Diablo 3’s open beta weekend began
today at noon. The open beta allows the game to be played by anyone with an
internet connection, and will last until Monday. Designed to stress test
Blizzard’s servers prior to the game’s launch, players will be able to progress
any of the five characters available through the Diablo 3 story, to a level cap
of 13. Of all the character classes from the previous games, only the Barbarian
has made it into the third installment in the series. The other four classes
are entirely new. The game’s development started in 2001, and was officially
announced in 2008. It features a continuation of the previous game’s story,
while bringing the game engine, graphics, and combat system to the level of
other modern games.
The beta is already being played on
campus by students at Utah State University, who said they have been anxiously
waiting for the game’s May 15 release, and welcomed the opportunity to give it
a try.
“I have been waiting since it was
announced at Blizzcon in 2008,” said Wayman Stodart, a political science and
physics student at USU. “I’ve already bought the game.”
Overall, Stodart has enjoyed the
open beta.
“The game play was fluid, it flowed
well,” Stodart said. “The implementation of health spheres kept it fast paced.
The runes make for quick, easy customization. Overall, I was just pleased with
the way they implemented the changes.”
Jacob Pack, a computer science
major at USU, tried out the Demon Hunter class.
“The mechanics are intriguing. The
characters, although static, seemed to be fun to play with,” Pack said. “Each
character is completely separate from the others in terms of mechanics,
creating a unique playthrough every time you play.”
Stodart also said that the classes
felt unique. Having given every class a try, Stodart said his favorite was the
Witch Doctor.
“I play to succeed at the game,”
Stodart said. “The witch doctor seems to be the best solo grinder, which means
he will be the best at the higher difficulties.”
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