Diablo IV

Diablo IV continues Blizzard Entertainment's long-running action-RPG series, bringing the dark, gothic world of Sanctuary in full glory to Xbox Series X/S. The player chooses from several classes - Barbarian, Sorcerer, Necromancer, Rogue, or Druid - and makes their way through an open world full of side quests, strongholds to capture, dungeons, and world bosses that other players passing by can spontaneously join in on. Combat is built on fast, tactical ability-clicking and build combinations, placing the game among the most refined representatives of the hack-and-slash genre, while an item system with a wealth of affixes offers room for experimentation even after dozens of hours of play.

On Xbox Series X/S the game runs smoothly at high resolution, and the fast SSD noticeably shortens loading times between the open world and instanced dungeons or boss fights. Gamepad controls are precisely tuned and offer a fully viable alternative to traditional mouse-and-keyboard control, without losing precision in fast fights against dozens of enemies on screen. The atmosphere is rounded out by grim music and sound design that carry on the tradition of the previous entries; rain-soaked backdrops and darkly toned cutscenes reinforce the sense of a hopeless, dark fantasy world that has been the hallmark of the Diablo series from the very start.

Diablo IV was received on release as a return to the series' roots after the controversial mobile spin-off, though its online elements and seasonal content sparked debate among players used to the purely offline play of earlier entries. The game offers a solo campaign as well as co-op play for up to four players, and regular seasons with new content, temporary mechanics, and character resets keep the community active long after launch. Today it ranks among the most-played RPGs on Xbox Game Pass and serves as an entry point into the genre for a new generation of players unfamiliar with the series' earlier entries, while also being a place series veterans regularly return to with each new season.

Why play it: With a solo campaign, co-op for up to four players, and regular seasons of new content, it serves as an ideal entry point into the genre as well as a place series veterans love to return to.