Diablo IV is shaping up to be easily one of the biggest video game releases of 2023, and developers Blizzard Entertainment have teased us with more than enough to get hyped to battle the forces of evil in June.

There have been some notably great, and even underrated, isometric role playing game (RPG) classics over the years, such as Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, and Path of Exile.

But ask any long time fan of RPGs what some of their favorites are, and you're sure to hear the name Diablo.

The franchise has taken the hack-n-slash genre of old school rogue-like games and gave it the makeover it didn't know it needed, creating something that is often imitated, but never truly duplicated.

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The dark ambience, setting, and tone has been unmatched in gaming since the series' inception with the first Diablo game back in 1997.

It sends gamers on a dark and gritty adventure that's shamelessly shrouded in homage to the occult and Satanism. It's an experience that has not just garnered a fan base, but a cult following of dedicated game and RPG lovers.

That all means anticipation is high – and so are expectations. Fortunately, everything Blizzard has teased so far has been incredibly promising, signaling the company has been listening to what fans have asked for since Diablo III.

Developers at Blizzard Entertainment have brought gamers some incredible classics – from Warcraft and Starcraft, to Overwatch. But it's Diablo that truly put the company on the map.

The first Diablo game was released in 1997 on PC, and it quickly changed gaming. It possessed characteristics that had never been seen before in gaming, including it's dark, and twisted, world and engaging and arguably addictive gameplay.

Things truly took off for the series in June 2000, which saw the release of Diablo II. The second installment took all the best aspects of the original and made them even better, making massive improvements that set the series even further ahead than its contemporaries.

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It also notably implemented an incredibly fun and social multiplayer mode that helped create the cult following the game still has today.

While the first two were overwhelmingly praised by critics and gamers, the third installment was met with more mixed reviews, but Blizzard still managed to make a solid game.

The Diablo games famously implements randomized maps and weapon and armor attributes in a way that keeps the game exciting and fresh. They also offer ways to customize your character and their gear, creating an even more addictive element to gameplay.

As the franchise has done a great job at improving upon each game, Diablo IV looks as though it will do the same, and then some.

So many fans are hyped for Diablo IV, with many even willing to shell out $100 for the ultimate edition of the game.

But does that mean it will actually be any good?

Diablo III was released in 2012, over 11 years ago, and the sequel remained a rumor for years. As we get closer to June, Blizzard has been teasing what's to come with Diablo IV – and it is beyond exciting to say the least.

For starters, IV will implement a character creation system for the first time in the series. The older games gave players a choice between a few premade characters, allowing only customization of their gear.

This time, players can make their own character who will then also be featured in the game's cutscenes, similar to games like Fallout and Dragon Age.

Next, the dark and gritty thematic elements of Diablo I and II seem to be back. One of the biggest criticisms of Diablo III was that some gamers described its new look as "cartoonish" in comparison to previous titles. The screens and brief gameplay clips of IV appear to show what looks like the darkest Diablo yet, and it boasts in open world to explore in non-linear gameplay for the first time ever.

Blizzard has also returned to the traditional skill tree and stat distribution system, as opposed to the more linear one implemented in Diablo III.

And finally, Blizzard will be hosting beta testing for the game, so that players can test it before release, and share the good, the bad, and the ugly of their experience with the developers.

Blizzard seems to be on the right track, going out of their way to bring the best Diablo experience to its fans after years of hard work. If you are a fan of RPGs, you won't want to miss this game.

The full Diablo VI game will officially be released for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on June 6.