After years of anticipation, two major Game of the Year contenders have finally been released: Diablo 4 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Although they differ greatly in genre and tone, both games share several distinct gameplay elements as open-world titles. One of these similarities is the inclusion of meaningful side content scattered throughout the map, a design concept that was redefined by Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. This approach has influenced the open-world design in the gaming industry, and it's no surprise to see parallels between the side content in Diablo 4 and Tears of the Kingdom's.
Diablo 4's Dungeons and Cellars Have a Lot in Common with Tears of the Kingdom's Shrines
In Diablo series, dungeons are an integral part of the gameplay loop and have been present since the original game. In the past, completion of dungeons in a specific order was necessary to advance the main quest, making them a crucial aspect of the game experience. While previous entries had small optional areas, such as The Cave Under the Well in Diablo 3's Act 1, that contained a few enemies and loot, Diablo 4 elevates these areas by establishing cellars located throughout Sanctuary as a consistent source of side content.
Exploring Diablo 4's expansive map will uncover optional dungeons and cellars, beckoning players to venture inside. These side areas offer valuable rewards upon completion, making them a worthwhile investment of the player's time. While dungeons may require more effort, they offer a greater chance of obtaining legendary loot. On the other hand, cellars provide a shorter experience with less lucrative rewards. Tears of the Kingdom's shrines, hidden throughout Hyrule, offer a similar opportunity for players to claim useful rewards. These shrines require players to utilize Link's abilities to solve puzzles utilizing the game's unique physics.
The rewards from Tears of the Kingdom's shrines, such as Lights of Blessing for upgrading Link's Health and Stamina, are consistently helpful and accompanied by optional treasure chests with various items. In comparison, Diablo 4 dungeon rewards vary greatly, with only some offering a guaranteed legendary aspect. Although the content scope of Tears of the Kingdom's shrines is similar to Diablo 4's dungeons, Tears of the Kingdom also features wells as counterparts to Diablo 4's cellars. These underground areas require minimal puzzle-solving and offer less interesting rewards, but are still crucial to exploring and upgrading the player's character, as well as progressing further into the game.
Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
