Our verdict on Diablo IV, plus hands-on with Belkin’s BoostCharge Power Bank, LEGO’s Speed Champions Fast & Furious sets and more.
It’s taken more than 10 years, but Diablo IV is finally upon us. The good news is that this trip back to Sanctuary was more than worth the wait and is a well-rounded adventure that you’d happily do a deal with the devil for.
The biggest compliment is that Diablo IV just feels so damn good to play. In a world where huge triple-a relases struggle to nail the little things, Diablo IV is smooth as butter right off the bat (thanks in part to some key betas), especially on PS5. Chatting with the game’s Associate Game Director Joe Piepiora and Game Producer Ash Sweetring striking that balance between console and PC was critical.
“As we were working through designing the game, we made sure every single element was functional across both formats, working in parallel so everything was fit for purpose from the beginning,” say the devs. “We learned a lot from Diablo III in that way, which over its lifecycle came to a whole range of consoles and platforms, and those informed how we designed the game. For Diablo IV, we’ve developed everything in parallel, so we don’t do a mouse and keyboard pass first, rather we develop all of the control schemes alongside one another so that they all feel authentic to the player.”
It all feels authentic, too. As I slowly built up my Rogue’s abilities (via a ridiculously expansive skilltree) it opened up my DualSense as well – helping me dodge, weave, stab and shoot my way through encounters. But it’s actually the story that kept me on the hook for Diablo IV, especially with the series’ most stunning cutscenes thus far. They mostly focus on the return of Lilith, daughter of Hatred ready who is ready to rule over Sanctuary, but that’s a good thing because whenever Lilith does show up she steals each and every scene with a magnetising precense.
That’s all backed up by strong audio design as well, from voice performances to the soundtrack. According to Piepiora and Sweetring though, one of the main pillars of Diablo IV is the “Living Audio”. “When it comes to the open world, that means creating soundscapes that fill out the world and make it feel lived in, whether that’s world ambience, monsters off screen or tiny chunks of wood colliding off a wall when you break an object.” All I can say is – best throw some headphones on.
At the end of the day Diablo IV is all about loot loop and it doesn’t fail to impress either, thanks to an absolute abundance on offer. Collecting fresh gear is always exciting, as is continuing to deck out your character, however carefully checking stats can feel pointless considering the world levels with you. Outside loot isn’t always great either, with the microtransaction-filled shop perhaps a little too pricey for its own good.
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But aside from those annoyances, Diablo IV is an absolute treat that hardcore fans can expect to play for months to come. “We want the living world to be a drawcard for every type of player, which might mean helping a small town with an undead problem or tracking down Lilith’s cultists across Sanctuary,” explain Piepiora and Sweetring. “But Diablo isn’t just a game about your first playthrough, we’re also balancing a game that people will be playing for thousands of hours on repeat playthroughs with new characters and seasons.”
Sounds good to me.
Diablo IV is out now for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, XBO and PC. You can buy it via Amazon.
Also out now…
Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand
If you’re anything like me, a harmless round of Marvel Snap quickly devolves into wasted hours and a dead mobile battery. But these woes have been now alleviated, friends, and it’s all thanks to the Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand.
While the name might be a little inelegant and complicated, actually using the device is anything but. For users of iPhone 12 onwards, the Power Bank packs in Magsafe capability, meaning it can easily snap to the back of your phone without having to worry about the hassle of extra wires. The 7.5W of power doesn’t provide the fastest charge in the world, but the average additional 19 hours of screen time for a standard iPhone 13 or 14, it’s a sacrifice I was willing to make for the relatively small formfactor.
Throw on a USB-C cable the end instead and you’ll gain 10w of juice instead, making things even more flexible by allowing you to top up Android devices as well. That’s not even mentioning the nifty fold-out metal stand for video playback and visual charge indicator.
Sure, competitors like Anker’s offer much beefier alternatives, but the reality is I stuck with Belkin’s BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank because it’s a perfect daily driver that will slot well into most pockets when you’re on the go.
It also means I can get back to the Marvel Snap game…
You can pick up the Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand for yourself now for $69.95 via Belkin’s website.
LEGO Speed Champions Fast & Furious 1970 Dodge Charger R/T & Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)
With LEGO 2K Drive barely in the review mirror, the Danish brick masters aren’t taking their foot off the pedal with the release of these two speedy sets based on mega franchise Fast & Furious.
While the rev-heavy series has had more than its fair share of games, these Speed Champions sets are instead based on the popular movies (Fast X still on the silver screen). And despite both the Dodge and Skyline being relatively quick builds (345 pieces and 319 pieces respectively) for adult hands, they still packed a surprising amount of detail under the bonnet.
Installing the colourful bottle of NOS inside the Skyline GT-R, for example, brought a smile to my face, while the Dodge Charger feels hefty thanks to the beefy supercharger and wide rims fans of Dom’s iconic ride have come to expect.
Then there’s the minifigs which do their best to replicate both Paul Walker and Vin Diesel’s characters, although the latter just isn’t quite able to capture the actor’s wooden charm. That said, LEGO did think to include the all-important wrench for Dominic Toretto which is a bloody great inclusion for hardcore fans of the series.
With both builds done, I did find the Skyline to be the flashier model of the two, but both were satisfying builds that can easily sit atop of any shelf thanks to their more reasonable size.
Highly recommended for long-time Fast & Furious fans, or just if you’ve got an itch to build some bricks.
Both the LEGO Speed Champions Fast & Furious 1970 Dodge Charger R/T & Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) are available on the LEGO store for $32.99.
Citizen Sleeper (Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Now celebrating its 1-year, this couldn’t be a more perfect time to give Citizen Sleeper a whirl. That’s because it’s easy to see why this sci-fi adventure is already so beloved, thanks to its exceptional writing and unique tale. After all, who doesn’t love a robot on the run filled with a digitised human consciousness?
Citizen Sleeper’s primary gameplay hook of rolling dice is also incredibly clever and surprisingly engaging. With higher dice rolls possessing a higher chance of success, it builds a lot of tension as you try to decide how many of your limited dice to throw and at what time.
It all sounds overwhelming, and can certainly feel that way in the early hours, but things evolve quickly and are just more feathers in Citizen Sleeper’s Cap. Give it enough time and attention and Citizen Sleeper will floor you from start to finish, and the whole experience runs a treat on the Switch.
Without question Citizen Sleeper is one of the best independent releases of the last twelve months that is worth both your time and money.
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