Summary
Diablo 4’smain campaign is separated into six different acts. Many fans are into the game for the endgame, but they should not see the story as a chore to get to what they consider the fun stuff. It is intriguing enough to enjoy the ride.
For those going through the game for the first time, this list will help get them ready for what is in store. It is not a huge campaign, but it will take more than a night to go through. It is not without its ups and downs, but it stays entertaining throughout. The acts also vary in length, which has an effect on its ranking on the list.
WhileDiablo 4is filled with side quests, sticking to the main campaign at first is recommended since players cannot progress past level 50 until they beat it.
6Act 3
The Making Of Monsters
At their weakest, action RPGs likeDiablojust task players with aimlessly going from one point to another. Act 3 is the only time whenDiablo 4gets like this. It is also the longest act by a large margin.
It grows tedious to the point where one cannot be blamed for putting on a podcast as the story pointlessly sends players from one point of the map to the other. There are interestingcharacters that need development like Lillith and Elias.Instead of using these more drawn-out acts to give players more context for the two antagonists, it ultimately feels like wasting time.
5Act 4
A Gathering Storm
Act 4 is not bad, there is just barely enough of it to even give a proper judgment. It moving fast is a good thing, though, especially compared to the third act. It is basically a “getting the band together” type of story thread, with many of the friends from the first half of the game entering the picture again.
It is all topped off with a boss fight with Andariel. Because it reintroduces so many characters from the first three acts, it could have benefitted from more length. Players who beeline through the story will be shocked at just how fast they can complete it.
Mounts are finally introduced in Act 4. Horse help immensely with traversing the big expanses of terrain.
4Act 1
A Cold And Iron Faith
Diablo 4throws players into the thick of things faster than most RPGs, but there is still a wind-up before things get going. A short prologue finds the protagonist waking up in the woods before they make their way to Kyovashad. From here the game splits up a bit and players have some wiggle room with the order they tackle the game.
Some people might complete Acts 2 and 3 before finishing up the introductory chapter. The advantage Act 1 has is it introduces players to some of the game’s best characters, including Nyrelle. The storyline involving her and her mother is particularly effective and gives a real emotional weight to her character and the story.
3Act 2
The Knife Twists Again
The second act of the game mostly makes it for the satisfying and heartwrenching conclusion whichincludes a fight with easily the biggest enemy in the main quest.The story within is an interesting trail of learning about Donan’s relationship with two druids and their journey to defeat Astaroth in their younger years.
Unfortunately, these two druids are now under Lilith’s influence and they bring Astaroth back for the epic boss fight. Donan’s tragedy here is Astaroth is brought back using his son as a vessel, making the world-ending stakes more personal for Donan.
2Act 5
Secrets Bartered, Fates Sold
With Act 4 uniting the characters of the game’s first half, Act 5 really gets the ball moving. This is a long act, but a lot happens and the player moves to all different corners of the map. A lot of the action centers around Elias and his apparent immortality.
Players meet the Tree of Whispers which ultimately helps find Elias’s weakness. The “Beneath the Wine-Dark Sea” quest is a particular highlight, with players being transported to Epiphysis via a coffin. It is a reminder of the weirdness ofDiablo’sfantasy aesthetic. Even if it is dark, sometimes players get transported to another world by lying down in a coffin.
1Act 6
Dance Of The Makers
This is where it all leads. Act 6 is a long setpiece where players battle their way through hell and are treated to some of thosetrademark Blizzard cinematics. Where one can complain that many of the prior acts meander and do not do enough to expand the world and lore, Act 6 hits fast and hard.
Before the big last boss, Lilith finally gets some much-needed characterization along with a great conversation with Inarius. The boss fight with Lillith is fun, with the second phase seeing her destroy parts of the play area, making it smaller and smaller until there is almost no room left to fight on. With so much time having been spent with Donan, Nyrelle, and Lorath, the sixth act really feels like a rag-tag group taking on the armies of hell all by themselves.
