Platted That! – Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

Disclaimer: I’ve been informed of an error in this piece regarding my timeline of Blizzard releases. StarCraft II came out two years before Diablo III, which is not what I wrote below.You’ll have to forgive me for a faulty memory. Thanks to the readers who pointed this out in a polite and friendly manner. We at Handsome Phantom appreciate our engaged community!

Platted That! is an ongoing series from Handsome Phantom giving gamers a review of unlocking the Platinum Trophy for PlayStation 4 titles.

This week we’ll be looking at Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. This action RPG marked the beginning of a renaissance for Blizzard games. For years, World of Warcraft was the favorite child of the company. Popular franchises StarCraft and Diablo had been lingering for years in the shadow of the MMO giant, waiting for sequels that were always rumored but never revealed. After the launch of Diablo III, a sequel was finally released for StarCraft, and Blizzard would release their first new IP in years. That new title was a team-based first-person shooter called Overwatch. We at Handsome Phantom have put our fair share of hours into it.

As a huge fan of Diablo II, I was a day one purchase for Diablo III on PC. It wasn’t the best launch of an online game, but it was great to see Deckard Cain again, and to hack and slash my way through all the locations and lore of the new game. I repurchased the game several years later with a friend for a good sale price and started my platinum play-through, eventually succeeding on the fifth anniversary of the game’s release.

To start, new players or returning players will have to eventually max-level every character class, the base game of which has six. Every class feels distinct and for me every class was fun to play. They each have wildly differing aesthetics and the skills you unlock are very fun to watch. When the time comes, you’ll need to pick a class to play through Hardcore with. This isn’t really a difficulty setting so much as a different game mode. Your character won’t have access to the hoard of gold and equipment you’ve gathered on your normal run-throughs, and when they die in the game – that’s it. You will no longer be able to progress with that character.

Don’t let Hardcore mode be intimidating. Websites will recommend different characters as the most efficient for this run through. I stuck with the Monk. This self-healing melee class was simply my most comfortable. It was the first class I played on PC, and I felt I had a much better grasp of the mechanics and character build than any other, and this is more important than any stock recommendation on the web. I had a couple close-calls, but my Hardcore play wasn’t the nightmare I was expecting.

From the day I began my journey with a fresh Crusader to the minute my platinum trophy popped, it had been over a year. And while that isn’t an accurate account of how long it’ll take most players to achieve, it was indicative of an incredibly grindy trophy. The last trophy I unlocked was Batting 500, which required completing five hundred bounties. These side quests are accessible through Adventure Mode, the post-game loot-finding facilitator.

This trophy seemed to take forever, and I experienced a wave of relief when I finally got it. Gamers can learn from my mistakes and play more efficiently. The trophies require at least two plays of the main campaign, one on regular and one on Hardcore. This can also get you two of the six level 70 classes you’ll need for another trophy. If the other classes are leveled in Adventure Mode doing bounties, as opposed to the campaign, it’ll get you to Batting 500 a lot quicker.

Another trophy that will require some conscious effort is Demolition Derby. The goal is to break 50 objects in a short time span. There are tons of video guides for getting this trophy, but it will require a few tries to get right.

Recommendation

Most trophies should pop organically for players as they build their roster of level 70 characters and complete their five hundred bounties. Current stats on PlayStation show that over forty percent of gamers finish the main campaign, which is a lot better than most titles. Only 2.7% go on to get the platinum trophy. If you’re in that 37.3% of players who finished the main campaign but didn’t go on to plat, I definitely recommend picking up the game again. Make sure to bring a friend! Killing demons is always better with a friend.

Diablo III has also released a new priced DLC that brings the Necromancer into Diablo III as a playable class. It’s pulling on my nostalgia from Diablo II, and it could be a great way to make the game fresh for veterans. Diablo III is always dipping down in price for new players. However, the Eternal Collection, which includes the Necromancer class DLC, is still $59.99 on the PlayStation store. No doubt it’ll see a more amenable price point soon.

But we want to know what you think! Have you Platted Diablo III? Did Batting 500 take as long for you as it did for me? What are Blizzard’s plans for continuing the franchise? Stay awhile and listen! Let Handsome Phantom know your thoughts and you could get a shout out on Adventure Mode!