Hands-on with the Diablo 3 beta: keep that Internet on!

[DainBramaged]

"Bash" is the first skill I used with my Barbarian character in the Diablo 3 beta, and my weapon slammed into the skeletons with meaty thudding sounds. Sometimes the enemies would be blown back by the force of my attacks. There is nothing amazing about the graphics of this game at first, but Blizzard excels at nailing the small details that make a game playable for years after release. There have been many games that try to lift from Diablo's design, but the boss is most definitely back.

The beta provides a good taste of the game, enough that you can get a feel for the changes made to the core formula. This is Diablo to the core, but the new additions and subtractions are certainly interesting. Let's take a look at how the game has evolved, and how these changes make for a streamlined, enjoyable experience.

Your skills are now reactive, not restrictive
The biggest change is the complete loss of the skill tree. You won't have to decide what skills you'd like to gain or build up. Instead, skills will be unlocked as you gain levels, and you can choose which skills to place in one of your active skills slots. You begin with two slots, and gain more as you become more powerful, until you have six slots to use at any given time. This means you can change your character's attacks and abilities at any time, and you'll be able to freely experiment to discover what skills work best in various situations, or with your team of adventurers.

There will be no more second-guessing when it comes to your skills, and the new system definitely feels more fun and inviting.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/09/hands-on-with-the-diablo-3-beta-keep-that-internet-on.ars