Diablo 3 Launches On PS3 And Xbox 360

Today Blizzard's action RPG Diablo 3 makes its console debut. The best-selling PC/Mac game can now be purchased for Xbox 360 and PS3 in North America, Latin America, Europe, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

In Diablo 3, the mortal realm has once again been invaded by the forces of Hell. The demon lords Belial and Azmodan are seeking the Black Soulstone, a relic that can grant them tremendous power. The player, taking on the role of one of five classes, will travel across the world of Sanctuary in order to stop them.

D3, like its predecessors, is a hack-and-slash game. Players, alone or with up to three friends, explore dungeons filled with legions of enemies. After ripping through these monsters, they root around their corpses for loot. Players use this randomized equipment, as well as the skill/rune trees, in order to customize their character to their playstyle. Once you've completed the campaign, you can replay it in new difficulty levels with the same character for a greater challenge and better loot.

I haven't played the PS3 or Xbox 360 version yet but I suspect I'd enjoy it. The PC and Mac version was a lot of fun even though the online requirement was a pain in the ass. An offline version of the same game sounds great to me. The mechanics of the game sound well-suited to a gamepad, too.

The first reviews for the console version have been largely positive. Critics seem to agree it's a competent translation of the PC/Mac experience. The new gamepad controls and lack of always-online DRM were both praised, as was the new local co-op. The new user interface was criticized for being too small, though.

Blizzard says that they plan to update the console editions of D3 well after launch. The game's director indicated that those platforms could even receive Reaper of Souls, the first expansion pack.

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