For a while, it was looking like upcoming hack-and-slash role playing game Diablo III had become a Playstation exclusive on the sly - revealed during Sony's Playstation 4 announcement in February and only mentioned in the context of the Playstation brand ever since, it appeared to be quite the coup for Sony, as the console versions were shaping up very nicely indeed. Now, however, that idea's been well and truly put to rest, as Activision have announced the PC favourite dungeon-crawling, loot-hoarding role-playing game will be coming to the PS3, PS4, and Xbox 360.
Having broken records for being the fastest-selling PC game on launch day, before going on to sell a whopping twelve million copies since then, Diablo III has become somewhat infamous - although at least in part due to it's disastrous digital rights management must-always-be-connected-to-the-internet systems, and the huge problems they caused, which have thankfully been scrapped for the console versions. Much like its predecessors, Diablo III revolves around an addictive mix of enemy bashing and stuff collecting - as you explore the game's dungeons and complete quests, you'll come across more and more powerful weapons and equipment with which to kit out your character. Better stuff lets you explore more dungeons, kill more monsters and find even fancier swords and shields as you make your way through the role-playing game staple story of saving the world. It may not be anything ground breaking, but it sure is fun.
Accumulating, equipping and customising stuff is at the heart of Diablo games.
When you begin your Diablo III quest, you get a choice of five different character classes - the hulking heavy barbarian, manipulative witch doctors who enjoy cursing their enemies, the obligatory spell-wielding wizard, a speedy martial artist monk and the ranged specialist demon hunter. On a mission to save the world of Sanctuary from the corrupting Burning Hells, you travel from the demon-infested town of New Tristram to the Diamond Gates of the High Heavens, fighting hordes of monsters, exploring dungeons and meeting with many characters along the way.
What has us most excited though is the fact that Diablo III on consoles lets four players join up and go adventuring together, whether you're playing with a group of friends squeezed onto a sofa, playing with more distant friends over the internet - or even a mixture of the two. Whether it's just having a couple of friends drop in to lend a hand during an epic boss fight or a ongoing adventure with your significant other, the game promises to cater to everyone, with a simplified and streamlined control scheme to better fit a console controller.
People who pre-order
Diablo III debuts on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 on the 3rd September, with a Playstation 4 version to follow on a currently unannounced date, while news of a version for Microsoft's new Xbox One is notable by its absence. Either way, no matter your machine of choice, the sound of four player local co-op adventuring has us rather excited indeed.
