Blizzard Entertainment has lifted the veil off Diablo 4's exciting character creation system. With a new release date for Diablo 4 in the rumor mill, the video game industry is abuzz with information and speculation about the upcoming hack-and-slash entry in the iconic franchise. As content creators share their impressions of Diablo 4's first Act, there are three things that seem to be universally praised: its story presentation, character customization, and visceral combat. This is undoubtedly shaping up to be the game that Diablo 2 fans have been hoping for ever since Diablo 3's direction left them disappointed over a decade ago.
The five classes that Diablo 4 will launch with are familiar archetypes for any veteran of the franchise: Barbarian, Sorcerer, Druid, Rogue, and Necromancer. Though the preview only allowed Barbarians, Sorcerers, and Rogues, players can expect that the upcoming Open Beta (set to launch early next year) will allow them to try out the other classes before launch.
Though character customization has taken strides in Diablo 3 with the addition of dyes and transmogrification, the Diablo games have significantly lagged in this department compared to their competitors for the better part of the decade. Diablo 4 seeks to not only bridge the gap, but establish itself as a leader in its genre once again, as Blizzard has made Diablo 4's character creation for the Barbarian and Sorcerer class public, allowing players a captivating glimpse into the customization that they can expect from the get-go.
Though the appearance options in Diablo 4's character are plenty, the design philosophy for character customization hardly ends there. It extends into the game itself, as every possible armor set in Diablo 4 is meticulously designed to fit a class aesthetic. This has been a tradition of the franchise since Diablo 2, and it has never looked as impressive as it does in the upcoming sequel. The legendary campfire that stood as the backdrop for Diablo 2's character creator is also coming back, but this time around the heroes huddled by the fire are randomized – further reinforcing the notion of how seriously Diablo 4 takes its customization.
One thing that is notably missing is the lack of body shape variety. Players cannot create a muscular Necromancer, or a lean Barbarian, as Diablo 4's classes are all built with a specific silhouette in mind. It is important to visually recognize the towering Druid apart from a Rogue or Sorcerer, so one cannot begrudge Blizzard for its decision in this regard. Ultimately, Diablo 4's customization and emphasis on player identity is leaps and bounds better than any of its predecessors, as the future of the franchise looks to be hopeful indeed.
Diablo 4 releases in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
