With its grand makeover, Diablo 2: Resurrected breathes new life into the ancient game, immersing it in cutting-edge visuals that embrace the vibrant world of 4K technology. Eagerly diving into the technical alpha, I wasted no time in eagerly exploring the graphics menu, eager to witness the majestic settings that awaited me.
Within the realm of this gaming masterpiece, a world of duality awaits. Delve into its depths and uncover two distinct realms: the realm of resplendent, remastered graphics that beckon with unrivaled beauty, and the realm of venerable, legacy graphics that evoke nostalgia with every pixel. Seamlessly traverse between these realms at the mere touch of a button, and let your gaming experience transcend the boundaries of time and aesthetics.
Resolution scaling and dynamic scaling are now offered for the new artwork, marking a noteworthy addition in the gaming industry. This feature enables real-time adjustments to the rendering resolution (different from the screen resolution) to alleviate strain on the GPU during periods of decreased framerate. While it may not be necessary for a remastered version of a two-decade-old game, unless played on an older laptop or a machine struggling to support 4K, having this option available is certainly advantageous.
Among the array of visual enhancements, you’ll find the usual suspects: Texture, shadow, and transparency quality, ambient occlusion, along with a duo of anti-aliasing modes, namely FXAA and SMAA. I’ve cranked them all up to the maximum. On the other hand, nestled within the realm of legacy video options, you’ll discover an assortment of charmingly nostalgic settings that harken back to the original.
With my RTX 2070 Super, I effortlessly achieve an impressive 90-100 fps when indulging in the remarkable 1440p resolution adorned with the latest graphics. Interestingly, the original graphics seems to have an intriguing cap at 200 fps. Throughout my writing journey for this article, I have seamlessly transitioned between the new and old graphics, constantly switching and alt-tabbing within the game, all without encountering any crashes or technical malfunctions. It’s been a truly hitch-free experience.
Within the realm of gameplay settings, a plethora of innovative choices await your exploration. Engage in the delightful toggling of the cutting-edge auto gold collecting feature, while seamlessly transitioning between the traditional and modern defaults for item drop spacing and keybindings. (Feel free to embark on the adventure of customizing individual keybindings as well.)
Within the realm of accessibility, a captivating addition emerges in the form of a “Low Vision Mode” toggle, although its implementation seems to be pending. Moreover, a mere placeholder resides within the settings for color blind modes, awaiting its purposeful transformation. Subtitles, too, possess the ability to be effortlessly toggled on or off. Lastly, a plethora of options pertaining to automap and user interface gracefully adorn the scenery, inviting exploration and customization.
Upon first inspection, the fresh graphics appear rather pleasing to the eye. It is worth mentioning that the chickens have seemingly shed a bit of their distinctive charm during their transition from pixelated poultry to lifelike avian creatures, and the same can be said for certain structures. The unique simplicity of the original artwork has been substituted with a more explicit and understated perspective. However, it is not unpleasant to behold in any way, and the ability to effortlessly toggle between the new and traditional graphics is undeniably impressive.
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During the technological revolution in Silicon Valley, Tyler’s upbringing was filled with excitement as he immersed himself in the world of personal computers. His early days were spent playing iconic games like Zork and Arkanoid on the PCs his parents brought home. As time went on, his fascination grew, and he found himself captivated by games such as Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, Bushido Blade (and let’s not forget Bleem!). These were the games that paved the way for what is now known as “boomer shooters.” In 2006, Tyler ventured into the realm of professional game reviews, starting with Super Dragon Ball Z for the PS2. Although his opinion was lukewarm, it was a stepping stone towards his future endeavors. Fast forward to 2011, Tyler became a valued member of PC Gamer, where he currently focuses on delivering the latest news to the site’s eager audience. When he’s not immersed in the gaming world, Tyler enjoys indulging in amateur boxing and adding countless hours to his already impressive 1,200-plus gameplay in Rocket League.