Note: This opinion is written with the idea in mind that you already know about, or have played, the original Diablo game from Blizzard


Let's start off by talking about the original game, Diablo. Proclaimed the "Game of the Year" by Computer Gaming World back in '96, Diablo was, to say the least, a very big thing. It offered superb graphic quality, storyline, and replayability. This is one of those games that people played again and again, without stopping.

Then, just when Diablo was starting to die down, along came the happy little expansion pack Hellfire to make gamers enter the world of Diablo once again. Did it work? Yes...and no.

The thing about expansion packs is that they don't offer a whole new game, they just add onto the old one. This is great if you are new to the game, as you get to play the game with all the enhancements right from the start. But, since expansion packs don't completely change the game, it can't make people who didn't like or are sick and tired of the original play the game like it's a whole new thing. (Usually).

Sad to say, I am one of those people who was already sick and tired of this game when the add-on came out. I had spent so many nights crawling through the dungeons of Tristram that just listening to the opening music again made me sick. True, it was fun to pick up a weapon and realized that it's new and wasn't in the original game, but it's not fun to go through the same levels again.


Okay, now here is a list of the new things that Hellfire does offer:
New Spells - All of the wizards out there are going to jump with joy when they pick up a spellbook and see that it's a new spell. Unfortunately these spells aren't the greatest in the world. In fact two of them are really rather useless: one takes you to the stairway in the current level you are in, and another causes enemies to attack other enemies. (Sounds good, but doesn't work out all that great).

New Enemies - It's great to see these new enemies wandering around the levels in the game. They sort of give it a whole fresh look. These enemies are only found in the two new worlds though, so don't go looking for them in the regular levels. Speaking of new worlds...

New Worlds - Hellfire opens you up to 2 new worlds, the hive, and the crypt. These two worlds offer vast new levels, quests, and enemies, but they are both optional, and kind of have their own separate storyline to them. This means that you shouldn't expect to see the main storyline of the game advance from these new worlds.

New Weapons - Yes, you will find new weapons in Hellfire, but like the spells they're not all that great. Even finding the new weapons can be quite the challenge, and once you pick one up you'll see that it is simply a weapon from Diablo with a new characteristic. (Like fire, for example).

A New Character - If you're like me and have played Diablo through with each of it's 3 characters, you will appreciate the new addition, the Monk. The Monk offers a new trail to follow in the game, but the Monk does not have a whole new set of skills and abilities like the other three. What I'm trying to say is that the Monk is just a happy medium between the Warrior, the Sorcerer, and the Rogue, he is not a totally redesigned character.


Well there you have it, all of the main new features in Hellfire.
As my final note on this product I will say this: Hellfire is a fun way to go back and releive Diablo once more with a few changes. It is not a good way to feel like you are playing through a new game, but I don't think that's what it's suppose to do either. I think you can pick up the Hellfire CD for $20-$30 in a computer store, so it's worth picking up for a couple days entertainment.




Recommended: Yes