fter playing the demo a few months before the full release I was sure this was going to be a reasonable game but not being big on RPGs I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to get my hands on the final version. But Diablo has proved itself to be more than just a decent RPG or some impressive piece of eyecandy. Diablo is an outstanding game.

Its appeal has spread across all age groups at Reality-X. It seems everyone is eager to delve into some quality fantasy and the keyword with Diablo IS quality.

Visually, Diablo is stunning. The attention to detail and general ambiance immediately draws you into the game. Your character can interact with just about anything from doors to chests and towns folk to cows!

Players start their journey into the world of Diablo by choosing from three characters (Rogue, Sorcerer or Warrior) each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. It is up to you how you develop your character with the experience points gained as reward for your battles in the dungeons that lurk below the town of Tristram. It is wise to stay true to the philosophy of your character though if you are to get the most out of the game. Don't waste your time playing the sorcerer if you have a preference for sword fights.

There are 16 levels full of all manner of vile beasts laying in wait for you. In multiplayer mode these levels can be played in three classes of difficulty; normal, nightmare or hell - I'm sure you can work out for yourself which one is going to be the most challenging.

One of the best features of Diablo is the random generation of character shuffles, treasure placements and best of all maps. No two set-ups will ever be the same so the life-span will be that much longer. Becoming totally familiar with your surroundings, knowing exactly which beast waits around which corner can seriously damage the enjoyment and anticipation in a game. Thankfully this is unlikely to happen with Diablo.

There are two modes of play; single player presenting an assortment of challenging quests each needing to be completed before you can progress. It is, as we know, a lonely world for the single player gamer and thankfully Blizzard has expanded the options to allow multiplayer also. This is where you can get the most out of Diablo - working as a team.

As you progress deeper and deeper into the dungeons the beasts will become increasingly more difficult to kill and will inflict more damage on your character. Monsters will attack with fists, swords or some form of powerful magic spell that'll knock you into next week. You must be prepared to alter your strategy to best suit your enemy. Chasing teleporting Advocates in hell with your sword is pretty futile - best option here stone curse him then go wipe the smile off his face.

Bungled escape attempt

Heated battle rages in hell

This is why care and attention to the distribution of experience points is vital if you are to succeed. Distribute these points wisely so that when you finally reach the lower levels you have no outstandingly weak area.

You will notice that particular pieces of armament and weaponry require a certain level of strength or dexterity to utilize (increasing dexterity will also improve your accuracy of attack), similarly vitality will increase the general health of your character and a decent level of mana allows you to use more powerful spells, so you will need to bear these factors in mind. All these considerations do not seem to bog down the game rather they encourage a sense of involvement and real interest in your character's development.

Treasures galore also await you in the dungeons. These are either hidden in chests, dropped after defeating a particular monster or conveniently laying on the floor. If you can not make use of an item you can pop it in your backpack and take it to Griswold or Adria the Witch when you next go to town. There you can sell it or leave it on the ground to use at a later date. If an item is unidentified get Cain the Elder to identify it for you before selling it or using it. There is also plenty of money to be found which you should collect in order to buy superior armaments and weaponry. You can continually improve your character this way.

As with many of these types of games the ultimate goal is to make your way to and defeat the big bad one, in this case the demon Diablo. As you'd expect he'll have a healthy entourage waiting to beat you senseless BUT he is not unbeatable IF you put what you should have learnt by that stage into practice

What really makes Diablo stand out is the multiplayer option. Blizzard have created Battle Net, an on-line game server which will allow up to four players to play in a game - much like Kali but with less lag and with an assortment of specific chat channels.

A word of warning when playing on Battle.net. You can come across people known as 'pkillers' who join in co-operative games only to kill the other players and take equipment and armour left when you die. Annoying when it has taken you a considerable amount of time to get these items. There are also cloners and dupers who with the aid of various hack programmes manage to clone your character whilst playing with you or clone weapons. These weapons when traded can have a tendancy to disappear from your inventory. So trade with caution.

Don't let this put you off playing over Battle.net there are thousands of folk wanting co-operative games and it takes a brave person to take on the likes of Diablo on their own, so get help where you can. Try joining one of the many guilds set up. Go here to find out more.

My one gripe with Diablo is the amount of times you need to return to town; whether it's to unload the contents of your backpack, repair a weapon or buy more potions, it is a pain and at times can feel like a rude interruption to your game. Perhaps areas in the dungeons or random characters that bought and sold items could have been included to prevent having to go topside every half hour.

Apart from this fairly minor point you'll be hard-pushed to not find at least one aspect of Diablo that you could not enjoy

If you haven't bought Diablo I suggest you do so now, you will not be disappointed.

9/10

Elly