Get Ready to Conquer the Darkness in Diablo IV: The Grittiest Gameplay Yet, Coming to Xbox on June 6, 2023

After playing through both Diablo IV open betas on Xbox, I can confidently say that I’m finally hooked on the series again in a way that Diablo III just couldn’t achieve. The upcoming release of Diablo IV is only three weeks away and I am eagerly counting down the days until it unleashes its dark undertones and gritty storylines on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on June 6th, 2023.

Diablo III was not a bad game by any means. Nevertheless, it paled in comparison to the original games’ decayed version of Sanctuary, which I hold dear to my heart. Diablo IV manages to instill this characteristic within the game by creating a darker Sanctuary where blood runs freely and ritualistic killings are the norm.

The gritty nature of Diablo IV’s locales makes the combat feel exhilarating. Dungeons take you to decaying castles and dark cavernous complexes strewn with bodies, necromantic offerings, and so on. These set pieces are what I felt Diablo III lacked in any meaningful way. Even the story beats themselves are far darker than Diablo III, with earlier missions introducing Lilith, the Mother of Sanctuary, as she casually murders anyone but her devout followers. Another thrilling side mission sees a young boy possessed by a demon. He survives, but the intent is the same.

The combat in Diablo IV resembles Diablo III in many ways, but it feels medieval in its portrayal. You’re still slaughtering hordes of enemies in unrealistic ways, just as you would hope from a Diablo game that’s worth its salt. This game has pushed off any form of goofiness to feel contemporary within the world it’s being played. Combined with the game’s grittier style, gothic undertones, and darker enemy variants, I’m ecstatic to say that Diablo IV cannot arrive soon enough.

In other Diablo IV news, Blizzard has detailed how Diablo IV’s post-launch content will work and the prices for each Battle Pass. Yes, there is more than one on offer. We also know that there will be a “pinnacle boss encounter” to test the hardiest of adventurers.

If you played any of the open betas on Xbox, we’d love to hear your thoughts on Diablo IV at the moment. Drop a comment below and share your experiences.