Diablo 3 Ultimate Evil Edition Review (Xbox One)

Diablo 3’s recent expansion has launched with great reception from gamers and critics. Like many others, I wasn’t a fan of Diablo 3, so I was reluctant at first to try Reaper of Souls. I played the Ultimate Evil Edition which is the console equivalent, carrying both Diablo 3 and the Reaper of Souls expansion on disc.

Reaper of Souls adds a lot of content to the game and fixes some big issues that Diablo 3 had. We all know that Diablo has always been about the loot; it was almost an addiction rather than a game. When Diablo 3 lost touch with that, the core elements of the game were swept away: loot became a chore instead of a fun exciting aspect. Gamers often found themselves with a bunch of items unsuitable to their class. Reaper of Souls successfully pulls us back to the endless addiction that is loot-collecting by introducing us to Loot 2.0. This is a rebalanced and refined system where, although fewer items are dropped, these are more tailored to your class, with better stats and more upgrade opportunities.

On top of the new improved loot system, Blizzard have also chucked in a new character, The Crusader. The Crusader has a strong resemblance to the Paladin from Diablo 2. The Crusader uses a shield and can be specced to use two-handed weapons in one hand with a shield in the other, making him/her a great defensive class. With abilities to pull aggro, these characters become the best tank in the game. They also have a range of area of effect attacks that can blind, stun or slow enemies. By combining one of these attacks with aggro, The Crusader can destroy huge amounts of enemies while taking very little damage.

We’ve been treated to a new “Act 5” where we must fight Malthael; previously he was mentioned in Diablo 3 and made an appearance in a Diablo book called The Veiled Prophet, and basically he’s Judge Death. Malthael sees humans as a demonic force, so by killing them all he’s doing heaven a favour. This is all part of the “Great Conflict,” a long-lasting war between heaven and hell that has spilled into the world between.

Unlike the original Diablo 3, the expansion doesn’t end in act 5. Here, Blizzard have crafted an excellent end-game system that should keep gamers entertained for a long time. Called “Adventure mode,” this system opens up the whole map for players to wander around, allowing you to take on bounties which reward with more than just loot. They allow you to take on special dungeons called rifts, where you can collect Rift Keystone fragments and blood shards. The rifts pull together random encounters and areas from any of the five acts, and while they’re clearly a bit of filler, they’re still fun to play; you never know exactly what you’ll get from the large pool of possibilities.

You’ll also meet Kadala. As well as being a chickpea dish, she’s a new NPC who really plays up to your loot addiction by offering gambling opportunities. Spend some blood shards for the chance to receive a lucky dip item of uncertain utility.

The Ultimate Evil Edition (the console version) also offers 4-player split-screen co-op, something that is almost always forgotten about. And particularly with Diablo, this is a much needed feature; being able to kick arse as a party, sat next to one other, really makes the game more fun to play, and it’s much easier to gloat about loot when your mate is sat next to you. Diablo Reaper of Souls is a perfect expansion for fans of Diablo, and will make newcomers instantly fall in love with looting for days on end. With the loot 2.0 system, Blizzard have identified the major issue with Diablo 3 and rectified it, while adding extra content for a more satisfying end-game.

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