PS1 Diablo 1 - Masterpiece or Simply a Foundational Media

[Vamptastic]

Currently playing Diablo 1 on my PS1 based on the recommendation of.. well.. practically anyone into ARPG's. I have recently made it to the (but not really into) 3rd level of the dungeon. At first I hadnt realized the game is JUST the town and the dungeon, so I kept waiting for the world to open up and become more, but as it turns out, I have been wrong all along about what a true dungeon crawler is!

Regardless, the second level with the Skeleton King was absolutely crazy! The level generated into a mere 6 rooms, and two of those were big rooms put together, meaning most of the skeletons in the level was in the same room (I wish I Had a video)

I managed to drag the skeleton king out of the room and into a smaller room where I closed the door to cheese him with arrows. While this did work, it took, and I timed it, 10 real world minutes of pressing the X button to put him down. To me, this was not very fun, and it made me less excited to play the next level.

So here I ask, what makes diablo such a masterpiece? What am I missing? And most importantly, should I keep playing?

 

[diet_orange]

I liked Diablo 2, but it kind of lost me when you get to the desert area. Maybe I'm weird, but I prefer dungeon crawlers where you just deep dive into a dungeon. Fate (a kid friendly diablo clone) is a lot like that

 

[Lt. Commander Data]

Diablo is a masterpiece because it was a pioneer in the field at the time. It was dark, atmospheric, and drew people into the story of what happened to this little town and what's terrorizing their cathedral.

Granted by today's standards, the controls and stuff are clunky at best, but if you can overlook that the story is worth listening to.

I would say yes, keep playing. However, if it feels too much of a slog to get through for you, that's completely understandable as well.

Diablo II with LoD expansion is where the real fun is. The graphics are better, it has QoL improvements over the original, you get to explore the world and take part in various quests. They added new classes, more equipment, mercenaries, etc. It's just overall a more polished experience, in my opinion.

 

[Quiggling]

My BFF and I played it on PS1 back then since none of us had any form of gaming PC. We laughed at the smith and his accent when saying WHAT CAN I DO FER YA. I have it now on GOG, it's very atmospheric. On PS1 we played it late at night in the dark into the wee hours of the morning. Some games are easier to get into if you were there when they were new and played it then, I imagine. As for Skeleton Lord taking a long time, don't know what to say other than grind for level ups and loot. On my current gog playthrough I absolutely pasted him because I didn't rush in like we did on PS1.

Though in retrospect rushing into a place underleveled trying to find different ways to cheese past it WAS pretty damn fun between the two of us.

 

[Zerpina]

Ah, nothing like Diablo.

PC Diablo player here, from a long, long time ago. Friends and I would have LAN parties at a local library from time to time since they had more than one computer. But you had to rent time on those computers, buck an hour, because that was the cheapest way to play, as I couldn't tie up the phone line at home playing the game (56k days and only one phone line).

As for the PS1 game, probably because I played it from the beginning on PC, it never felt right with a controller. It just felt unresponsive, and I dunno, it didn't work right.

Now, it's an absolutely gorgeously dark and gritty game, well written. The few voice lines are damn good. As for being well written, the original PC game manual had a lot... and I mean A LOT, of lore in it, and the player's guide, as I remember, had a ton more along with art, all hand-drawn. It was deliciously evil.

But it's still a fun game to this day, especially if you get mods for the PC version that have a lot of quality of life fixes. The Belezabub mod, in my opinion, is the best one.

Unfortunately, my original Diablo + Hellfire discs have long since been tossed... they stopped working, sadly. I have the GOG version, though, so swings and roundabouts. My D2 Battle Chess set, D3 with RoS, and that Warcraft disc have never been out of it's sleeve.

 

[Don Patch]

Ah, nothing like Diablo.

PC Diablo player here, from a long, long time ago. Friends and I would have LAN parties at a local library from time to time since they had more than one computer. But you had to rent time on those computers, buck an hour, because that was the cheapest way to play, as I couldn't tie up the phone line at home playing the game (56k days and only one phone line).

As for the PS1 game, probably because I played it from the beginning on PC, it never felt right with a controller. It just felt unresponsive, and I dunno, it didn't work right.

Now, it's an absolutely gorgeously dark and gritty game, well written. The few voice lines are damn good. As for being well written, the original PC game manual had a lot... and I mean A LOT, of lore in it, and the player's guide, as I remember, had a ton more along with art, all hand-drawn. It was deliciously evil.

But it's still a fun game to this day, especially if you get mods for the PC version that have a lot of quality of life fixes. The Belezabub mod, in my opinion, is the best one.

Unfortunately, my original Diablo + Hellfire discs have long since been tossed... they stopped working, sadly. I have the GOG version, though, so swings and roundabouts. My D2 Battle Chess set, D3 with RoS, and that Warcraft disc have never been out of it's sleeve.
View attachment 147442

What @Zerpina said 2x!

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

Back then for me LoK Blood Omen, LoK Soulreaver and Diablo defines what western rpg(yeah I know Soulreaver is an action-adventure game)standards should be as opposite to Final Fantasy which back then was kinda the gold standard when it comes to rpgs.

Diablo 1 hits really hard not just because of its dark fantasy but it’s the game that made me buy a third party memory card which has 60 slots because you need a whole 10 slots to save a single game on the PS1.

 

[Vamptastic]

I liked Diablo 2, but it kind of lost me when you get to the desert area. Maybe I'm weird, but I prefer dungeon crawlers where you just deep dive into a dungeon. Fate (a kid friendly diablo clone) is a lot like that

Yeah I actually dont mind the 1 dungeon + town thing, its pretty cool and I've never played anything like that!

Ah, nothing like Diablo.

I really appreciate this read, honestly its sounding based on your and Don's review that its really a "had to be there" thing, there simply wasn't anything like it at the time. I will finish the game out on my ps1, and for sure leave a review.

Back then for me LoK Blood Omen, LoK Soulreaver and Diablo defines what western rpg(yeah I know Soulreaver is an action-adventure game)standards should be as opposite to Final Fantasy which back then was kinda the gold standard when it comes to rpgs.

Diablo 1 hits really hard not just because of its dark fantasy but it’s the game that made me buy a third party memory card which has 60 slots because you need a whole 10 slots to save a single game on the PS1.

Okay I am actually really glad you said this O.O I didnt know it took up a whole 10 slots..... that must mean my save thingy is almost full.. I need to pick up one of those memcard pros :|

 

[Tortuga]

Diablo 1 is a masterpiece not only because how innovating it was, but also because of amazing dark atmosphere, easily the best in the franchise, great story and small but well written characters

While it might be fun teleporting and clearing screen with just one button and seeing thousands of garbage loot that you not going to pick up fill the screen like in modern arpg's
Slowly descend into hell where you can easily get fucked by 2 skeletons and collecting gear that actually matters, definitely more engaging

also you should be playing pc version instead of ps1

 

[Boo Man]

All hail David Brevik

the GoG version of D1 allows multiplayer on battle.net
im playing it now XD

 

[bjork]

Diablo 1 on PS1 is like an inflatable doll of [whoever you're into]

It just isn't the same.

 

[Roy U. OmOm]

So here I ask, what makes diablo such a masterpiece? What am I missing? And most importantly, should I keep playing?

Diablo was a first video game that introduced the loot cancer that blights every single modern video game.
Or, to be more precise: it was the first real-time action RPG with procedurally generated loot (decided by RNG).
Masterpiece my ass. Appealing part was ASMR (dialogues, sound effects, music). The addictive part was RNG loot.
And the gameplay? lol. It may as well have been turn-based. Since that's exactly what Diablo was originally meant to be.
At least before the devs in 1995 changed their minds last second. Forcing yourself to play it now is a clout chase.
Whoever says this game aged gracefully is playing tricks on you, my fellow. Listen to the music and dialogues.
But don't focus on the gameplay innovation, because you will not find any, no matter where you look.

 

[Morgan Katarn]

PS1 Dibalo is my favorite because it´s the only version that has text and voice in my country language. I wish the PC version had it but nope only PS1 version and it´s GLORIOUS.