Summary
Finishing a game in its entirety is every completionist’s dream, and the rewards that come with reaching the pinnacle of achievements it has to offer is the cherry on top that makes the long hours spent grinding through missions and picking up loot worthwhile.Games likeDestiny 2give fitting rewards after finishing the typically difficult raid races, as is the custom in multiplayer titles where developers reward fans with unique items and gear to crown players' efforts. For all the things it gets right with its loot progression,Diablo 4doesn’t live up to the bill in terms of its biggest achievement, and there’s little motivation to reach the leveling heights of the Blizzard title, making it feel like a tiresome slog.
TheDiabloseries has captivated gamers with its dark fantasy theme and addictive loot-based gameplay since its inception. After a decade-long hiatus,Diablo 4infused new life into the franchise, breaking Blizzard’s record for fastest-selling game shortly after its launch. The grind to create themost powerful builds inDiablo 4’s classesis a long road full of twists and turns, and the ultimate goal of maxing out and reaching the prized Level 100 lacks the necessary spark compared to other RPG multiplayers on the market. Fans have voiced their discontent with the accomplishment, and the sentiment amongDiablo 4’s player base is that Level 100 is purely ceremonial and doesn’t offer much to look forward to.
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Diablo 4’s Level 100 Grind Could Be Much Better
Diablo 4had a solid foundation in its level progression fromDiablo 3, with the 2012 title offering a max level of 60 before being raised to 70 after its first Reaper of Souls expansion. As is the norm in multiplayer games, getting closer to the top end of the skill levels tests the very limits of players' skills, with harder enemies to defeat and a longer time to upgrade between levels. Similarly, the realDiablo 3grind began at level 60 after the expansion, as getting to 70 took plenty of endurance. WhereDiablo 3offered better gear and the chance to participate in bounties upon reaching level 70,Diablo 4’s content is by and large the same at Level 100.
Not only is there little new content atDiablo 4’s endgame, but progress in leveling slows as players approach the esteemed mark. The time and required XP needed to progress from Level 85 to 100, for instance, is almost double the prerequisites to go from level one to 85. While the slower leveling progress is a norm in older MMORPGs, the incentives to keep players grinding towards the prestigious goal in Diablo 4 pale compared to the effort required. By the higher levels, much of a player’s build is already concrete, and Level 100’s gear offerings are essentially the same as World Tier 4 - which are accessible as early as Level 70.
Hence, grinding to attainDiablo 4’s most prestigious achievementfeels like a waste of hours of effort, as Level 100 gives no discernible perks aside from the extra paragon points. To its credit, Blizzard isn’t unaware of the wave of complaints, and recently rolled out a number of changes that have the potential to shake up the grind process. Most notable among these is the increased leveling speed, with Season 2 reportedly cutting the time to advance to Level 100 by 40 percent.
Diablo 4’s Season 1 Level 100 grind didn’t offer much to write home about due to a lack of new content and slow progression, but theSeason of Bloodis adding new bosses to World Tiers 3 and 4 in the form of Echo of Varshan and Grigoire, The Galvanic Saint. The new additions infuse some flavor in contrast to the singular focus on level progression from Season 1, and fans are hoping for a much-improved experience in the upcoming Season of Blood that makes reaching Level 100 feel worth it.
Diablo 4is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
