Unveiled: Diablo III's Wizard Class

a quick time-out from gaming with Renzie Baluyut.

BlizzCon '08 is well under way at the Anaheim Convention Center, and Blizzard fills us in on the third of five classes you can play with its highly-anticipated hack-and-slash RPG: Diablo III.

You've probably already seen the demo gameplay for the first two classes: the Barbarian and the Witch Doctor. As if paying homage to the old pen-and-paper role-playing games, Blizzard has decided to throw in our magic-wielding Wizard Class.

Unlike the Witch Doctor who supposedly draws his abilities from the spiritual realm, the Wizard taps into the raw power of the universe and channels it to do her bidding.

The good guys of Blizzard gave eager BlizzCon attendees a sneak peak of the workings of the new Wizard- essentially what sets her apart from the other classes- and had gone further to explain Diablo III's new skill system and skill tree, a new rune system, and new improved special effects based on your character's special abilities.

So what can the Diablo III Wizard class do?

- Early on, she is able to throw Magic Missiles- something Dungeons & Dragons players should be familiar with. It's really more like the old Firebolt of Diablo II- a very basic arcane ranged attack which presumably becomes more powerful as your character invests more skills into it.

- After gaining a few more levels, she can now unlock Electrocute- a quick zap of raw electrical energy that pretty much looks like a form of a lightning bolt, then maybe progressing to something like chain lightning at higher levels.

- Higher up the skill tree is Slow Time, which was implemented as a bubble effect that radiates outward from the Wizard.

- Lastly, the devastating Disintegrate was introduced. Described as "a real face-melter", this spell makes use of a charge mechanic which allows the player to hold down a button and sweep their mouse across a swath of opponents, dealing more damage to enemies unfortunate enough to be targeted longer by the Wizard.

While a lot of the gameplay aspects were already demonstrated at BlizzCon, the current version is by no means final, as some game mechanics are still being either worked in, fine-tuned or chucked out completely by Blizzard game designers.

No word yet on when Diablo III will be released. In the meantime, get blown away by this vid posted on Blizzard's YouTube channel. Enjoy!

Pictures from Gamespot. Check out more pics and screenshots on Gamespot's section on Diablo III.

Cheers, everyone!

I've Seen Diablo 3's Barbarian- and it was Awesome

a quick break from gaming by Renzie Baluyut

Blizzard has gone right ahead to create some good buzz about one of its upcoming games, Diablo III. There were already some signs online that hinted on a release pretty soon, and with Blizzcon 2008 happening in a couple of months, we just might see more clips of Diablo III on YouTube and other gaming sites.

Speaking of YouTube: I'm currently subscribed to Blizzard's channel, and for all you fans of the great hack-and-slash RPG- Say 'Hello' to the first of five (or so I've heard) classes for Diablo III: The Barbarian.

That's him right there cleaving his way through waves of ghoulish undead. Watch the new Diablo III Barbarian in action: here's a video clip to blow your mind!

Here's something about the Barbarian class we gleaned off the YouTube channel:

From the writings of Abd Al-Hazir (entry no. 0025)

In my journey to catalogue the various denizens, civilizations, and fauna of our world, I have traveled far and wide, but never before have I been struck with such dismay as when standing upon the ramparts of the ancient fortress of Bastion's Keep. I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat.

Instead, I stand here looking at a mountain that has been torn asunder by some extraordinary force. The sight, I must confess, is incomprehensible. Yet what I see before me cannot be denied.

What truly happened here? Where are those majestic warriors of old?

"I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat."

Though they were once misunderstood as simple, bloodthirsty invaders, the long and noble history of these proud people is now rightly acknowledged. And therein lies the greater tragedy here, for those of us familiar with the nobility of the barbarians remember too what they call their "vigil", the concept that lay at the very heart of their culture. The barbarians consider it their sworn duty to protect Mount Arreat and the mysterious object within. They believe that if they fail to uphold their duty to the great mount, or are not given a proper burial upon its slopes, they will be denied a true warrior's death, and their spirits shall roam the land without honor for all eternity.

If there are any barbarians left alive, they must truly be without hope. Perhaps this is the genesis of the rumors of monstrous things reported to resemble the barbarians in size and ferocity, but that are in reality nothing more than unreasoning, inhuman beasts. Could the destruction of not only their home but also their very beliefs have actually brought this magnificent race so low?

You could also check out a better quality video over at the official Diablo III promotional website, or discuss Diablo all you want with your fellow fans here on Battle.net.

Pictures from Gamespot.com. Check out more pics and screenshots on Gamespot's section on Diablo III.

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie's Classic Gaming: No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In HARM's Way

On today's Renzie's Classic Gaming, we shed the spotlight on No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In HARM's Way, or more simply, NOLF 2, a campy yet innovative and stylish first-person shooter released by Fox Interactive in late 2002.

I must have played it in the first half of 2003 or so- and enjoyed it immensely. NOLF 2 is the sequel to the 2000 Action Game of the Year No One Lives Forever- which was a very refreshing take on first-person shooters. Think Austin Powers, but you have a female lead- Cate Archer- and having its own brand of humor, still poking fun at the old spy movies of the 60's and 70's.

What pleased a lot of people was how more highly-polished NOLF 2 was, greatly improving upon the already great game that No One Lives Forever was. Also worked in is a decent role-playing element which allows you to customize Cate by building up her stealth, marksmanship or stamina- by spending skill points which you acquire through the course of the game.

As a spy action shooter, you could choose to be more subtle, and go stealthy- accomplishing your mission goals with minimum collateral damage. Or you could go all out, guns-ablazing and leaving a satisfyingly high body count.

Not that the stealthier way is less satisfying. In fact, a lot of the fun in NOLF2 involves sneaking up on your enemies and then eavesdropping in on some hilarious cleverly-written dialogue.

Even the friendlies have funny lines, particularly so when you try to engage them in conversation multiple times.

However you choose to get your mission goals accomplished, get ready for lots of action in NOLF2- you get to ride snowmobiles, use a variety of weapons and even bring Ms. Archer's purse-ful of high-tech gadgets into play.

OK, probably more wacky than high-tech. Cate Archer's quirky tools of the trade- are mostly cute and female-oriented: lipstick cameras, nail-clipper lockpicks and torches disguised as a can of hairspray. Watch out for the exploding robot kitties!

NOLF2 is powered by the Jupiter incarnation of the LithTech Engine. Check out No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in HARM's Way by checking out the official website on nolf2.sierra.com, or by simply unearthing your old copy and playing it all over again!

You could also visit the NOLF2 wikipedia entry here, or its review, as well as tech specs and pics on Gamespot, here.

If you're already playing No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in Harm's Way, check out the gameguides and FAQs here, on GameFAQS.com, if you need it.

Classics- I call them great moments in PC and console gaming. Truly memorable gaming masterpieces from years gone by. Games so good, you can install them onto your PC today and still have a good time. This has been another Renzie's Classic Gaming feature on Get Your Game On: Renzie on Gaming.

Cheers, everyone!

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Gaming.

That's right, welcome to my world.

Welcome to the world of a 34-year-old self-professed geek- who, by day, slaves away at a regular job and does business like most radio executives, but by night, hunkers down in front of yet another PC and dives into role-playing games.

That's right. I work hard so I can play. I work to pay my monthly World of Warcraft fees. I work to check out Datablitz (the local gaming software retailer) to see if the new game I've been waiting for is already out. I buy gaming merchandising when available. I get other people to play. And now, I'm blogging about it.

This blog- Renzie on Gaming- gives you my personal perspective on games, gaming gear, games marketing, and the gaming industry, and how the gaming industry affects the rest of the world. My personal perspective, ladies and gentlemen. Ultimately, this is all about what I think, and what I care about.

You're all welcome to stick around and poke around if you like. I even encourage you to leave a comment or toss around an idea or two. It's all cool.

See you guys around. Cheers!