Great moments in PC gaming: Mowing down hordes of enemies in Diablo 3

Great moments in PC gaming are bite-sized celebrations of some of our favorite gaming memories.

Diablo 3

(Image credit: Blizzard)

Developer: Blizzard
Year: 2012

Diablo 3 can be competitive if you play with friends or climb the Greater Rift leaderboards solo. I mostly use Diablo 3 as a form of relaxation though, blasting through rifts each season, sending hundreds upon hundreds of demons to their deaths.

While the campaign is fun, after you hit the level cap Diablo 3 really shines. Once you've acquired enough max-level gear to kill enemies with ease, you can sprint through rifts or bounties, destroying everything that stands in your way. It's satisfying to see your damage increase as you get more gear and tier set pieces, letting you increase the difficulty by another level or two each time.

Diablo 3 can be played with friends, but for me, it's always been about the solo experience. Even though I enjoy speeding through levels, I don't want to feel rushed by others. I like to be able to retrace my steps without getting left behind if the familiar chime of a legendary loot drop sounds; I want to be able to take my time and clear an entire map from edge to edge if the urge takes me.

The only companion I need when mowing down demons is the trusty templar and his weirdly comforting Northern English accent. I don't care what class I'm playing, that man will always be by my side. Dead, more often than not, bless him, but still by my side. Maybe I have a soft spot for him because he sounds a little like Ned Stark. Regardless, he's my go-to companion and partner in demon-slaying crime.

For me, the fun of Diablo is in the progression. I want to loot drops to make my character more powerful, but simultaneously, I don't want to lose the excitement of new gear dropping. Once I hit the point where I have to fine-tune my character for minuscule gains, my interest tapers off. My way of playing Diablo 3 might not be the most efficient, but it's the best way for me to enjoy it.

There's something relaxing about working through a Diablo 3 map and destroying everything in your path while listening to the soothing classical music of the Diablo soundtrack. You don't need to think, you just have to mow down the demon hordes. You can go at your own pace, either speeding through levels or clearing out each methodically. Either way, those demons had better watch out—a nephalem and a northerner are coming for them.