Diablo 4's new public test realm has come just at the right time, improving the mood of the RPG's community greatly as Season 4 appears on the horizon.
Close to one year since Diablo 4, the road has been promising yet bumpy. Launch brought a solid foundation not without the odd crack – the combat loop of popping enemies for loot remains moreish, though a lack of variety stings, especially in the late game regarding dungeons. The unpopular Season 1 was designed alongside the base game so reactive feedback didn't appear in earnest until Season 2. While the stage was set for that momentum to continue in Season 3, new content and further changes didn't land the same way, leaving fans with an overall feeling of to and fro.
For Season 4, Blizzard seems to be taking a step back to look at the bigger picture. We're getting an overhaul to the base game's loot system so big that Season 4 has been delayed, and a Public Test Realm has been created to let players give it a go and offer feedback that can be implemented before Season 4 truly begins.
And so far? So good! Forums and social media are stuffed with positive feedback on what fans have tried so far. Helltide events specifically are getting a lot of love thanks to more interesting encounters and better reward incentives, though the crafting system and others have also received praise.
"I really love these changes," one player says. "Things need to be valuable and have risks involved. D4 before this was just mindlessly finish your build in 20 hours. I have been playing for six hours and I still haven’t even come close to a decent build.
"But I can see and feel the progression I’m looking for my uniques and more tempering scrolls I barely have masterworked yet. I would rather have a long meaningful grind than a short grind to max build."
As we approach Diablo 4's first anniversary, it appears the action-RPG might have found its footing. Season 4 is due to release on May 14, giving Blizzard time to implement feedback from the PTR, which you can play now.
