Diablo 2. The staple of what video games should be.
I have played Diablo 2 off and on for the last 8 years. Just when I decide its time to stop playing and get on with my life, one of my friends decides to get back on, or I decide to try a new character build. For having such a simplistic game design this is seriously the most time consuming, most addictive, and probably the funnest game I have ever laid my paws on.
Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction is the expansion pack that fits along so well with its host that it has become eternally conglomerated in my brain. When I think of Diablo 2 I think of rune words, elite set items and Baal runs- things that only came to be with the expansion.
I can't tell you how many countless hours I have spent farming for certain items, rushing friends up to higher levels or power leveling my own character. This game is perfect in most every way- 8 years, and I still have yet to obtain the best items in the game. It remains exciting, remains a way to unload after a hard day of work, and a way to slip into a great and deep world that blizzard created.
From all of this, it is no wonder why it has taken so long for a 3rd game to come to fruition. The fan base at this point is so die hard we expect nothing less than perfect. Diablo 3 may never live up to this game, but I think if its even a quarter as addicting, a quarter as exciting or a quarter as deep, then we will be very blessed with a great game.
If you think Diablo 3 is going to be a great game and want to see what the first two games are like, than please -by all means- play it. I don't think you could be disappointed at anything so far in the series.
LOD will always be in my heart. I doubt I'll ever let it go. Oh how I love thee.