Diablo 2 - Bestseller Series for Windows

Click click click click click click. Hear that? It's the sound of millions of addicts all over the world getting their fill of Diablo 2. I, too, am addicted to Diablo 2, what is it about this game that forces me to play it non-stop? The graphics aren?t all that great, perhaps it's the feeling of accomplishment every time I level up. Or maybe it's the skills tree, I just want one more skill then I'll sleep. I have lost many hours of sleep because of this game. The only time I've lost more sleep is when I was playing Unreal Tournament. I went out the first day Diablo 2 was released and have been playing it off an on ever since. My Paladin is now at a respectable level 54 and I'm still not ready to put it in the closet.

Diablo 2 comes with 5 characters to choose from. You can be the Amazon, Sorceress, Necromancer, Barbarian, and Paladin. The Amazon is the predominate bow and lance wielding character. I haven?t personally played with this character so I don't know a whole lot about the skill tree. Next is the Sorceress, another character I haven?t played as, but if you've played as the mage in the first Diablo then you'll know what to expect. She?s a magic user that can cast spells like ice, fire, and lightening. The Necromancer is a unique character. He uses black magic to raise the dead to fight on his side and can create golems and skeletons to also aid him in his quest. The character to use for the warrior in all of us is the Barbarian. He's the strongest of the 5 and can use a sword in each hand to dish out serious punishment on all the hellspwan you come across. He can become proficient in swords, lances, and other weapons as you gain levels. He also has shouts that can repel and even damage enemies. Last, and my personal favorite, is the Paladin. He's holy warrior that uses auras and some magic to fend off evil. There is noting that can beat a group of Paladins that are equipped with decent swords, shields, and armor and have a good combination of auras. The best combo would be Salvation (protection against elemental damage) Redemption (gets health and mana from slain enemies) and thorns (returns damage to the attacker). There are other auras that I like, such as Holy Bolt (the name says it all) and Zeal, which allows you to attack many foes at once.

You're quest is broken down into 4 acts covering 4 different locations. Each act is broken down into 6 quests. You don't need to do them all but for the most satisfying game experience I would recommend finishing every one of them. You start out in a rogue encampment and from there you go to a dessert and on to a dense jungle then wind up in hell itself. Dessert? Jungle? Aren?t those outside you ask? Yes, they are. Gone are the confined spaces of a cathedral from the first Diablo. It seems hell has spilled out onto our own land and you'll be fighting outside as well as inside. This was one of the best improvements over the original in my opinion. This may seem like a lot of walking, but Blizzard has thankfully added a ?run? button and put in a teleportation system that will zap you to a place you?ve already been as long as you?ve found the portal in that area. With that, I leave you to go out and buy it now and perhaps you will fall into the addiction that is Diablo 2.