There was an unexpected surprise today, when GOG.com announced that the original Diablo was coming to the online store. This made me curious how it still plays today. Obviously the game is legendary, but I wanted to see how the GOG version would handle.
Starting up the game, I was instantly taken back in time. Once more I found myself in the 90’s and in the land of Tristram. The first thing I must comment on is how the game still looks amazing. There is something to be said for hand drawn visuals that just age far better than polygons from the time. Every last image of the game is as gorgeous today as it was back then, even if the art was in fact a bit rough. However, the roughness of the art just adds to its charm and I have to say that it looks great on my PC.
In terms of controls, everything is still the same but somehow feels tighter and more responsive and I love that. This is not a remaster but the port definitely has a few improvements in the move to a digital re-release. The eight way directional input may take a while for players to get used to however, because it is different from Diablo II and III. If you can get used to that though, you will find yourself appreciating the origins of where the series started.
Combat is still the one sore point however. Combat in the series evolved greatly in II and III and just feel a bit clunky here. It will throw you for a loop a few times and cause some unnecessary deaths as you adjust. Once you do adjust though, you will find yourself enjoying the game immensely.
While Diablo 1 has clearly aged a bit in terms of mechanics, it is still a great game. Everything is here, included the multiplayer thanks to Battle.net and that is a nice touch. I highly recommend checking it out on GOG if you want to see the origins of the series.