Diablo II sported five all-new character classes, four towns that were each easily the equivalent of the original game, the inclusion of class-specific abilities, and other goodies.  Over time, this has changed some from the original Press Release, and with Diablo II 50% complete, I think it's time to track and address those changes.

The Engine - "Looking under the hood..."

At first, Diablo II was planned to make use of the original engine with some tweaks to remove cheats like "duping."  Some of the monsters and scenes would be updated of course, but the interface and action of the game would basically remain the same.  This was all changed when Blizzard announced that Diablo II would be using a new, made from scratch engine.

This new engine allowed the people at Blizzard to add some new flavors to Diablo II.  One of the brainstorms was to eliminate level load times for seamless play.  This means that once you enter a building there would be no wait for you to be inside it, unlike Diablo.  They also added true transparencies instead of dithering for the isometric structure of the walls. 

Blizzard has also made note that other things may be in the Diablo II engine.  The most intriguing so far was that Diablo II may use VoxWare technology, allowing gamers to use headsets to communicate vocally with one another in the game.  This is only an idea they're tossing around, and may not be in the final product.  We will keep you posted.

The Characters - "The measure of true heroes..."

The characters in Diablo II all make use of a "skill tree" concept, which maps out their powers on a progressing hierarchy.  Each power paves the way for characters to learn greater powers through a system of interdependencies.  Gone are the use of books to learn spells, both magic spells and combat techniques are learned through experience points, though books have been said to benefit spellcasters in some way.

Each character presently has thirty abilities split up into three distinct categories.  This means that even characters of the same type will be able to have different specialties inside their own abilities.  You could have a Paladin that was specialized in Combat techniques as another player could have a Paladin whose forte was Auras.  The known abilities of each character is explained in each character's page above.  These will be updated as we learn more, of course.

Presently only pics of the Amazon, Paladin, and Sorceress have been released.  There are also three animated ..gif's that show these three in action.  We have yet to see any actual picture releases of the Necromancer or Barbarian, though as soon as they come out we'll be sure to post them.

The Stages - "Dark dungeons to explore..."

Diablo II is set to four stages, each one containing more than what was in the original release.  There is, in fact, so much more gameplay available that Diablo II is presently set to come out on four CD's (there will also be a DVD release).  In addition to these, Diablo II also has outdoor scenes that will actually contain traveling and combat, Diablo's combat all occurred underground or inside a structure.  You will also be able to enter buildings in towns, this is facilitated through an amazing cutaway view.

The first level that Diablo II brings you to is the Sisters of the Sightless Eye Monastery (where the original Rogue from Diablo hails from), where a Lesser Evil named Andariel has set up her base of operations.  Andariel plans to subvert the rogues of the Monastery into her dark army to gain prestige in the eyes of the three Prime Evils: Baal, Diablo, and Mephisto.  You must thwart her plans to save the rogues and help the townspeople.

The next level is set to the desert city of Lut Gholien, where you must prevent Diablo from freeing his brother Baal, the Lord of Destruction.  Lut Gholien and its environs are set to a hot desert environment, with what looks to be a kind of Egyptian architecture.  The graphics of the desert are breathtakingly done, and it proves to be a testament to the diversity of Diablo II.  Act II is also done in a non-linear setup, allowing for a greater scope of adventure and sub-quests.

Act III hasn't been spoken of much, though we do know that it will take place in a sort of rainforest environment.  I would guess it has something to do with Mephisto, but that's just a guess.  Act IV has also been kept a close secret, though according to rumor it might be a revisiting of the old haunts of Tristram, which is now ruined.  Act IV is also rumored to be four times the size of Diablo itself.

Final Observations - "Cleaning house..."

Diablo II looks to be a success in the making.  From the sheer variety offered up by the characters to the detail shown in the levels, I can honestly say it's my pick for 99's Game of the Year award.  In any case, if it even recaptures the flare of its older sibling, it will be a monumental success. 

There is a lot more to be done to the game; however, and nothing is set in stone as of yet.  They've done a great job on improving an already great game, and so I await the newest announcements with good expectations in mind.  The WebMasters of the Diablo II Community will keep you posted on all the latest info as we get it, and if big news comes our way, we will make sure you know it.