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*** Update Sunday, June 29: More pics added ***

Blizzard announced the latest installment in the Diablo series at its Worldwide Invitational in Paris.

The announcement included a cinematic trailer and an in-game demo, both of which can be seen on the game’s Web site at www.diablo3.com.

Returning are Deckard Cain, who makes an appearance in both movies; the shattered town of Tristram (or at least its ruined temple); the confirmed player class barbarian; and what looks like a rogue from the Sisters of the Sightless Eye.

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The other confirmed class is the witch doctor, which resembles Diablo II’s necromancer — he summons beasts and lobs destructive spells based on fire and plague.

The biggest departure from the other titles is the inclusion of destructible terrain. As the barbarian madly whirlwinds across the screen, he breaks banisters with the same ease as he smashes zombies into paste. There’s also a scene in which he destroys a balcony’s supports, causing the rubble to crush dozens of monsters.

Another pleasant surprise — the game play demo features both male and female barbarians and witch doctors. Previous entries in the franchise have married gender to class, preventing players from choosing to play male archers or female sword-swingers.

Click for larger images:

Screenshots:

Read the press release and FAQ page: Read the rest of this entry »