Diablo 2 Resurrected feels closer to POE2 than to D4

Man the problem with D4 is the scaling is so... Intangible. Everything from damage, to resistances, to % increases are just so high that I feel completely disconnected from it. Like I don't know how much damage reduction I get if I get 100 all rest, vs. 1000 extra armor, vs. flat out damage reduction, since ALL of those add up somehow and contribute to the same overall damage reduction in some incomprehensible formula... Because of exponential damage scaling your damage is jumping from 10ks to 100ks to 100ms to suddenly high billions, which means you will shit stomp anything that isn't a worldboss with artificial difficulty (nerfing your damage) or infinitely scaling pit/towers.

Yes PoE damage scales quite crazily as well, but the numbers make more sense and feel "grounded". When I add armor, I know it will decrease my physical damage taken. Resistances are easy to understand. Evasion as well. Despite there being multiple defensive layers, they are all independently easy to understand, so building your character actually makes sense.

Even the campaign stracture is the same. First a cursed village and dark woods then we go to desert with a caravan. Then we go to tropical map with ancient temples.

Hell, game even have Fetishes with different name.

Yep. For me POE2 is the true Diablo 3.

An actual innovative continuation of the same game.

Mostly the same feeling but mega-polished and modern. Taking customization, controls, and game systems design to their absolute next levels. Graphics, animations and sound as well.

Love both games very much.

D2R not being clearly mapped out is hilarious to read, game's been pretty much solved for almost two decades lol

I feel like this belongs more in the Diablo sub than here ngl but you have made curious about D2r so i guess thanks

For me, D2 is also the pinnacle of itemization. They did a great job making sure as many items as possible are viable to use.

well PoE is inspiree by D2

why D3 was so different is probably because today game directors are often business men and not true gamers like in the 90s and early 00s

i feel like in many ways d4 has made a step closer to d2 but it still is heavily influenced by what people in the business believe is right in todays market. like making d4 a live service game and many decisions are based on that

Welcome to the realization of why PoE1 was made

The fact D2R is a better game than D3/D4 is insane, but it's true, yes.

i always thought that poe is the right successor of D2, i hate the cartoonish style blizzard took wow like theme for the d3 and d4