Destructoid has posted a list of the top fifty games of the decade, and they placed Diablo 2 well up the chart, at #7. Right between equally memorable titles Valkyria Chronicles (#8), and Beyond Good and Evil (#6). They also chose a weird, pixelly screenshot from a dragon-enhanced mod for the visual, further compounding the “Wut?” factor.
At any rate, here’s a quote.
Back in 2000, Diablo II was unbelievably popular—it was one of the most played and talked-about games of the year. That?s a pretty amazing accomplishment. But what?s really amazing is that you can hop onto Battle.net today (Blizzard?s free online gaming service) and still see around 50,000 people playing the classic hack-and-slash role-playing game. 50,000 people. TEN YEARS AFTER THE GAME?S RELEASE! This die-hard devotion is what makes Diablo II so timeless, and an obsession among certain gamers.
The story in Diablo II is classic Blizzard, involving a dark lord and some mystical powers, but that is not what makes the game so fantastic. The addictive gameplay is what brings people back to this game over and over again. By choosing between a handful of varied classes (Barbarian, Necromancer, and Paladin, to name a few), players enter the isometric realm of Diablo II and explore elaborate, multi-level worlds while fighting an ungodly amount of constantly spawning enemies. Unlike the original game, Diablo II was designed with online play in mind, so jumping into an eight-person party, exploring a randomly-generated dungeon, and collecting loot and gaining levels is hopelessly addictive. It really is one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you will ever have.