Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls is finally here. I’ve been looking forward to this expansion since Diablo 3 came out precisely two years ago. While I admired vanilla, I recognized that it was in desperate need of patches and content. I’ve unquestionably enjoyed its cohesive combat mechanics and encouragement of experimentation of new builds. However, the lack of enough content to really chew on stunted my ability to fully enjoy the game. Nothing an expansion can’t fix, right?
I prepared for the launch of Reaper of Souls by leveling another character, a Wizard, from 1 to 60—with the added help of +50% experience. Patch 2.0 did enough to show that Blizzard knows what it’s doing with the IP. That said, the patch doesn’t march alone; Reaper of Souls has arrived shortly behind and means business.
The most substantial addition of Reaper of Souls’ repertoire is the addition of Act V. In a lot of ways Act V is now the best chapter in the game. It has a greater sense of exploration than previous acts, with plenty of inviting side areas and dungeons that await you at every corner. These optional areas contain events unlike what was seen in vanilla; they are rewarding and diverse. Speaking of which, rewarding and diverse are two words that perfectly encapsulate the design philosophy of this entire expansion. You’ll encounter plenty of legendary items to link to your friends, and they’ll be earned by more than just clearing Elite packs with overpowered affixes.
