Hands-on with Diablo II's Amazon

After an interminable wait, finally, I have my hot little hands on the Diablo II multiplayer beta. My favorite character, the rogue, has evolved into the amazon. Instead of a bow, you start with a javelin, but eventually, you'll find or buy the bow of your dream. Just don't be wasteful with your arrows, they are no longer unlimited!

Graphically, Diablo II is an improvement over the first game, but because of its long development cycle, it seems to have been eclipsed by the graphics of more recent games. As always, it's perpetually dim and dark; the shift from night to day is only a lessening of the night. Granted this is supposed to be a land oppressed by evil, but the sun has to come out sometime, even in the most blighted land.

Being much more a fan of single-player play, I found the online experience frustrating. It's not easy or intuitive to save your game, and several times I was kicked off the server, only to start building my character again from scratch.

The gameplay is smooth, and fanatics of Diablo will feel right at home. In the brief time I've had to play, I haven't made much use of the skill levels or found any cool matching magical armor. Gold seems to be in very short supply, and there are no completely free ways to regenerate your health. Gone is that helpful apothecary who gave you a free shot of the magic red elixir. Also gone are the huge piles of gold and hoarded items. Now, you have a personal chest in town with a limited number of inventory slots and a limited amount of gold. Remember those piles and piles of gold littering the town? There's no raiding your friend's horde anymore.

On happier notes, mana regenerates automatically, if slowly. I am not a good wizard or sorceress and much prefer the ranged attack of the amazon. What little mana I use regenerates at an acceptable rate. Magic wielders will find themselves relying on potions, shrines, and a few handy wells. Another helpful addition is the waypoints. These are fixed portals that let you jump around the different locations in the level. The levels are vast - the first level alone seems as large as the entire first game! Still, town portal scrolls come in handy when you've got an inventory of stuff you need to sell.

The monsters have a decidedly familiar look. I was happy to see that the top-heavy, G-string wearing ladies of Diablo are back in a slightly different incarnation. You'll find the requisite skeletons, zombies, and golems, looking and sounding just like their predecessors.

But am I having fun? You bet! With all the cool gear to wear and vast levels to explore, I wait for only one thing to be completely happy - the entire single-player game and a few 48-hour days.