Tag: ARPG

The creators of Diablo II have created a fantasy RPG that promises to surprise everyone

Philip Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer, prominent figures behind the acclaimed Diablo II, have joined their talents to create Darkhaven, the first title from MoonBeast Productions. This new game is presented as an isometric ARPG with a dark fantasy theme, set in a world that has suffered a civilizational collapse. Players will be able to enjoy both solo adventures and cooperative experiences, as well as confrontations in PvP realms. The hallmark of quality from Diablo One of the standout features of Darkhaven is its innovative terrain and structure alteration system. Players will be able to dig, break through walls […]

Philip Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer, prominent figures behind the acclaimed Diablo II, have joined their talents to create Darkhaven, the first title from MoonBeast Productions. This new game is presented as an isometric ARPG with a dark fantasy theme, set in a world that has undergone a civilizational collapse. Players will be able to enjoy both solo adventures and cooperative experiences, as well as confrontations in PvP realms.

The quality seal of Diablo

One of the most notable features of Darkhaven is its innovative terrain and structure alteration system. Players will be able to dig, break through walls, and redirect lava flows to modify combat dynamics and the game environment. This mechanic aims to provide gameplay that goes beyond numbers, integrating the player’s skill into the development of their character and their experience in the game.

The study has proposed an approach focused on the balance between numerical progression and player choices when building their character, as well as a more scarce but meaningful loot. Among the new movement mechanics are jumping, climbing, and swimming, which allow players greater freedom of action and strategies during combat. According to Erich Schaefer, movement will be a key element that will make the gaming experience more exciting and fun.

Darkhaven will be available on Kickstarter and Steam, and a demo will be launched with the crowdfunding campaign, allowing players to explore a bit of the world created by the developers. With vision and passion for the genre, the creators of Darkhaven aim to return to the roots of ARPG, offering fans a title that promises to capture their interest and excitement.

The most successful Action RPG of recent years will be available to play for free this weekend

Moon Studios has presented its latest project, No Rest for the Wicked, an ARPG that has captured the attention of players since its early access launch. Although the game is still not complete, it has received significant improvements in recent weeks, especially with the recent update known as Together. This update includes a cooperative mode that allows you to play with up to four friends, as well as important adjustments to combat to enhance the user experience. Additionally, you will be able to purchase it at a 40% discount Since its launch, No Rest for the Wicked has proven to be a commercial success, […]

Moon Studios has presented its latest project, No Rest for the Wicked, an ARPG that has captured the attention of players since its early access launch. Although the game is still not complete, it has received significant improvements in recent weeks, especially with the recent update known as Together. This update includes a cooperative mode that allows you to play with up to four friends, as well as important adjustments to combat to enhance the user experience.

Additionally, you can buy it with a 40% discount

Since its launch, No Rest for the Wicked has proven to be a commercial success, surpassing one million copies sold on Steam. To celebrate this milestone and the release of the update, the game will be available for free from January 22 to 26 and will feature a 40% discount, an offer that may be the last before the release of its final version. The developers have announced that the game aims to exit early access in 2026, and after that, a release on PS5 is planned, while its arrival on Xbox Series X|S could be a possibility in the future.

The Together update also introduces new features that enhance game management, such as shared housing and a voting system for group decisions, adding an element of strategy and coexistence to the game. The dynamics of combat have also been enriched, allowing enemies to react more naturally when at a numerical disadvantage. No Rest for the Wicked is considered a hybrid experience between the gameplay styles of titles like Diablo and Dark Souls, appealing to fans of both genres.

With these updates, Moon Studios aims not only to polish the game before its final release but also to build a solid player base that will benefit its long-term success.

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Fallout was almost a clone of Diablo because of Interplay's marketing department

In a new vlog on his YouTube channel, veteran RPG designer and leader of Fallout 1, Tim Cain, revealed fascinating details about the pressure that the publisher Interplay exerted to transform Fallout into a real-time action game, similar to Diablo, instead of maintaining its turn-based RPG format. According to Cain, in 1996, a year before the release, Interplay’s marketing department was convinced that Diablo’s success demanded that Fallout be equally agile and dynamic. Fallout is not Diablo and it doesn’t need to be

In a new vlog on his YouTube channel, veteran RPG designer and leader of Fallout 1, Tim Cain, revealed fascinating details about the pressure that the publisher Interplay exerted to transform Fallout into a real-time action game, similar to Diablo, instead of maintaining its turn-based RPG format. According to Cain, in 1996, a year before the release, Interplay’s marketing department was convinced that the success of Diablo demanded that Fallout be equally agile and dynamic.

Fallout is not Diablo and it doesn’t need to be

Despite the insistence, Cain opposed the idea and was able to withstand the pressure by pointing out the large amount of time and resources that such a drastic change would require. Still, he shared his hypothetical vision of how a real-time system could have been implemented in Fallout, although he reaffirmed that he would never have done it either in 1997 or in 2025. This episode illustrates how the impact of Diablo negatively affected the perception of isometric perspective RPGs during that period.

Cain also highlighted that, interestingly, Diablo was originally conceived as a turn-based game, but switched to real-time just six months before its release, highlighting the flexibility and creative decisions that can arise in the video game industry. Following Fallout, Cain and other developers founded Troika Games, where they released Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, a title that, while retaining elements of Fallout, incorporated a real-time combat mode.

In Cain’s discussion about the possible modifications he would have implemented in a real-time Fallout 1, he concluded that, despite any possible adjustments, the final result would not compare favorably to the classic RPG we know today. “I would never make a real-time Fallout, but if I had to, these would be the changes I would make,” Cain stated.

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The creator of Diablo II is clear: ARPGs are currently worse

David Brevik, co-founder of Blizzard and designer of Diablo, has expressed criticism about the current state of action role-playing games, pointing out that their excessive speed and enemy saturation have stripped the genre of the depth and sense of connection that characterized the early titles of Diablo. In an interview with VideoGamer, Brevik commented that “ARPGs in general have taken to eliminating large amounts of enemies quickly,” which has transformed the gaming experience into something less appealing. Quality over quantity: an old debate where Brevik knows where […]

David Brevik, co-founder of Blizzard and designer of Diablo, has expressed criticism about the current state of action role-playing games, pointing out that their excessive speed and enemy saturation have stripped the genre of the depth and sense of connection that characterized the early titles of Diablo. In an interview with VideoGamer, Brevik commented that “ARPGs in general have taken to eliminating large amounts of enemies quickly,” which has transformed the gaming experience into something less appealing.

Quality over quantity: an old debate where Brevik knows where he stands

According to Brevik, Diablo 2 offered a more “personal and realistic” experience compared to modern ARPGs, arguing that the game’s pace allowed for greater emotional involvement. “The pace of Diablo 2 is great, and that’s one of the reasons it has endured,” he stated. This approach contrasts with the current trend, where new ARPGs focus on instant rewards and the rapid accumulation of loot and experience, which, according to him, “cheapens the experience.”

The designer also emphasized the loss of enjoyment in the journey that these games offer, suggesting that many players are more focused on reaching an end than on enjoying the process. “The true pleasure of ARPGs is not in reaching the end, but in the journey,” he noted. Brevik criticized games like Path of Exile and Diablo 3 and 4, where players are incentivized to quickly maximize characters to access endgame content, arguing that this limits the full experience of the game.

Brevik’s criticisms add to a growing discussion about the direction of the genre, which seems to be polarizing different generations of players, where preferences for fast-paced gameplay clash with the nostalgia for a more thoughtful and rewarding approach. Although the debate over these generational differences continues, the impact of his perspective is undeniable in the evolution of ARPGs.

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