Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer

 PC
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 176 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 176
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 176
  3. Negative: 88 out of 176

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  1. Kevan
    Jun 30, 2017
    3
    fan service to d2 players, with a totally different flavoured necro than the original one. the game is still the same, no endgame, minor tweaks, a new meaningless timeattack gamemode...but the boredom of silly number crunching is still here. An empty shell of a arpg, based on online korean-like exp hoarding.
  2. mihaiqc
    Jun 29, 2017
    1
    Pale imitation of what was once the beloved D2 necro.. and for 15$.Only the Inarius set is viable in the rifts. The skeleton mages last 6 seconds and the number of summons is grossly limited from its predecessor. Witch Doctor makes for a better summoner than the Necromancer. Also the bone armor is **** atrocious and blocks any cosmetics while being essential for necro's gameplay.

    I    Pale imitation of what was once the beloved D2 necro.. and for 15$.Only the Inarius set is viable in the rifts. The skeleton mages last 6 seconds and the number of summons is grossly limited from its predecessor. Witch Doctor makes for a better summoner than the Necromancer. Also the bone armor is **** atrocious and blocks any cosmetics while being essential for necro's gameplay.

    I guess I basically paid 15$ for 2 character slots.    … Expand
  3. OnyxShadow
    Aug 23, 2017
    3
    Decent enough content.

    But terrible value. 1 class. There are other listed features, but none of them are substantial. It is 1 class.

    $5 would have been appropriate. $10 would have been tolerable. $15 is just lame.
  4. WorldRedbull
    Jun 29, 2017
    5
    The Rise of the Necromancer pack is the newest "thing" to be made for Diablo 3, alongside the new maps. So is it good? Well.....

    The Necromancer itself is good, it plays fine, it works fine, and it's fun and all, however, the rest of the pack itself is a major problem with this. If you've played Diablo 2 it's pretty similar to the old Necromancer who summons a crap ton of minions to    The Rise of the Necromancer pack is the newest "thing" to be made for Diablo 3, alongside the new maps. So is it good? Well.....

    The Necromancer itself is good, it plays fine, it works fine, and it's fun and all, however, the rest of the pack itself is a major problem with this. If you've played Diablo 2 it's pretty similar to the old Necromancer who summons a crap ton of minions to help him fight.

    The pack mostly contains useless cosmetics(Banner items, a pair of wings, and a pennant), an extremely useless non-combat pet that doesn't help you in the game whatsoever. The only two worthwhile things in the pack that aren't The Necromancer itself are the stash tabs, and the two character slots. There's not even any new playable quests with this pack. It's more of a pack that pretty much says: "Here's the necromancer.........okay bye!"

    However, that being all the pack has to offer, I feel as if 15 dollars is WAY too much of an asking price, especially when most of the content in the pack(Excluding the necromancer, stash tabs/character slots) does nothing to impact or enhance your gaming experience in anyway shape or form. It's more just to go: LOOK HOW COOL THIS STUFF IS?

    Do I recommend the pack? It's a half and half. If you have 15 dollars on hand, and really want to play The necromancer then i'd go for it, as the necromancer is the reason itself to even buy the damn thing. If you aren't really interested in the necromancer, and are more cautious about buying the pack, i'd wait until it's on sale honestly. You don't even need to buy the pack to play the new maps, as the new in game maps are free.    … Expand
  5. Voodooseeker
    Jul 16, 2017
    2
    Everyone recall the necromancer....yeahhhh surprise.
    Nothing new - all the same Blizzard cash-cow-system.......boringgggggg :((((
    Waste of your money, Blizzard is repeating repeating ect........
    Sorry Blizzard, you're so last year in your games.
  6. TheDragoon
    Oct 23, 2017
    0
    I've spent a lot of time playing Diablo 3 only because I was Skyping with my cousin, otherwise I would not finished the game, I did not finish the Expansion even though I have a 100+ paragon which is a lot more time than you should spend on this distasteful game. Blizzard has completely destroyed the atmosphere of Diablo the story is awful and the graphics are childish. And about this newI've spent a lot of time playing Diablo 3 only because I was Skyping with my cousin, otherwise I would not finished the game, I did not finish the Expansion even though I have a 100+ paragon which is a lot more time than you should spend on this distasteful game. Blizzard has completely destroyed the atmosphere of Diablo the story is awful and the graphics are childish. And about this new Necromancer, Blizzard must be crazed with greed, this game is dead just stop spending time on this horrible project that no one likes, and besides wasn't the witch doctor the necromancer of D3, what is even the point of this, to milk the only Diablo fans left?… Expand
  7. DerangedGinger
    Jul 10, 2017
    0
    The necromancer is less of a pet class than the witch doctor. That's just not acceptable given that in D2 it was great fun having your skeletal army following you around. It's also $15 for a class without any actual content. You'll be grinding the same stuff you've been grinding for the past few years.
  8. Foxcool
    Jul 25, 2017
    1
    Can you afford to buy a big mac for $50? Sure you can, but it's not worth it and you shouldn't on principle. Same thing with this DLC, not only is it not worth $15 but by buying it, we're telling the big cooperations that it's "ok" to charge so much for so little.
  9. GamingSince76
    Jul 14, 2017
    9
    This is a great new addition to a beloved class. It's tanky, tricky, and has plenty of pets to satisfy. The only people giving this low scores are people overly in love with D2 or POE fanboys. If you enjoy curses, blood leeching, armies of the dead, bone spear, and so on, then you'll love the combinations of the Necromancer. All sets are viable, I have done high level GR's on all of themThis is a great new addition to a beloved class. It's tanky, tricky, and has plenty of pets to satisfy. The only people giving this low scores are people overly in love with D2 or POE fanboys. If you enjoy curses, blood leeching, armies of the dead, bone spear, and so on, then you'll love the combinations of the Necromancer. All sets are viable, I have done high level GR's on all of them so far. Diablo 3 has been out for 5 years, so it's not going to break the mold of its core design, and that core design is not for everyone. If you enjoy D3, this expansion will thrill you. If you hate D3, then no expansion is right for you.… Expand
  10. teejaymmk
    Jul 2, 2017
    6
    Decent expansion, slightly overpriced for what you are getting. Does not fix the main issues I have with this game which are no end game and trivial stat/gear system. Will play this for maybe 2 weeks before I go through all the content with new necro then hit the non existent end game and go back to D2 and PoE. D3 is probably worth your time and money, even if it is a very mediocreDecent expansion, slightly overpriced for what you are getting. Does not fix the main issues I have with this game which are no end game and trivial stat/gear system. Will play this for maybe 2 weeks before I go through all the content with new necro then hit the non existent end game and go back to D2 and PoE. D3 is probably worth your time and money, even if it is a very mediocre entry in a great series of games.… Expand
  11. Oyarsa
    Jul 2, 2017
    2
    This expansion is a microcosm for the entire Diablo 3 game: a highly polished, yet severely limited bit of content. As has been noted by critics and users alike, the pricing is questionable. If we're keeping track, D3 was released at $60, RoS at $40, and RotN at $15. So, $115 for, what seems to me, content worth half the price. The price point alone was enough to cure me of my almostThis expansion is a microcosm for the entire Diablo 3 game: a highly polished, yet severely limited bit of content. As has been noted by critics and users alike, the pricing is questionable. If we're keeping track, D3 was released at $60, RoS at $40, and RotN at $15. So, $115 for, what seems to me, content worth half the price. The price point alone was enough to cure me of my almost two-decade (probably 5-10 years too long) devotion to Blizzard (D1/2, WoW, Warcraft, and SC1/2). I refuse to buy EA games for the same reasons.. I wish I'd waited until the RoS price drop to buy D3, but my sweet wife knew how much I enjoy Diablo and got it as a birthday present.

    As to the expansion content itself, I played a friend's account and certainly enjoyed the class. I appreciated the nod to D2--the necro was an easy choice of first character for me. I was, however, shocked at its omission from D3. The vanity items and extra slots would probably be useful. But, again, my recurring thought was "$15...for this?" If you're literally wiping your behind with $100 bills, sure, buy the DLC. If not, give Path of Exile a shot, or check out the Steam sale. Or go outside. Lord knows my pasty skin needs it.    … Expand
  12. Demonmonger
    Jun 28, 2017
    9
    If you have moved on from D3, the Necromancer pack is not going to bring anything new that will make you come back. It is still the same process as before, 1-70, rift, rift, rift.

    That being said, the Necromancer is hands down the best character class in the game in my eyes in terms of share user control. The Necro is a very active character that requires smart positioning and resource    If you have moved on from D3, the Necromancer pack is not going to bring anything new that will make you come back. It is still the same process as before, 1-70, rift, rift, rift.

    That being said, the Necromancer is hands down the best character class in the game in my eyes in terms of share user control. The Necro is a very active character that requires smart positioning and resource management, which is refreshing compared to the one-click win variations of all other classes.

    If you are still playing D3, you HAVE to give the Necromancer a try, if not, no reason to come back at this time.    … Expand
  13. Makarash
    Jul 6, 2017
    0
    10 acts in poe for free. New class in Diablo 3 for 15$...
    I really cant write anything more, cuz i'm not stupid enough to buy this !@# of !@#.
    Only hope for coming back to any Blizzard game will be Diablo 1 remake.
  14. AudioHead2001
    Jul 12, 2017
    10
    Fantastic update for Diablo III. The Necromancer is a fun class to play, his abilities change the dynamic of the game, the way I play. New regions are great, Music is really new and sounds like a fresh evolution for the expansion of Diablo.
  15. feike
    Aug 24, 2017
    1
    The patch(yup, i just cant call this paid patch an expansion, especially when even the blizzard.com site does not list this as an expansion. Seriously: looking there, reaper is the only expansion and ultimate evil is the other big release, and since on top of it path of exile just released a way bigger update that was just listed as a huge patch and did not got a new entry on this site, iThe patch(yup, i just cant call this paid patch an expansion, especially when even the blizzard.com site does not list this as an expansion. Seriously: looking there, reaper is the only expansion and ultimate evil is the other big release, and since on top of it path of exile just released a way bigger update that was just listed as a huge patch and did not got a new entry on this site, i think callling this patch anything other than a paid patch would be just weird)... well anyway, this patch is a decent(if overpriced) update by itself: The new class is okay, resembles the old necro from D2 enough to give that nostalgia, yet still fits in the D3 roster. The nice gameplay that D3 always had is still here, so its not a bad experience

    ...At least for the first hours, that is...
    And thats where the low score is coming from. The patch does include good stuff, but does nothing to help with the old problem that plagued the game since launch, specifically: The nill end-game
    It is caused largely by the terrible itemization on the game. They did removed much of the cancerous overpowered BS sets that plagued the game after reaper release, but many core problems persist: Because every piece of gear is too generic and even the legends and sets are really just rares with a single fixed affix, the old, overly simplistic rule of just picking the current meta set and try to get a limited number of affixes on every piece of gear and stack them as much as rng allows you to is still there. Its still a game where each piece of gear is only there because of a single affix and most of the text attached to each piece is just there for stat stick purposes. That also lead to the problem that builds still tend to be very rigid: That leg/set is listed on the build because a specific affix that cant be found anywhere else and thus, have no replacements. And OFC, because all other affixes are from a random generic pool, any slot that dont feature a specific thing can be filled with wathever for the exact same results
    Another problem is that this is a late game about grinding that dont give you ANY control over your grind. They removed trades between players and the AH but did not made any way to direct your drops or give some sort of consistency on your reward for your time played, save for some specific rewards that are aquired on key points in the story. The game leaves you completely at the mercy of the RNG to find most of your gear and thus, progressing the character after some point is completely out of your control. You cant trade the loot for currency and use it to get the upgrade like we did in the gold AH and we do in path of exile, you cant farm the currency then trade your way to the upgrade like we did in D2 with keys/torches/forge and grush services, heck you cant even pick a spot where the item you are loooking for is more likely to drop and use the rest as bonus like in marvel heroes. All you can do is pick the most efficient(on the most generic possible way) place and pray really hard. And yup, just keep rolling the dice and hoping for something that migh never come gets boring quite fast...

    At the end, this is a patch that offers a lot for the early and mid game, but the end game is still barren. Even weirder: they included a gem that removes level requirement and can make the early game a fast breeeze, so they clearly want to make a game focused on late game, but are making zero progress in making that part engaging... it just feels they are clueless(also, why they just dont give the option to just jump to level 60 if you have another char of that class on that level instead of making that joke of a gem is beyond me)
    The best thing i can say is that now the ranked system for the faster clearer on the ladder features a fixed map, so now you can actually prepare and that easy-map-farming BS is no more(who da fu* was the brainiac that though that making a race where the map is re-roled at each attempt for a time was a good idea anyway???) so now that rank may actually mean something

    And yeah... charging money for a patch that does nothing to fix problems from the stone age is just bull. Even more when the patch is just... well... a patch, and not a major one at that(the gaming industry is getting a bit too happy at charging extra for new characters it seems...) It only makes the game even sadder and bring back that feeling that maybe its time to just let poor Dibs rest in reace with the dignity he still have left, or hire a less RNG-paranoid team if you plan to make another sequel    … Expand
  16. WryMouth
    Jul 3, 2017
    1
    This game is nothing like Diablo 1 or 2. It pre-built just to farm, no more magic find items and the items drops are ridicules. Used be to an amazing feeling finding a legendary or set items now they drop like files. 1 Act I think I got 7 Legionaries. This game is boring and its really build for just boring kill farm one act to the other.

    Sad.
  17. Xelanak
    Aug 22, 2017
    8
    Its really good to see the Necromancer's return it s really fun to play and his skills are just great i Really enjoyed this, I hope they will make another update.
  18. JeffT
    Oct 4, 2017
    9
    Diablo 3 has continued to improve since it first launched. It is very engaging. The Necro pack was well worth the small investment for the many hours it returns back. I would speculate that many of the over-the-top negative comments are by those that really don't know how to get the most out of this game or haven't even played much at all. Or perhaps there other factors for theirDiablo 3 has continued to improve since it first launched. It is very engaging. The Necro pack was well worth the small investment for the many hours it returns back. I would speculate that many of the over-the-top negative comments are by those that really don't know how to get the most out of this game or haven't even played much at all. Or perhaps there other factors for their negativity beyond this game itself.... who knows.

    It is a nuanced game if you go beyond just copying other players build and experiment more yourself. I started the Necro in Beta and watched that evolve and get tweaked while trying to figure out builds from scratch. It was engaging enough during those many hours to purchase the pack once it became available.

    They also expanded with new maps in the 5 regions, and increased stash and character slots which were a big plus when you are running all of the characters in regular, seasonal and Hardcore.
    In the future, I would like to see more campaign additions, and continue adding more map options in Rifts and Grifts.

    Another option for players is to switch between solo pushes and teaming up... switch characters and build, try HC... as your going along... i.e. do different things.

    Anyway... if you can look beyond all the extreme negativity presented here or elsewhere, you may find many hours of entertainment playing D3.    … Expand
  19. syfermatic
    Jul 16, 2017
    10
    Blood Golems, Corpse explosion & Pets, Rise of the necromancer satiates the hole in my mind as I 've been looking fwd to this for quite a while. With a more morosely pleasing atmosphere cloaked in beautifully haunting music, I'm loving directing my pets and using my Essence. Amid playing and the curses, blood and bone I thought I was tripping when I began to see screaming skulls in theBlood Golems, Corpse explosion & Pets, Rise of the necromancer satiates the hole in my mind as I 've been looking fwd to this for quite a while. With a more morosely pleasing atmosphere cloaked in beautifully haunting music, I'm loving directing my pets and using my Essence. Amid playing and the curses, blood and bone I thought I was tripping when I began to see screaming skulls in the beautiful artwork of the Essence vapors but no I'm pretty sure they're real.… Expand
  20. easilyatcha
    Jul 14, 2017
    9
    Diablo III just got better. The Necromancer pack is rather lowly priced. The new character class at hand (gotta congratulate the developper Blizzard for 7!!! completely different playable character classes) itself is really great, well-balanced, wholly assembled and a radical addition to the already stimulating character lore already established by Diablo I and further expanded in DiabloDiablo III just got better. The Necromancer pack is rather lowly priced. The new character class at hand (gotta congratulate the developper Blizzard for 7!!! completely different playable character classes) itself is really great, well-balanced, wholly assembled and a radical addition to the already stimulating character lore already established by Diablo I and further expanded in Diablo II.

    With all the updates & fully patched, Diablo III has become even better now 5 years since the official highly acclaimed launch which sparkled positive critical reviews. With abundantly favorable fan service and loads of addicts to play with, it is an engrossing hack'n'slash 'n' looting experience with slick 'n' crisp graphics, intuitive menus, rivettingly switchable variations of skills,attributes, level 70+ paragon skills for your powerful heroes that can be amassed & playability out of this planet. Haven't encountered or experienced a more addictive game since Diablo I and II (gotta love all Diabloes).

    All these low scores by players are false & meaningless, considering the single-player Campaign portion alone on which the main game is built-on. It has lots of variety, dungeon-hacking with other players is a constant breeze. Play this game! It's worth it!

    Still rifting, questing & looting. Heads 'n' tails above the competition like PoE which is too stiffing and glares in the graphics dep, and Torchlight which is pretty straightforward as-is.

    If they agree on developping Diablo 4, this would be hard to beat.

    90%    … Expand
  21. slick_trick
    Jul 2, 2017
    10
    Necromancer has enough really cool **** to easily justify the purchase. Its obvious the time and attention to detail that went into it. Production quality is an 11 out of 10. I briefly hesitated because I play 1/2 the classes but don't enjoy the other 3 as much and wasn't sure if I'd like Necromancer. It completely blew away any and all expectations and its obvious that Blizzard getsNecromancer has enough really cool **** to easily justify the purchase. Its obvious the time and attention to detail that went into it. Production quality is an 11 out of 10. I briefly hesitated because I play 1/2 the classes but don't enjoy the other 3 as much and wasn't sure if I'd like Necromancer. It completely blew away any and all expectations and its obvious that Blizzard gets better and better with what they roll out.… Expand
  22. Silverbow
    Jul 3, 2017
    10
    I don't know who these professional one game for life players are, that think that if people stop playing a great game that it's somehow not great anymore. I stopped playing Baldurs Gate 2 in 2005, and it's still a great game.

    Having said that, the necromancer brings great things to D3. The class feels really powerful, and it gives you an excuse for another playthrough or two using a    I don't know who these professional one game for life players are, that think that if people stop playing a great game that it's somehow not great anymore. I stopped playing Baldurs Gate 2 in 2005, and it's still a great game.

    Having said that, the necromancer brings great things to D3. The class feels really powerful, and it gives you an excuse for another playthrough or two using a new class.

    For the price of a movie ticket and a coffee, why not?    … Expand
  23. sonofdiablo48
    Sep 10, 2017
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Notice how they are too scared to put the negative reviews at the top? Have you ever seen a negative review at the top? I think Metacritic and their reviewers have some kind of a deal with publishers and or developers to always put the positive reviews at the top. They know the negative reviews would destroy this DLC or expansion or whatever it is.… Expand
  24. Nightdk
    Jun 29, 2017
    10
    Haters who dont play diablo anymore will attack this game. And it shows when all the negative score is without a review. Most likely from people who did not even bother to buy the pack.
    For a diablo 3 player, someone who played the game and enjoyed it for what it is, The Necromancer pack is a perfect addition.
    If we took in to consideration what players expected from the next paid diablo    Haters who dont play diablo anymore will attack this game. And it shows when all the negative score is without a review. Most likely from people who did not even bother to buy the pack.
    For a diablo 3 player, someone who played the game and enjoyed it for what it is, The Necromancer pack is a perfect addition.
    If we took in to consideration what players expected from the next paid diablo 3 content, the rise of the necromancer would not be good. But this is not what reviews are for. The pack is what it was announced to be. And in that aspect, it is a perfect, 10/10 addition.

    If you liked Diablo 3 and had fun with the game, this content is for you. Worth every dollar. If you did not like D3 and is hostile towards the game, this new content wont change a thing for you.    … Expand
  25. night4
    Aug 25, 2017
    6
    The necromancer is fun for a little while, but it's got some severe set issues. The Rathma's set is extraordinarily spammy and the main cooldown skill it enhances is not used by anyone. Such a shame.

    I'd rate it higher if it were, say, $10, because that's all it's worth.
  26. TomCat86
    Dec 4, 2017
    1
    Hands down the WORST diablo game of the entire franchise. Story line, game play, replay ability, customization from skills to stats ect. The game is a complete downgrade from everything that made the franchise great. If you like casual, Disney artwork styled diablo, by all means play this game. But if you are a die hard gamer who thinks this company shouldn't be rewarded for absoluteHands down the WORST diablo game of the entire franchise. Story line, game play, replay ability, customization from skills to stats ect. The game is a complete downgrade from everything that made the franchise great. If you like casual, Disney artwork styled diablo, by all means play this game. But if you are a die hard gamer who thinks this company shouldn't be rewarded for absolute trash, ignore this game and consider it non cannon. Hope Diablo 4 is nothing like diablo 3. It is an extreme waste of money, they should go F2P with this it is so bad.… Expand
  27. Specter64
    Dec 28, 2017
    10
    Love D3. Where else can you get free content every few months? The necro DLC for $15 adds another way to play. This game you can jump in and kill things for 10 min or 10 hours. Play seasons or hardcore to make it different.
  28. Bloodnes
    Feb 6, 2020
    10
    В игре добавили класс, расширили возможности, народ не доволен!? Странно, может и проблески конкурентов, но игра шедевр и лучшее, что есть на рынке! 10/10
  29. chumpwithnoname
    Jul 7, 2020
    3
    Cash grab, that's what it is. Basically you pay a lot of $$$ for just one playable character. Very bad value proposition which was directed to D2 fans.
  30. Anatar90
    Feb 10, 2021
    0
    Blizzard the worst company ever and this is one of th worst games. Must be illeagle in every country!
  31. FoxForce
    Jun 8, 2021
    1
    The content that was present in the game but was removed and gated behind a pay wall. I give it 1 instead of a 0 because although I do not support such practices, if it was very cheap (2-3 dollars max) I would not be pissed as much.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017
40
#40 Most Shared PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Power Unlimited
    Oct 19, 2017
    75
    If you haven't been interested in Diablo 3 for a while now, this expensive Rise of the Necromancer DLC is probably not for you. But if it is your go-to-game, then this addition will give you the best class thus far. Seeing as Diablo 3 offers endless content, buying Rise of the Necromancer will be a small, but very worthwhile investment.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Sep 25, 2017
    65
    The Reaper of Souls expansion really shook the foundations of Diablo III, giving us a reason to revisit the game and stay for longer. Compared to it Rise of the Necromancer is a disappointing waste of a chance to make something great again. [09/2017, p.61]
  3. Games.cz
    Aug 7, 2017
    70
    Highly funny and well-crafted content, however, in a small dose and at fairly high price. So what now? The Necromancer is an amazing figure, but it's hard to get rid of the feeling that Blizzard could offer much more.
    Read full review
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