It’s impossible to talk about action role-playing games without mentioning Diablo II. The original release of Blizzard’s sequel in 2000 was an inflection point for the nascent genre, defining the direction all games after it would take. It’s one of those games whose DNA you can still trace in modern ARPGs such as Path of Exile, Lords of Wolcen, and the eventual Diablo III. But it’s also a game that has been drastically improved upon in the two decades since its release, which makes its 2021 remaster a confusing re-release that does very little to address how the genre has evolved since, making it challenging to recommend over modern contemporaries outside of reasons of nostalgia or short-lived curiosity.
Like all of the games it would eventually inspire, Diablo…
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho could have become Liverpool boss in the early 2000s, according to Brendan Rodgers.
Mourinho, whose Chelsea side face Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, has always enjoyed a strong rivalry with the Merseyside club.
Liverpool manager Rodgers worked under Mourinho during the Portuguese s first stint at Chelsea in 2004-07.
The Northern Irishman believes, despite Mourinho s mind games, he has the utmost respect for Liverpool.
There is no doubt that there was a period back in the early 2000s, that this club was a possibility for him, Rodgers said.
Maybe resources were different and he had a better opportunity to go elsewhere but make no mistake, he knows the size and prestige of Liverpool.
There has been a h…
Real Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez said their Basque derby with Athletic Bilbao holds greater significance given the latter s success.
Bilbao are poised to secure fourth spot in La Liga and clinch UEFA Champions League football for the 2014-15 season, after Sociedad competed in the continental group stages earlier this season.
Real Sociedad are still Europe-bound, with a spot in some form of the UEFA Europa League next season guaranteed; whether it is starting in the group stages, play-off or third qualifying round is yet to be decided.
But Martinez said winning the Basque derby at San Mames on May 11, would be some consolation for Sociedad fans.
That could be what hurts our fans most of all, that we re not going to the Champions League and Bilbao are in fourt…
There are reports in the media that on-loan Everton winger Royston Drenthe is looking for a return home to Feyenoord.
The 25 year-old has been on-loan at the Premier League club this season from Spanish champions Real Madrid, where his contract expires in the summer.
Trouble
When Royston Drenthe arrived at Everton like many other Evertonians I was excited to see a player of such promise at our club.
I knew that Drenthe has talent but I also knew that he had problems at virtually every club he had been at.
When Drenthe joined Real Madrid from Feyenoord he was considered one of brightest young players in Europe. He had a decent first season at the Bernabeu before falling out with club staff after being dropped for a game against Valencia.
T…
Sam Allardyce has attributed West Ham s excellent Premier League form to a more clinical edge in front of goal this season.
West Ham flirted with relegation during the 2013-14 campaign before eventually recovering to finish 13th.
Part of the problem at Upton Park was the team s troubles in the final third, with the club scoring just 40 goals last term.
This season has seen a marked improvement on that front, though, with the club riding high in fourth having scored 26 goals in 15 top-flight matches.
And manager Allardyce is thrilled with the way the team is converting their chances.
What we ve got this year is that we re taking our chances more, he said ahead of Saturday s visit to Sunderland.
You play in the best way you can with the te…
Borussia Dortmund chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke has accused referee Danny Makkelie of arrogance over his penalty call in the club s Champions League exit to Chelsea.
The Bundesliga side slipped out of Europe after failing to build on their 1-0 first-leg advantage at Stamford Bridge, with a 2-0 defeat on the night meaning a 2-1 aggregate loss to their Premier League hosts.
Chelsea s ultimate winner came from a Kai Havertz penalty, but only when Makkelie allowed the forward to retake it due to encroachment after he missed his first attempt.
Watzke however felt the Dutch referee was guilty of arrogant behaviour in his decision-making, and suggested he was too easily swayed from his gut decisions by a boisterous home atmosphere.
You always had …