Why I love Diablo 2, Act 1

It’s strange to have a soft spot for dreary bogs like the Blood Moor, but Act 1 of Diablo 2—from the first time you leave the Rogue Encampment to the moment you catch a caravan east—feels carved into the bones. The Rogue Encampment is a compact hub compared with later towns; from there you can follow rough paths to points of interest or head off into the wilds and stumble on optional dungeons or a mysterious book that triggers a sidequest.

Where the first Diablo was claustrophobic, a single dungeon under a village, Diablo 2 promised wider spaces, and Act 1 is where that promise pays off. Encounters feel tactical and immediate: corrupted rogues charge out of the rain and leave howling spirits when they die, goatmen bray while Fallen chant "Rakanishu!", shamans can resurrect foes, and nests spawn blood hawks unless you clear them.

Those touches still feel fresh here, and mercifully there are no lightning beetles.

diablo 2, act 1, rogue encampment, blood moor, fallen, rakanishu, goatmen, shamans, blood hawks, caravan