The big expansion brings a new story act, a new class, and many improvements

Jan 9, 2014 08:28 GMT  ·  By

What we know:

Diablo 3 appeared for the PC and Mac platforms back in 2012 and last year it finally reached the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles. Now, Blizzard is getting ready to deploy the first full-fledged expansion for the game, in the form of Reaper of Souls.

The add-on introduces a fifth act to the core story of Diablo 3, putting players up against Malthael, who stole the Black Soulstone and wants to end the war between Heaven and Hell by destroying humanity.

Besides a fresh act with all-new locations from the world of Sanctuary, the Reaper of Souls expansion brings a fifth playable class, the Crusader, which can use some impressive abilities and weapons while fighting the demonic legions of monsters.

A new artisan to aid you in the fresh adventure is also included (the Mystic), as is an increased level cap of 70, plenty of new skills and items, but also a variety of powerful monsters that will offer a bigger challenge.

For those interested just in loot and smaller adventures, special Nephalem Rifts, Trials, and Bounties will also be included in the expansion.

Alongside the new add-on, a special patch 2.0.1 will debut, bringing an overhauled loot system, unlimited Paragon leveling, or a Diamond gem type.

Why it matters:

Diablo 3, despite its many issues at launch, is still quite popular with dungeon crawler fans and the Reaper of Souls expansion promises to bring plenty of fresh content that will keep it relevant for some time in the future.

While it certainly includes many new elements, it's also great that Blizzard will deploy it alongside a patch for regular Diablo 3 owners, bringing some much needed improvements to the whole game.

Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls will launch worldwide on March 25 for the PC and Mac editions of the game. The add-on might also appear on the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles, but it's only been confirmed for the PS4 as part of a Diablo 3 Ultimate Evil Edition.

The full list of Incoming Games 2014 articles can be read on Softpedia.