Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Disappointing"

It's a real shame that the developers rushed its incomplete delivery and then later abandoned it totally, because the cinematic trailer was so awesome it hung our hopes high. A lot of fans had been fantasizing about Diablo in a modern world setting and Hellgate: London promised just that! Well, the multiplayer may have been picking up now through the new initiative, Hellgate: Global, but the gameplay itself still falls short that bit as we compare to Diablo II. Sorry, I just have to compare.

The combat is fun in the first 10 levels as you unlock the skills, but starts to feel repetitive when the level climb becomes steep. Diablo II was repetitive, but it doesn't feel so because of the loot expectations. Here in Hellgate, the anticipation is lost due to the lack of enough unique items and the total lack of set items, which makes loot hunting via combat a chore and unrewarding. However, having 6 character builds means you can extend the little fun for a few moments longer just to see what each build can do in a stint.

Another side issue is the poorly presented, uninvolving quest plots further dampened by the queer humor. However, there's a Revival patch for the single-player campaign, which makes the pain bearable enough to grind through till the finale. But I would have to say, Hellgate: London is a disappointment not really because the contents suck, but because Diablo II was too successful.

KingLim