Description
Diablo 4, the highly anticipated isometric RPG about fighting the hordes of hell, is here, at least in beta. The early access beta ran from March 17 to March 20 and was available to pre-order customers or those who purchased a KFC chicken sandwich. The second weekend of the beta is active from March 25 to 27, available to anyone interested in the game. Here are some tips before you dive in. First, try all five classes. The beta allows you to create up to ten characters in five different classes. Three classes became available during the first weekend of the beta: the thief, the barbarian, and the mage. Two more, the Necromancer and the Druid, are available this weekend. It's worth playing around with each one to better understand which class to assign as the main character in the future. Weapons degrade each time players die. While dying in Diablo 4 doesn't have many downsides, your gear will degrade a bit each time. However, players can respect their classes without repercussions up to level 15, giving them a chance to try skills they aren't sure about. Players can also dismantle equipment instead of selling it, which can earn them a good amount of money, or they can dismantle equipment at the blacksmith to unlock that item in their transmog wardrobe.
Loot is also a central part of the game, and players need to find materials to upgrade their builds. However, in Diablo 4 players may notice blobs "disappearing" from the ground. By default, item labels disappear after being on the ground for 10 seconds, but players can change the display so that it can be toggled. Players can head to the "game" tab in settings and scroll down to the item tag screen to set their preferred settings.
If players are fighting in a dungeon, they can press the D-pad (on console) to start a 10 second timer. Once the time runs out, they will automatically teleport to the most recent settlement or waypoint they visited. However, players must unlock the waypoints manually. You can fast travel to any landmark you've visited, but unlike most games, which automatically unlock fast travel points when you pass through them, you must manually interact with them. The prompt is simple (press "X", at least on PlayStation), but players should make sure to do so to avoid getting trapped deep in a dungeon.
Diablo 4's first big world boss is Ashava the Pestilent. Players can defeat the boss to receive legendary gear. However, during the beta, players can only fight Ashava during four separate windows. Aspects are passive abilities that players can add to their equipment to add an effect or modify an existing one. They are obtained by completing dungeons or by extracting them from an item they own. The use of skins is necessary to strengthen your characters and improve their build to defeat the most powerful enemies.
In each region of Diablo 4, players earn renown by completing a variety of challenges, including clearing strongholds, completing side quests, and hunting down the altars of Lilith. After reaching a fame milestone, players receive rewards for their current character or all of their characters. The Diablo 4 beta is shaping up to be a great experience for RPG enthusiasts and fans of the series.
