A horrible start? You're seriously going to label the game in that negative fashion over a few measly few hours downtime on the launch day of the most aniticipated PC game in history?
Honestly, your article reads like it was written by the forum trolls who spent the duration of the day crying on the o-forums yesterday about not being able to play, while the rest of us had a really enjoyable experience. The only downtime that was truly an inconvenience was the downtime yesterday evening, the other period's of downtime were trivial at best.
Way to jump on the bandwagon.
You may want to go back and read past the first paragraph.
Bren
I personally read past the first paragraph and while it isn't nearly as blatant as the trolls, it echos them.
Did you read the 3/4ths of the article where he explains that the game is great fun? The servers have had issues and I would expect no decent game reporter to ignore that. Mike was just reporting the facts about server outages. It's only the first two paragraphs of an otherwise glowing review. Get a grip please.
Bren
Ok let me explain, I did read it but reviews that start negative and end negative usually overshadow the good if people even read the middle and most don't.
There is also this whole idea of starting a review without a conclusion. So people will read a review during launch and get a sour taste, they are likely not be interested anymore if they were on the fence. Why come back to read the finished review if it starts off bad?
I don't like this style of reviewing, you review the product and then after some months of settle you review it again if you think its needed.
Almost every online game has server issues at launch. WoW had horrendous server issues at launch and every review site slammed them for it... It really doomed that game to failure didn't it? If Mike had of ignored the launch server issues and only reported the positive there would be even more people on here slamming him for that. A review should include the entire player experience from the game install to the actual game play. I would expect no less.
Bren
That is fine, I think you missed my point though. Since this is only part of the review, we're dealing with launch problems. People are just going to take this review at face value and likely never come back. They don't have the whole picture and only a snippet of what the game has to offer.
It could be the best game in the world, however if you do the review about launch day and nothing else.. well people will likely lose interest because of the problems initially and never come back to hear the rest of the story.
This is a review-in-progress, not our full review. I clearly explained this in the article and even said to take this as a sort of first impressions of the launch game. Considering the majority of the first 24 hours of launch consisted of varying levels of instability and/or outright downtime I felt it was prudent to mention this as it directly affected my ability to play the game and actually experience material to review.
I was able to get in a couple of hours and then had to stop because, again, the servers were down. At that point I just decided to write the piece and by the time I was done servers were still down.
IT is a bit fun how some people says he is on blizzard payroll,and how some other says he bash the game too much.
So far i can say he just said mostly fact, if you enjoy this kind o fgames, it is a fun game, but right now due to the need of being online is down most of the time.
And is an online game, and mostly is one of the biggest hit of this year, or at least should be, i find normal they give it coverage, what they should be talking about? EU economic crisis?
And why is a game that is clearly not an MMO getting an in-depth multi week review on MMORPG? Have we run out of things to talk about that actually are MMO related?
Skyrim was even alot more popular here on mmorpg then diablo3 but it did not get there own section maybe becouse its solo rpg dunno but skyrim was huge on this site for months.
I sure wish that MMORPG.com would stick with MMOs.
When you are offered some beta pass's, kickbacks of course your gonna advert there product .
Why do people always have to go there and assume their is some kinda big consipracy. MMORPG polled its users and while it is not an MMO there is some crossover and, more than that, some obvious interest on this site by its users. And even if it's not a MMO WHO FREAKIN CARES! It is another game for us to play.
Completed the game at level 36 just over 15 hours gameplay, Worth it? not really bored the hell outta me.
How do you people manage these times is beyond my grasp, really. Do you just tunell vision to your next objective? I just finished act I with my level 17 demon huntress and checked my statistics. 8 hours 4 minutes played, 230 achievement points, 37K gold collected, my blacksmith is already level 3.
Why is D3 even on Mmorpg.com? It's not a MMO.... please explain. Thanks.
Actually, Diablo 3 is more an MMO than most modern games, e.g., SWTOR.
Straight Payola. D3/Bliz paid to advertise here, and thus they get favorable coverage as part of the "package".
Personally, as a long time gamer, I find D3 to be an insult: always required internet connection so that their real money auction house for a single player game can be made to work. Plus, no choice in character builds to boot.
I won't pay more than $10 for this game, assuming I ever get around to buying it.
i actually like Diablo 3, i was mad when the servers were down but who cares, I just beat it on Normal while only dying about 15 times (mostly at bosses, those being Maghda and Izual). Didn't die at Diablo which was surprising but he was a long fight. I got the game for free so I'm not complaining at all.
I have to agree with the other posters MMORPG.com .... or should that be AGTRAICAWTAH.com?
(Any Game That Requires An Internet Connection And Where They Advertize Here.com)
I haven't played Diablo III and maybe it is a great game?? But there are lots of other great games out there that require an internet connection too. Are they MMOs though?
I haven't had too many problems with the servers, you just have to spam your log in really fast to get in (yay cut n paste lol). I've played quite a bit and I've only found one thing that I don't like. The lack of a necromancer. Now I know why he's not in there (or some varient). Everyone remembers necro lag right? The witch doctor is a decent substitute, but I want more pets. I mean I don't need 78 (i think that was my record) pets running around, but like 10 would be better than what we get now. I've always been a big fan of pet classes in any game with them. And Witch Doctor is no exception, but like the emperor i need "MORE [PETS!]" lol
the game is absoutely amazing. ive a lvl 26 monk and the amount of viable, fun builds is staggering. D3 will keep many busy until GW2 is out, and then some.
Don't believe there is a game here at all. Nothing but a scam to get us to fund the next third of starcraft 2. 2 days and zero hours of playtime. Effing pathetic.
Happy I decided not to buy, hate the restrictive DRM and ego has become a company run by accountants not gamers.
Waiting happily for Torchlight 2
No DRM
Software developement kit
lan play
single play
$20
pets
Yeah, I have to wonder if TL2 can provide 90% of D3's content for $20 ... why are people paying Blizzard $60?
Also, I hope that Michael Bitton will draw some comparisons to both other action-rpg games and D2 itself. I loved D2, but that was 10+ years ago. I've yet to understand what D3 offers that wasn't in D2 other than upgraded graphics. Maybe that's being a little negative, but all I read is "Blizzard is awesome!!", but (p)reviewers don't really qualify why D3 is awesome in relation to previous games in the series. Same went for SC2. Everything I played in that beta was something I had played in both SC and other games 10 years before.
To me, it seems like Blizzard is just milking the "what was old is new again" marketing strategy in that there's a new generation that doesn't know they're playing a recycled game that hasn't fundementally changed from its previous iteration 12 years ago.
Not sure what peoples issues are with the graphics, I absolutely love the art style, the character mdoels could be a little more detailed i suppose but the backdrops at least to me are gorgeous.
I find this article embarassing. So you have these players complaining that they can't play due to log in issues. And all they want is to play the single player experience.
Then you get all those apologists that state that launch trouble is normal for a MMO! LOL What MMO? They can't even play the bloody single player experience!
I think that this always online design is horrible. It only caters to Blizzard and not to the player.
They know that they are making huge sales numbers mainly because of the popularity of the franchise. For this they should be to more gratefull for the many many fans and because of this crappy launch they have to grovel in the dust and hope their apology gets accepted. It is ridiculous that you can't play a single player game at launch. There is no excuse for that. Yes, for the co op play, but not for the single player experience.
I actually upset friends cause I told them I wasn't interested in this game. Heh
I have no problem if people like the game. Your more than welcome to enjoy it. I've played both one and two loved and enjoyed them both. This new edition? Well you've heard enough complaints. Hope it works out for you who want to enjoy it cause I have friends who are enjoying.
With thousands of people visiting this site, it's only normal to see like comments and hate comments. No single game could please everyone. It's as simple as that.
What's funny is that fanboys would protect it with their lives while the haters would look for even the most ridiculous flaw and turn it into something big.
Blizzard should go to hell for making games that make lots of people argue too much. Hahaha.
Comments
i dunno mike did say there was a vote on it and the yes votes beat the no votes for a review aparently...or we can just speculate n stuff
"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand."
- Lewis Thomas
This is a review-in-progress, not our full review. I clearly explained this in the article and even said to take this as a sort of first impressions of the launch game. Considering the majority of the first 24 hours of launch consisted of varying levels of instability and/or outright downtime I felt it was prudent to mention this as it directly affected my ability to play the game and actually experience material to review.
I was able to get in a couple of hours and then had to stop because, again, the servers were down. At that point I just decided to write the piece and by the time I was done servers were still down.
Didn't you hear? Anything that forces you to be online to play and offers coop is an MMORPG now.
IT is a bit fun how some people says he is on blizzard payroll,and how some other says he bash the game too much.
So far i can say he just said mostly fact, if you enjoy this kind o fgames, it is a fun game, but right now due to the need of being online is down most of the time.
And is an online game, and mostly is one of the biggest hit of this year, or at least should be, i find normal they give it coverage, what they should be talking about? EU economic crisis?
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5120/7210363296_8357bee9de.jpg
Skyrim was even alot more popular here on mmorpg then diablo3 but it did not get there own section maybe becouse its solo rpg dunno but skyrim was huge on this site for months.
+1
Why do people always have to go there and assume their is some kinda big consipracy. MMORPG polled its users and while it is not an MMO there is some crossover and, more than that, some obvious interest on this site by its users. And even if it's not a MMO WHO FREAKIN CARES! It is another game for us to play.
How do you people manage these times is beyond my grasp, really. Do you just tunell vision to your next objective? I just finished act I with my level 17 demon huntress and checked my statistics. 8 hours 4 minutes played, 230 achievement points, 37K gold collected, my blacksmith is already level 3.
Overall, the game for me is solid and fun.
Diablo 3 is really fun, I get the speccing system now and find it really individualises my pixels. Though I will probably also buy torch light 2.
The question is when will I have time for my pay monthly mmo... qq.
this guy really hits the nail on the head with his review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9WbqdYuba4&feature=plcp
Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.
The Biscuit nailed it this time.
Why is D3 even on Mmorpg.com? It's not a MMO.... please explain. Thanks.
Proud MMORPG.com member since March 2004! Make PvE GREAT Again!
Actually, Diablo 3 is more an MMO than most modern games, e.g., SWTOR.
Straight Payola. D3/Bliz paid to advertise here, and thus they get favorable coverage as part of the "package".
Personally, as a long time gamer, I find D3 to be an insult: always required internet connection so that their real money auction house for a single player game can be made to work. Plus, no choice in character builds to boot.
I won't pay more than $10 for this game, assuming I ever get around to buying it.
Blizzard made fans wait 10+ years for this?!?
i actually like Diablo 3, i was mad when the servers were down but who cares, I just beat it on Normal while only dying about 15 times (mostly at bosses, those being Maghda and Izual). Didn't die at Diablo which was surprising but he was a long fight. I got the game for free so I'm not complaining at all.
I have to agree with the other posters MMORPG.com .... or should that be AGTRAICAWTAH.com?
(Any Game That Requires An Internet Connection And Where They Advertize Here.com)
I haven't played Diablo III and maybe it is a great game?? But there are lots of other great games out there that require an internet connection too. Are they MMOs though?
Maybe it's time to revive these threads?:
FARM TOWN vs. MMORPG.com
Scott Jennings: Farmville Killed Gaming, V-Worlds, And Your Dog
If Diablo III is going to get reviewed here then it's time REAL MMOs (by comparison) get the same treatment.
I await with interest Mike B's catch up reviews on all the Facebook games this site has missed...
Nothing says irony like spelling ideot wrong.
I haven't had too many problems with the servers, you just have to spam your log in really fast to get in (yay cut n paste lol). I've played quite a bit and I've only found one thing that I don't like. The lack of a necromancer. Now I know why he's not in there (or some varient). Everyone remembers necro lag right? The witch doctor is a decent substitute, but I want more pets. I mean I don't need 78 (i think that was my record) pets running around, but like 10 would be better than what we get now. I've always been a big fan of pet classes in any game with them. And Witch Doctor is no exception, but like the emperor i need "MORE [PETS!]" lol
the game is absoutely amazing. ive a lvl 26 monk and the amount of viable, fun builds is staggering. D3 will keep many busy until GW2 is out, and then some.
Don't believe there is a game here at all. Nothing but a scam to get us to fund the next third of starcraft 2. 2 days and zero hours of playtime. Effing pathetic.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/7300033012
Yeah, I have to wonder if TL2 can provide 90% of D3's content for $20 ... why are people paying Blizzard $60?
Also, I hope that Michael Bitton will draw some comparisons to both other action-rpg games and D2 itself. I loved D2, but that was 10+ years ago. I've yet to understand what D3 offers that wasn't in D2 other than upgraded graphics. Maybe that's being a little negative, but all I read is "Blizzard is awesome!!", but (p)reviewers don't really qualify why D3 is awesome in relation to previous games in the series. Same went for SC2. Everything I played in that beta was something I had played in both SC and other games 10 years before.
To me, it seems like Blizzard is just milking the "what was old is new again" marketing strategy in that there's a new generation that doesn't know they're playing a recycled game that hasn't fundementally changed from its previous iteration 12 years ago.
If you don't worry about it, it's not a problem.
I've played for almost 9.5 hours and I'd have too say its alot better than all the rest of the games on their roster
Not sure what peoples issues are with the graphics, I absolutely love the art style, the character mdoels could be a little more detailed i suppose but the backdrops at least to me are gorgeous.
I find this article embarassing. So you have these players complaining that they can't play due to log in issues. And all they want is to play the single player experience.
Then you get all those apologists that state that launch trouble is normal for a MMO! LOL What MMO? They can't even play the bloody single player experience!
I think that this always online design is horrible. It only caters to Blizzard and not to the player.
They know that they are making huge sales numbers mainly because of the popularity of the franchise. For this they should be to more gratefull for the many many fans and because of this crappy launch they have to grovel in the dust and hope their apology gets accepted. It is ridiculous that you can't play a single player game at launch. There is no excuse for that. Yes, for the co op play, but not for the single player experience.
I actually upset friends cause I told them I wasn't interested in this game. Heh
I have no problem if people like the game. Your more than welcome to enjoy it. I've played both one and two loved and enjoyed them both. This new edition? Well you've heard enough complaints. Hope it works out for you who want to enjoy it cause I have friends who are enjoying.
Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.
"Love can be innocent and can be sweet, but sometimes about as nice as rotting meat."
With thousands of people visiting this site, it's only normal to see like comments and hate comments. No single game could please everyone. It's as simple as that.
What's funny is that fanboys would protect it with their lives while the haters would look for even the most ridiculous flaw and turn it into something big.
Blizzard should go to hell for making games that make lots of people argue too much. Hahaha.