Diablo 2 Resurrected mods are here and I couldn’t be more excited
The first Diablo 2: Resurrected mods available are focus on functionality
Diablo 2: Resurrected mods are here, but we couldn’t have predicted they’d pop up this soon. As for me? I couldn't be happier.
Dozens of Diablo 2: Resurrected mods have already begun appearing across NexusMods and ModDB. From difficulty modifiers to singular-purpose tweaks like hiding your helmet, there's a little something for players of all skill levels — especially those who spent hours tinkering with the original Diablo 2.
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Diablo 2: Resurrected came with a few tweaks of its own when it debuted on September 20. It offered new 3D models for the classic game's sprites and other graphical improvements that players can toggle off and on.
The remake supports 4K resolution and 7.1 Dolby surround sound. While there are gameplay and quality-of-life improvements, however, fans can always think of new ways to further augment what's already there. In fact, I can think of plenty, and that’s why I’m so glad to see people putting their modding talents to good use this early in the game’s life cycle.
As a longtime Diablo 2 player, I’ve spent countless hours in-game with friends, running through the same acts again and again, trying out new character builds, and laughing my way through town. It seems surreal to have played the original years prior and see it come around full circle once more. It could have gotten stale a long time ago, but mods always kept it fresh and exciting. And much less frustrating than it could have been otherwise, too. Seeing the cycle begin anew is appealing in several ways, especially since this is an adventure I’m going to want to take with friends now that I’m older, and I’ve got so many newbies to help brave the dangers of hell as well.
The new crop of Diablo 2: Resurrected mods haven't quite reached the scope that the original did, given that enthusiasts have had two decades to create for it. But the pool is slowly growing and expanding, with a few that stand out from the rest of the pack. Instead of mods that we're used to seeing on day-one, such as hilarious cartoon characters being added to the game, these mods are more focused on improving the experience, a sign of the enthusiastic but very serious love that die-hards have for this game.
One mod in particular, Better SP, is chock-full of changes that include faster walking and running, higher stack limits for arrows, keys, tomes, and other items, and higher mana regeneration. There's also a series of changes made to the classic cow level, in case you've been missing that.
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Not interested in a complete overhaul and want to apply a few smaller, more granular changes? You can choose from a variety of other mods as well, like Enemy Multiplier, meant to increase game difficulty by increasing the amount of enemies available to slice through. The Guaranteed Drop Mod or D2R Drop Mod, both of which increase how likely it is that you'll bag some good loot from enemies. There's also even a Hide Helmet mod if you're more concerned with aesthetic options.
Now, if we could just have additional character customization options, I could finally be happy. Sorry to say, but the Amazon's high ponytail has never appealed to me. And as I'm partial to using bow and arrow to slay my demons, I'd love to be able to make mine stand out more from the crowd. I would have preferred that to the alterations that were made to the Amazon, but alas, custom characters were probably never in the cards.
As the days wear on, we'll likely see the number of mods at both sites double and triple (or more). It's obviously going to take some time to reach the levels of Diablo 2, but it's certainly something to watch if you're jonesing for more ways to enjoy this classic dungeon crawler. I know I’m already queuing up a few to download now.
Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.