Diablo III Signature Series Strategy Guide Strategy Guides and Books

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Released on 15-May-2012

• The Games We're Excited About!

  
  

  There are lots and lots of great games heading your way in the next few months, and here at gamestation HQ we're as excited as you lot are to give them a go.

  So, we went round the digital team with a prodding stick to find out just what games the team here are really itching to play...

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  I am looking forward to LEGO Batman 2. My brother and I worked our way through the original LEGO Batman with a considered method of "shoot everything in the room first, think about the situation later" and it was amazing. It's also the only game where if you die you can still enjoy seeing Robin explode which I did on many occasions as Player 2. I can't wait to see what LEGO Batman 2 has in store!

  
  

  

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, Max Payne 3.

  After playing through 1 and 2 - which gripped me to the very end - I cannot honestly wait for 3.

  Max Payne's method of storytelling is awesome. The comic book cut scenes are stylish and effective, and are not afraid to poke fun at other, outrageous works of fiction (as well as itself). The noir style and twists and turns throughout provide a flourish of love which even the most dedicated of storytellers fail to keep up with. The ingredients are simple, but it's a recipe which works.

  The gameplay might not necessarily be innovative, but it will be intuitive. It might not change the way we think about games, but I know it's going to be a game through and through; fun, accessible and welcoming to noobs and veterans alike. Max Payne 3 is going to rock. Add online multiplayer to the mix, and I can safely say that I'm looking forward to blasting my way into June!

  (My second choice would be Aliens: Colonial Marines, but that's almost too far away to get excited about yet!)

  Kate - Affiliate Assassin

  Bioshock Infinite - Because of the amazing animation and design of the game. Oh, and Limbo 2 - if/when it comes!

  

  Jamie - Builder of Digital Dreamscapes

  I am looking forward to...

  Grand Theft Auto V: Obviously no one really knows exactly when this game is coming out but I cant wait! Seriously excited about a new GTA! Although I hope it is all of San Andreas and not just Los Santos.

  Madden 13: I always get Madden, and it was pretty much the game that made me buy my first proper games console (the SEGA Mega Drive). I'm particularly looking forward to this year's one as I'm hoping they have taken more of the good stuff out of NCAA12... and also because I can't wait for Madden on the PS Vita.

  Retro City Rampage: This is an indie game that just looks AMAZING! Kind of like a funny GTA but all totally 80s styled. It's gonna be on Xbox LIVE and PSN and I like the fact it looks like you might be able to get this digitally to play on your PS Vita too; it seems like the kind of game you could just lose hours in messing about!

  

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Halo 4. Why? Because it's the best freaking game there is! I'm a massive Halo fan and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment. And really looking forward to seeing Master Chief again. And now we know the release date i know what week to book off work!

  
  

  Aaron - Social Butterfly

  I almost squealed for joy when Luigi's Mansion 2 was announced (Okay, I actually did squeal...). The original Luigi's Mansion was the first game I got on launch day with my Gamecube. It was ALL about Luigi, sucking up ghosts with his Poltergust 3000. The sequel has me itching to play, it will have multiple mansions, a new Poltergust, new ghosts, new story AND it will all be in beautiful 3D. The Nintendo savvy amongst us will know that Nintendo originally planned to release Luigi's Mansion in 3D on the Gamecube but decided the 3D panel was ahead of its time!

  Who ya gonna call? Ghostb-- No, no wait, let's just get the Green hat-wearing Italian plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom instead. No danger of crossing the streams.

  

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  I'm actually really looking forward to Lollipop Chainsaw. I'm a big Buffy fan, so the concept of a blonde cheerleader fighting supernatural beasties is one that very much appeals to me. It just looks like it's gonna be oodles of OTT fun. Plus, y'know, the boyfriend's head just kicking around. What's not to like?

  As a stark contrast, I'm also a bit excited by Spec Ops: The Line. I don't usually get on with shooters, but having seen the trailer with the bodies-on-poles imagery, plus the obvious Heart of Darkness influence and the sense of "killing people may actually affect you", I really want to try this one out. I mean, who isn't at least intrigued by what appears to be an anti-war third-person shooter?

  

  James - Captain Category

  Diablo III.

   

   

  Because I've been waiting twelve years for it!

  
  

  So there we have it. These are the games we want to play - what about you? What forthcoming titles have got you so pant-wettingly excited to pre-order and play?

• Bring On the Bad Guys!

  
  

  

  This week sees the release of Prototype 2, where the Alex Mercer, hero from the first game seems to have become the new bad guy to beat. So, in celebration of all things vile and villainous, the digital team has once again been gently prodded to share with you our favourite evil-doers. These are the people, who, in the style of Bugsy Malone, are "the very best at being bad"

  
  

  

  Glenn - Mad Mod

  Diablo is the Lord of Terror and a Prime Evil of Hell. That's a job title that alone warrants a spot on our best bad guys list.

  He manipulates his opponents using their innermost fears and then obliterates them with his Demonic strength and incredibly powerful Spells. The strongest Demon in Hell, named after the Devil himself, and seemingly indestructible (Read - he's been destroyed a number of times, even with the Arch Angels helping and he's still keeps ticking, like a malevolent Duracell bunny), devious and able to possess his enemies, Diablo is the Ultimate Bad Guy. And he's back in Diablo 3!
  

  

  Marc - Analyst to the Stars

  The little girl from F.E.A.R. - Alma Wade.

  She was scary. Honest. Like the girl from the Ring (Japanese version, obviously). The first corridor experience with her and the ceiling of blood is one of the scariest scenes ever in a game.

  The Music and Sound was eerie too. It was just all far too scary and Alma was the cause of it all.

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat. Because he is a massive #@+! and I can't kill him!

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  My favourite video game villain is Revolver Ocelot. He started life in Metal Gear Solid as a random gunslinger who you could kill if you (as Solid Snake) waited for him to need to reload his revolver - he really should have named himself something with more than 6 bullets!

  After cutting off his arm you assume that's the end of him, but he's more maniacal than you realise as he replaces his arm with that of your dead clone brother Liquid Snake. In a strange twist of surgery his arm takes over his mind so you have to beat him again in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Finally the epic family feud of a lifetime is over, but with Metal Gear nothing ever seems to stay dead. Roll on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance!

  James - Captain Category

  G-Man from Half-Life - not really a villain but still very creepy

  

  Nick - Colonel Category

  Wesker from Resident Evil.
  
  How many times did he die escape get retconned? Nigh on unkillable (until the muddle that was Resident Evil 5), the variety of his super powers (whatever the situation demanded, basically) and his smartass one-liners made him the man (ish?) well all loved to hate.

  Plus, sunglasses in those dark places, yes, THAT's how hard he was!

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Wesker be top of my favourite picks, too. From his humble beginnings in a dual life as a scientist/Umbrella genius/STARS Leader, he goes about sacrificing his entire team in the name of science... and obtaining reliable combat data.

  After he is foiled by Chris and Jill, Wesker fakes his own death, escapes, and, not content with the destruction of Raccoon City, tries to continue his research away from the tenacious and meddling Redfield...

  But, Wesker is a bad guy and is therefore doomed to fail. After failing twice, mutating his body beyond belief and moving to Africa, he becomes nothing short of annoying and impossible to kill. The only way he is stopped is by being tackled by Chris and Eva and hundreds of bullets later, is engulfed in a pool of lava.

  Truly special, I'll always remember him for his rubbish sunglasses (worn at all times) and even worse Matrix-esque coat (RE 5). It was also really weird the way his accent changed too. He went from camp American to indignant English... I guess that cemented the transformation from mildly devious to completely evil!

  My second pick would be The Shredder (many Turtles games, but in particular, the 1989 TMNT Arcade Game). Not content with burning down April's apartment building, he kidnaps her too - forcing the Turtles into action and on a mission to end all missions. To a degree, menacing, but generally just annoying and incessant ; )

  Finally, I'd say my third pick would be Dr. Robotnik from Sonic. Generally, he's also just annoying, but also very devious and innovative. From trying to run Sonic down with a drill machine, to smashing Sonic with a giant wrecking ball, to trying to drown Sonic, to pitting Sonic against Metal Sonic in a race to save Amy Rose. Robotnik never gives up... You gotta love a good villain!

  

  Robyn - In-Yer-Face Interfacer

  Baron von Blubba. You know, the whale in Bubble Bobble! When time runs out it goes ape and super fast... Waaaaaah!!!! (o_o)

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  Does 'Dragonforce - Through the Fire and Flames' from Guitar Hero: World Tour count? Talk about an unbeatable enemy... No? Well then there's always the Joker in Arkham Asylum and City - played with delicious glee by Mark Hamill. He won an award for it and everything.

• Diablo III beaten on Inferno with hardcore characters

  It's taken around a month, but one dedicated player has managed to pull off one of the most impressive feats of gaming skill you're likely to see this - or any - year.

  Diablo III player Kripparrian not only completed the game on the ruthlessly tough Inferno difficulty setting, he did it using hardcore characters. For those who have yet to sample Blizzard's astonishing action RPG, hardcore characters only get one life. Once they die, they're gone forever. Making this feat even more impressive, it was done before the game received patch 1.03, which makes things slightly easier by offering more powerful loot drops.

  The character used was Kripp, a barbarian, with a little assistance from a wizard character called Krippi.

  News of this world first spread quickly through the Diablo community, but Blizzard itself was skeptical at first. After checking their data, community manager Bashiok confirmed the achievement via Twitter. "My apologies Kripp and Krippi, looks like you were 1st HC Inferno clear," read the tweet, "(my spreadsheet deciphering isn't what it used to be) Congrats!"

  Diablo III is out now for PC.

• Rule of the Dice - The Games That Made Role-Playing Cool

  
  

  If you wanted to paint a portrait of the stereotypical geek, you'd have to include a nod to role-playing games in there somewhere. Along with Star Trek, the stat-based fantasies of the RPG form the basis of society's clichéd view of 'sad geek stuff'. And yet to look at the games charts today, you'd swear that role-playing was the hottest ticket in town.

  

  The Skyrim's The Limit

  The massive success of Skyrim last year was perhaps the most obvious indicator that RPGs were cool again. Bethesda's vast time-sucking epic is about as nerdy as role-playing gets, filled with magical weapons, skill tree management and all the trolls and dragons you could shake an enchanted mace at, yet it still thundered to the top of the charts and stayed there. Millions bought it, and the acclaim was unanimous from the critical community as well. As 2011 came to a close, Skyrim was over-encumbered and could not run, so full was its backpack with Game of the Year trophies.

  

  But Skyrim wasn't alone. Vying for hardcore affection at the same time was Dark Souls, the punishingly brilliant third-person RPG by Japanese developer From Software. As foreboding and claustrophobic as Skyrim was empowering and liberating, Dark Souls showed that the genre could take console players to terrifying new places, simply by slowing down the pace, ratcheting up the difficulty and making every swing of your sword count. Few will manage to excavate all of Dark Souls' depths, but for those who make it out the other side alive, the experience will be transforming.

  

  Royal Flush

  Had the RPG bandwagon ground to a halt there, it could be written off as a freak occurrence, brought about by anticipation stoked by the five-year wait between Elder Scrolls sequels. But then along came Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, another massive open world fantasy game, stocked with elves and magic and dwarves, and that too raced up the charts.

  With a story by acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, and design work from legendary comic artist Todd McFarlane, Kingdoms of Amalur wore its geek credentials on its extravagantly embroidered wizard's sleeve. It may not have achieved the same ubiquity as Skyrim, but the fact it was so successful, so soon after Bethesda's monster smash should have exhausted the available pool of role-playing enthusiasts suggested that the genre could be on the upswing.

  So where will this renaissance take us next? Onwards and upwards seems to be the answer.

  

  Dungeons and Dragons and Monsters and Pirates and Demons and...

  April sees the Xbox 360 release of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, a console remake of the critically acclaimed PC adult role player. Cast as a monster hunter in a complex world governed by prejudice and fear, it's a far cry from the whimsical fare people commonly associate with fantasy gaming.

  Had Polish developer CD Projekt simply shunted the Witcher 2 code into an Xbox shape and hurried it to shelves, it wouldn't be a surprise. That it's instead opted to completely rebuild the game for console players, with additional content and a lavish collector's edition, proves that there's a mature market beyond the usual dice-rolling hobbyists for this kind of long-term in-depth gaming experience.

  

  Then in May we'll get Risen 2: Dark Waters, another sequel but one that trades the generic swords and sorcery realms of its predecessor for a saltier tale of pirate folk. Developed by Piranha Bytes, the studio behind hit RPG series Gothic, it promises to be more than a cult hit.

  

  We've just learned that May will also be the month that we'll finally get our hands on Diablo 3 from World of Warcraft developer Blizzard. A mere twelve years in the making, this top-down loot-dropping hack and slash RPG dungeon crawl is arguably the most eagerly anticipated PC game of the year.

  So what has caused this surge in role-playing fever? Are gamers simply burned out on militaristic first-person shooters and hungry for change? Or is it just that with their lengthy playing times and flexible character progression, RPGs offer more value for money and greater opportunities to define your own gaming experience?

  Whatever the reason, role-playing is firmly entrenched as the games industry's next big thing. These may be the games that have made it cool to roll the dice, but they certainly won't be the last.

  Published: 15/03/2012

• The Games We're Excited About!

  
  

  There are lots and lots of great games heading your way in the next few months, and here at GAME HQ we're as excited as you lot are to give them a go.

  So, we went round the digital team with a prodding stick to find out just what games the team here are really itching to play...

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  I am looking forward to LEGO Batman 2. My brother and I worked our way through the original LEGO Batman with a considered method of "shoot everything in the room first, think about the situation later" and it was amazing. It's also the only game where if you die you can still enjoy seeing Robin explode which I did on many occasions as Player 2. I can't wait to see what LEGO Batman 2 has in store!

  
  

  

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, Max Payne 3.

  After playing through 1 and 2 - which gripped me to the very end - I cannot honestly wait for 3.

  Max Payne's method of storytelling is awesome. The comic book cut scenes are stylish and effective, and are not afraid to poke fun at other, outrageous works of fiction (as well as itself). The noir style and twists and turns throughout provide a flourish of love which even the most dedicated of storytellers fail to keep up with. The ingredients are simple, but it's a recipe which works.

  The gameplay might not necessarily be innovative, but it will be intuitive. It might not change the way we think about games, but I know it's going to be a game through and through; fun, accessible and welcoming to noobs and veterans alike. Max Payne 3 is going to rock. Add online multiplayer to the mix, and I can safely say that I'm looking forward to blasting my way into June!

  (My second choice would be Aliens: Colonial Marines, but that's almost too far away to get excited about yet!)

  Kate - Affiliate Assassin

  Bioshock Infinite - Because of the amazing animation and design of the game. Oh, and Limbo 2 - if/when it comes!

  

  Jamie - Builder of Digital Dreamscapes

  I am looking forward to...

  Grand Theft Auto V: Obviously no one really knows exactly when this game is coming out but I cant wait! Seriously excited about a new GTA! Although I hope it is all of San Andreas and not just Los Santos.

  Madden 13: I always get Madden, and it was pretty much the game that made me buy my first proper games console (the SEGA Mega Drive). I'm particularly looking forward to this year's one as I'm hoping they have taken more of the good stuff out of NCAA12.

  Retro City Rampage: This is an indie game that just looks AMAZING! Kind of like a funny GTA but all totally 80s styled. It's gonna be on Xbox LIVE and PSN and I like the fact it looks like you might be able to get this digitally to play on your PS Vita too; it seems like the kind of game you could just lose hours in messing about!

  

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Halo 4. Why? Because it's the best freaking game there is! I'm a massive Halo fan and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment. And really looking forward to seeing Master Chief again. And now we know the release date I know what week to book off work!

  
  

  Aaron - Social Butterfly

  I almost squealed for joy when Luigi's Mansion 2 was announced (Okay, I actually did squeal...). The original Luigi's Mansion was the first game I got on launch day with my Gamecube. It was ALL about Luigi, sucking up ghosts with his Poltergust 3000. The sequel has me itching to play, it will have multiple mansions, a new Poltergust, new ghosts, new story AND it will all be in beautiful 3D. The Nintendo savvy amongst us will know that Nintendo originally planned to release Luigi's Mansion in 3D on the Gamecube but decided the 3D panel was ahead of its time!

  Who ya gonna call? Ghostb-- No, no wait, let's just get the Green hat-wearing Italian plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom instead. No danger of crossing the streams.

  

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  I'm actually really looking forward to Lollipop Chainsaw. I'm a big Buffy fan, so the concept of a blonde cheerleader fighting supernatural beasties is one that very much appeals to me. It just looks like it's gonna be oodles of OTT fun. Plus, y'know, the boyfriend's head just kicking around. What's not to like?

  As a stark contrast, I'm also a bit excited by Spec Ops: The Line. I don't usually get on with shooters, but having seen the trailer with the bodies-on-poles imagery, plus the obvious Heart of Darkness influence and the sense of "killing people may actually affect you", I really want to try this one out. I mean, who isn't at least intrigued by what appears to be an anti-war third-person shooter?

  

  James - Captain Category

  Diablo III.

   

   

  Because I've been waiting twelve years for it!

  
  

  So there we have it. These are the games we want to play - what about you? What forthcoming titles have got you so pant-wettingly excited to pre-order and play?

  Published: 17/04/2012

• Diablo III may still come to consoles, Blizzard says

  Smash hit role-playing game Diablo III is still being planned for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 despite not being officially announced, developer Blizzard has confirmed.

  Talking to Polygon, chief creative officer Rob Pardo revealed that the acclaimed studio even has a version of the game working for consoles, but they won't pull the trigger on the conversion until they're convinced it will be as good as possible.

  "We're still kind of exploring it," Pardo said. "We've got builds up and running on it. We're hoping to get it far enough along where we can make it an official project, but we're not quite ready to release stuff about it, but it's looking pretty cool."

  Lead designer Jay Wilson also confirmed that the developer is "exploring console options" but also has plans to "expand and add onto the game" for PC owners. "The whole team is essentially working on the next big Diablo thing," said Wilson. "A lot of that stuff will show up next year at some point." In November, Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime confirmed that a PC expansion was in the pipeline.

  Blizzard has never been a studio to rush a project - Diablo III was in development in some form for eleven years - but the result is always worth the wait. Diablo III is out now for PC and Mac.
  

  Published: 11/12/2012

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