Diablo Immortal didn’t make a great first impression. It was announced at Blizzcon in 2018 when most fans were expecting the next mainline Diablo title, not a free-to-play spinoff for smartphones. Since then, Blizzard has been very quiet about Immortal (though Diablo IV was eventually announced).
That’s starting to change. Ahead of a technical alpha that’s set to kick off soon, I was able to play through the early stages of the game. And while I can’t speak to every aspect, one thing was immediately clear: this feels like a proper Diablo game.
A mobile version of Diablo makes a lot of sense. There are already countless clones and Diablo-inspired titles on smartphones, while the Nintendo Switch version of Diablo III proved just how fun the series is to play on the go. There’s just something about the hack and slash gameplay that makes it a great fit for a handheld experience. It’s the kind of game that can suck you in for hours and yet, paradoxically, is also something that doesn’t always require your full attention. I spent part of my time previewing Immortal while I was also in a Zoom meeting. (Don’t tell Nilay.)
Immortal takes place between the events of the last two Diablo games, and it’s surprisingly story-heavy for a mobile title. There are brief cutscenes and lots of voice acting, though the actual narrative is typical Diablo fare: you’re dropped into a small village overrun with the undead and cultists, while Deckard Cain tells you to collect magical shards that can stop some world-ending calamity — you know, regular Diablo stuff.
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