The Year Of Diablo

Today marks the One Year Anniversary for Diablo 3, the third installment in the Diablo franchise created by developers Blizzard Entertainment. Unlike the rest of internet, I actually enjoy this game. I am an avid player of all three installments and have beaten each of them numerous times, including the first Diablo on PC AND Playstation X (the "X" is for all of you true gamers). I have not been disappointed with the game as a whole, although there will always be things that "I" would have done differently but seeing as I am not a game developer I have to take them as they are, or not play them at all.
Many who bring up Diablo 3 can either expect an immediate hatred or be bashed for not liking Torchlight 2 more. Rarely, do you find those that support and enjoy the game and you know what, that's fine with me. I would rather play a game with people who enjoy it than with people who are simply going to raze hell about it (sound familiar League of Legends players?). Speaking of Torchlight 2, just remember where the game gets its roots from, DIABLO! Also, I prefer to have specific classes that not only act and fight different but also LOOK different. The character models in Torchlight are quite bland and generic compared to the quality and evolution of each class in Diablo 3. Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoy Torchlight 2 but they are very different games with the same basis. And yes, this is probably contradictory to my previous article but these are two complete games with countless hours of loot and enemies to find (and one is spawned from the other so they knew what they were getting into when they started this). Now, Torchlight 2 is less expensive than Diablo 3 but I also was able to purchase Diablo with trade-in credit instead of paying full price for it, so there wasn't much of a difference to me on the cost.
Let us not dwell on the endless discussion and differences between two amazing games any longer because this article is already in favor of one title in particular. Let us instead talk of the big "issues" many have cried over when it comes to the new additions in Diablo 3. "ALWAYS ONLINE" and "AUCTION HOUSE" are the main things I want to address. Humor me for a moment and look at the date....May 15, 2013. 2013!!!!! That's right! We live in a world driven by the internet! Tell me the last time your smart phone wasn't hooked up to WI-FI or 3G? It was boring, right? Your phone was simply a phone, not a computer. So, why does anyone gripe when a computer game has to always require an internet connection? The only time you may not have the internet in this day is either during a power outage (which means your computer probably isn't working) or someone EMP'd the grid while you were playing Call Of Duty. ALWAYS ONLINE helps the companies log all entries, cheats and hacks, transactions, playtime, and the likes. Which means, they are watching out for the players AND making sure their game is working properly. If I can't play without an internet connection then I am most likely playing my original XBOX or Dreamcast, which don't even have servers anymore.
As for the AUCTION HOUSE, well, who said you had to use it? I'm sorry....I didn't hear you...who? That's right! No one! It's optional, just like all the different difficulty settings in Torchlight 2, no one is making you play on those game modes but that doesn't mean it isn't there for you to try either. The AH is a gamble, honestly. You sell what you can and buy what you can. I know grinding is boring but truly, what have you been doing the entire game? Just restart the story on the next Monster Power level when you beat it until it's completed, then bump it up again. Each run through and setting will increase the cash flow and loot drops. I mean, I don't play the Dynasty Warriors games for their in-depth stories and characters, I play it so I can become a walking Man-Mower. Well, those things don't hurt either. I can't say I actually payed too much attention to the "story" in Torchlight but I am aware it exists. Whereas Diablo has a story spanning three games and I can recall most of it, mostly due to the fact that it is fantastic as well as grim dark.
Seeing as Diablo 3 is now One, we should give thanks to all of it's "good" qualities. We thank you for all the advanced and in-depth patches you have brought to us for no extra charge. We thank you for giving us five unique characters with ten voice actors to supply both male and female counterparts (Not to mention the Monk is voiced by the guy who voices Lu Bu from Dynasty Warriors AND who ironically voices Garen from League of Legends). We thank you for the versus mode...Just kidding! Bring in a Horde Mode with waves of enemies, loot, and experience!  I want to fight with my friends, not against them. CO-OP!!!! Ehem,  we thank you for the enchanting and malevolent story with intense boss fights and rampant tragedy. But mostly, we thank you for allowing the Demon Hunter to use melee weapons effectively....I mean, CROSSBOW, CROSSBOW, CROSSBOW, FLIP, FLIP, FLIP, CROSSBOW, CROSSBOW, CROSSBOW!!!!!
In all seriousness, I merely want to thank the series for being good at what it is: a dungeon delving, hack and slash, monster fest of loot! Complete with a story! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DIABLO 3!

...LFG ENGINEER CANNON BUILD LEVEL 52 NO NOOBZ....