The Diablo 4 adventure unfolds over five zones. This fourth installment takes place in Sanctuary – where else? – opening up areas that weren’t featured in the other games. Diablo 4’s map is considerably larger than any Diablo game to date. U7BUY is the best online trading platform for in-game assets deals. Visit today and enjoy gaming!
- World Design Philosophy in Diablo 4
- The Overworld: A Sanctuary for Heroes
- The Uncharted Realms: Mystery Awaits
World Design Philosophy in Diablo 4
Since 1996, when Blizzard Entertainment released the first Diablo game, the world of Sanctuary has exerted a certain fascination over the players. With each Diablo title, we saw a different part of it and a distinct take on this fantasy world. Diablo 1 and 2 were known for their dark approach and atmosphere. Diablo 3 strayed from this path. Veterans weren’t quite pleased with how Sanctuary looked in the third game. With Diablo 4, the team decided to go back to the basics. The art style and graphics take us back to the original atmosphere from the first games. The world is not a happy place and the visuals reflect that. This was possible thanks to technologies such as physically-based rendering, improved shadows and lighting, high-dynamic range displays, and pixel shader techniques that mimic reality.
Diablo 4 brings something new to the series. It is the first game in the franchise that dips its toes into the open-world concept. Some go as far as calling it an MMO. The truth lies in the middle. It has a bit of both. It’s not a true open-world game, such as Skyrim or Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but it gives enough incentive to stray from the path and explore the world. You never know what you might stumble upon. Seeing other players in the open world is the MMO part. They won’t interfere with the story-driven experience, but they are there to group up when fighting against challenging world bosses.
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The Overworld: A Sanctuary for Heroes
Diablo 4’s instance of Sanctuary proposes five regions. Each zone has unique elements and one thing in common: foes awaiting everywhere you go. Apart from the main cities, there aren’t many areas that are not overrun by demons. You begin the journey in the Fractured Peaks. This is the starting area. It features a mountain theme and a desolate environment. This whole area has a Gothic theme. Kyovashad is the main town. This is where you will find shops and NPCs. Diablo 4 brings back the Druids and allows players to explore Scosglen, the home of this class. Fog engulfs this area and perils are hiding in it. However, one cannot deny the beauty of it. The most important hub of this area is Cerrigar.
There are many terrible places in Sanctuary, but few are as brutal as the Dry Steppes. Nephalems are used to demons and unholy rituals, but the cannibals take things to the next level. The main city of Ked Bardu is among the few safe places. It might also be a key location in the Cow Level puzzle. Hawezar is a swamp. Witchcraft is right at home in this fetid place. The corruption runs deep here. Zarbinzet is the main town. Kehjistan is a desert area under the influence of cultists. They serve the Prime Evils and are determined to restore these terrible demons to power. Gea Kul is the city of this region.
The Uncharted Realms: Mystery Awaits
Diablo 4 sends us to new areas, but we cannot help but wonder what other regions the world of Sanctuary hides. Most likely, new zones will be introduced in future DLCs. The game is only a few months old, so it’s too early to speak about expansions, but it’s never too early to speculate. Some believe that a Diablo 4 expansion will take us to iconic Sanctuary zones such as Lut Gholein or Mount Arreat. A return to Tristram isn’t out of the question as well. What most of us long for is to explore areas that weren’t featured in any Diablo game.
Xiansai, or the Great Isle, can be found in the northern part of Sanctuary. The origins of Xiansai are shrouded in myth and legend. One of the figures associated with Xiansai is Covetous Shen from Diablo 3. This island is home to the Wizard class. Xiansai has a history of neutrality in the Sanctuary conflicts, but it is far from being a peaceful land. There’s an ongoing battle for power between the Great Families. Sharval Wilds is another unexplored part of Sanctuary. We associate this western area with the country of Ivgorod, home of the Monks. Entsteig is another location in this area. We know that it is devoted to the Order of Zakarum. It would appear that only a third of Sanctuary was uncovered so far. There is still so much to explore, not to mention planes outside of Sanctuary such as the High Havens or Pandemonium.
