Format: iOS
Genre: RPG
Developer: NetEase
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment

One advantage of contemporary standardized graphics APIs is that they let developers make a single engine, then scale it up and down to various hardware targets. It's tough to believe this mobile "Diablo" title is a cellphone game: running on this reviewer's iPhone 14 Pro Max in the sixty frames per second mode with anti-aliasing enabled, the game looks razor sharp. Physically-based materials grace every surface, and models are of high triangle count. Like all "gacha" titles, this one uses "in your face" menus with explosions and flames to try to get the player to spend money. Female character portraits have also been whacked with the woke ugly stick. All-in-all however, Diablo Immortal is a real technical achievement for a game of this type.

Predictably, Hollywood orchestral fare is the way here, but unlike in many modern games it never gets annoying, and mostly sits in the background. This is probably because there is also lots of Matt Uelman impersonation going on, with acoustic guitar and other softer elements making up the instrumentation in many of the songs. Most of this title's dialog is fully-voice acted to good effect, revealing just how big of a budget this game had, considering it's on a mobile platform.

Diablo Immortal has a touch-based d-pad in the bottom-left corner. It is forgiving yet precise. In the bottom right there are various faux-buttons, each of which can have a combat skill assigned to it. The various character classes are fun to use, and the game nails the overall feel of the fighting. Unfortunately, like all games of this kind, there are fifty million different kinds of "currencies" and item types, plus constant red notification buttons showing up everywhere: "You just earned a daily reward! Tap here to buy more of item XYZ!" But if the player ignores these superfluous elements, it's easy to level a character into the thirties, for free.

Like "Genshin Impact", Diablo Immortal is a high budget mobile title with triple-A production values, very modern graphics, and a tasteful implementation of "gacha" mechanics, which allow free-riding players to still have enjoyment if they are patient enough. The aesthetic is attractive, the music is fitting enough, and the whole game can be played in real-time co-op with others. Undoubtedly many players will make the jump to the impending "Diablo IV" when that releases-- but in the intervening period, there are worse ways to relax in front of a video game than killing hell spawn on your smartphone.