Launching a fireball or dashing your character into a demonic horde this way feels great.

Skills can be performed by touching the vicinity of a virtual button and aiming with the swipe of my thumb. Playing Diablo Immortal is a treat the intuitive and responsive touch controls are some of the best I’ve used in a mobile game, save for some minor hiccups. Classic characters like Deckard Caine return, while new faces such as Jin and Rayek expand the established Diablo narrative in ways I appreciate. A demon named Skarn aims to fill the power vacuum left after Diablo and Baal fell, causing more chaos for the never-peaceful plane of Sanctuary. Despite Immortal taking place in the 20 years between the events of Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, the narrative is surprisingly ripe with gripping lore. Choosing between the six available classes – Barbarian, Wizard, Demon Hunter, Necromancer, Crusader, or Monk – you soon search for the shards of the shattered Worldstone, a vital relic from previous games. Immortal feels like a modern Diablo game thematically and aesthetically, and it often reminds me of a great mobile version of Diablo 3.

This is disappointing, as the game offers an otherwise strong experience. With this mobile facelift comes a free-to-play model most can avoid spending money on, but some specific parts of its monetization model blemish this game. The series’ core action/RPG smash and loot gameplay makes the transition wonderfully to mobile thanks to responsive controls designed for portable play and adherence to the sights and sounds of the franchise.

Despite the pain my aging hands suffered during my first few days with Immortal, it was worth it for the fun I had. My fingers would ache for hours after playing Diablo Immortal my hands haven’t spent this much time curled around my phone this way in years.

Diablo immortal free-to play