Highlights
Diablo 4's biggest achievement, reaching Level 100, feels tiresome and unrewarding according to many players.
The leveling process in Diablo 4 is sluggish and lacks exciting new content to anticipate. Without a worthwhile reward to strive for, it feels like all the effort put into reaching Level 100 is wasted. Blizzard has acknowledged these concerns and has made adjustments to speed up the leveling process. However, fans are eagerly anticipating a more enhanced experience in the upcoming season and beyond.
Completing a game in its entirety is the ultimate dream for every completionist. The rewards that come with reaching the pinnacle of achievements are the icing on the cake, making the countless hours spent grinding through missions and collecting loot worthwhile. Games like Destiny 2 are known for providing fitting rewards to players who successfully complete challenging raid races, following the tradition of multiplayer titles where developers recognize fans' efforts with unique items and gear. However, when it comes to Diablo 4, the biggest achievement falls short, lacking the motivation to reach the highest levels in the game and making the journey feel like a tiresome chore.
The Diablo series has captivated gamers with its dark fantasy theme and addictive loot-based gameplay since its inception. After a ten-year break, Diablo 4 breathed new life into the franchise, breaking Blizzard's record for the fastest-selling game shortly after its release. The grind to create powerful build strategies in Diablo 4's classes is a lengthy and unpredictable journey. However, the ultimate goal of reaching Level 100, which is highly sought after by players, lacks the necessary excitement compared to other RPG multiplayer games on the market. Fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with this accomplishment, and the general sentiment among Diablo 4's player base is that Level 100 is merely ceremonial and doesn't offer much to anticipate.
Diablo 4's Level 100 Grind Could Be Much Better
Diablo 4 builds upon the level progression of its predecessor, Diablo 3. In Diablo 3, the maximum level was initially 60, but it was later increased to 70 with the Reaper of Souls expansion. As players reach higher skill levels, the challenges become more difficult and the time needed to progress between levels increases. The real grind in Diablo 3 began at level 60, as reaching level 70 required a substantial amount of effort. At this point, better gear and the opportunity to participate in bounties were available. However, in Diablo 4, the content at level 100 is largely the same as at level 70. Progressing from level 85 to 100 is significantly slower than progressing from level 1 to 85. This slower leveling progress is typical in older MMORPGs, but the rewards and incentives to reach level 100 in Diablo 4 do not match the effort required. By the time players reach higher levels, their character builds are already well-established, and the gear offerings at level 100 are essentially equivalent to those at World Tier 4, which can be accessed as early as level 70.
Grinding for Diablo 4's most prestigious achievement, Level 100, feels like a waste of time and effort as it offers no noticeable benefits apart from extra paragon points. However, Blizzard has acknowledged the complaints and made several changes to potentially improve the grind. One notable change is the increased leveling speed, with Season 2 reportedly reducing the time to reach Level 100 by 40 percent.
The Level 100 grind in Diablo 4's Season 1 was lackluster due to a lack of new content and slow progression. However, Season of Blood is introducing new bosses, Echo of Varshan and Grigoire, The Galvanic Saint, to World Tiers 3 and 4. These new additions bring some excitement and variety compared to the focus solely on leveling in Season 1. Fans are optimistic for a much better experience in the upcoming Season of Blood that will make reaching Level 100 worthwhile.
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.