There are few dark fantasy role-playing games that match the same level of hype and expectation as Diablo. The first two games were examples of pure strategy-action genius, and fans have waited oh so long for a third instalment. But Blizzard, king of the multiplayer-focused RPG, has not felt it necessary. Until a little game called Diablo III... Set twenty years after the events of Diablo II, Diablo III takes players back to Sanctuary, with the populace having somehow survived the armies of the Burning Hells. The heroes who once vanquished these demons have gone mad from their adventures, and the time has come to enlist a new generation of protagonists. While plenty will stay the same in terms of gameplay mechanics, many things under the hood will seem completely different. The proprietary engine for the game has changed from its previous reliance on Havok to Blizzards own custom in-house physics. Destructible environments with an in-game damage effects should be expected, along with a custom 3D game engine to mimic the isometric viewpoint from past titles. Obviously, though, you can expect a few tweaks to the formula for this console release. Perhaps the biggest, which will make a huge difference to aficionados of the game, is the fact that the point and click interface of the PC version has been replaced with direct control of your character using the left analog stick and a dodge feature that makes use of the right stick. The menu system has also been optimised for console, meaning that players wont have to awkwardly fiddle about using an analog stick in place of a mouse. Players can still engage in multiplayer madness in Diablo III, and it is here where Blizzard has taken some cues from its previous high-profile sequel release StarCraft II. Drop-in and drop-out co-op play will be included, though unlike the PC version theres no requirement for online connectivity, and you can play offline to your hearts content.