Cover-Credits:
Diablo 4, the action RPG by Blizzard Entertainment, is once again facing a wave of review bombing from its fanbase. The latest review bombing effort comes in response to the recent Season 1 update, which introduced changes that have not been well-received by players. This marks the second time the game has been targeted with negative user reviews on review aggregate site Metacritic, further highlighting the divide between critics' initial acclaim and hardcore fans' dissatisfaction.
Upon its launch, Diablo 4 received praise from critics but faced criticism from fans due to server issues, microtransactions, and its live service approach. The initial review bombing effort saw the game's user score plummet to an abysmal 4.8, a stark contrast to the 87 overall scores given by critics.
Diablo 4’s Metacritic Review Score Plummets
Despite the rocky start, fans eventually warmed up to Diablo 4. However, the latest update has reignited the discontent and sparked the current review bombing campaign. The recent patch 1.1 brought significant changes to the classes, including nerfs, which have left many players frustrated and disappointed.
The impact of the current review bombing on Diablo 4's user score has been substantial. The score has dropped to 4.0, with over 2,000 negative user reviews on the PC version alone, outnumbering the positive and mixed reviews combined. The number of negative reviews continues to grow, and it appears that the review bombing campaign may persist for several more days.
Why Are Players Unhappy With Season 1?
The main grounds of criticism on Reddit were that the game was made to feel even grindier and slower than it already was. Several requested quality-of-life changes were missing and the Sorcerer, widely regarded as the game's worst class, was nerfed even further.
Helltide enemies were leveled up, and the cost to unlock Tortured Gift of Mysteries chests, which may be obtained in Helltide events, was increased by more than 40%. This was especially frustrating because it would make running Helltides much more time-consuming and less worthwhile.
The Diablo 4 developers also made considerable reductions to the Critical Strike Damage and Vulnerable Damage item affixes. And since builds were virtually required to focus on these stats owing to how strong they were, it has unavoidably left players unhappy.
In light of the severe backlash, Blizzard Entertainment has announced plans to host an emergency Campfire Chat on Friday, 21st July. During this event, the developers will address the concerns raised by the player base and potentially discuss their plans for addressing the issues highlighted by the community.
