo 4 marks the first time in the series that you’re truly creating your own adventure. The open world of Sanctuary facilitates a personal journey filled with options. You can ignore the main story and lose yourself in exploring countless dungeons and strongholds, run into random local events, or help a needy lost spirit. Or, maybe you’re not in the mood for action and would rather bide your time and explore a peaceful wilderness to find resources to go home and craft with.
The gameplay variety extends to playthroughs that all present wildly different results. The story is also nonlinear, meaning you’ll face many circumstances that may lead you down various roads. Yes, you still have to tackle the core beats to reach the game’s conclusion, but how you get there is up to you.

A bold new world
What’s a big adventure without a grand open world? Sanctuary, otherwise known