town portal tier list
I judge every ARPG by how it represents the Town Portal. This is my story. I need to turn these into gifs because still images doesn't do it justice.
Diablo 1
Verdict: 10/10. Fits the rest of the game perfectly, I suspect this set the convention that people have been copying for decades. Every game chooses blue (lol look at this page) and maybe this is why.
Diablo 2: Resurrected
Verdict: Great refresh. Feels like a real portal where the outside is thick and has a void you step inside. The lighting effects in D2R are all awesome and this gets the right treatment.
Diablo 4
Verdict: Truly terrible. Not only looks flat, but thin and wispy like it's not real. Probably D4's most egregious fault.
Diablo Immortal
Verdict: Absolutely middle of the pack. The standard effect is serviceable and animates fine enough. Where Immortal shines, however, is in special portals that go nuts and have a treatment like this which legitimately rules. Honestly superior to D4.
Last Epoch
Verdict: Also a little flat, but animates well. It feels good in game but wish it had a little more depth.
Torchlight: Infinite
Verdict: Suited for the style of the game. The game's art style is flat so that look is a positive for this one, and they all over maps to help with navigation. It's a good fit.
Undecember
Verdict: Pleasantly surprised with this one, graphics are really hit or miss in this game but these feel good because the lighting around the edges animate well. Solid B+ effort.
AnimA ARPG
Verdict: What the fuck? AnimA has the basic vibes of a passionate student project, but the TP punches way above its weight here. I included the man in the picture to show how stark the contrast is. I'm blown away, this one is awesome. 10/10.