We've flung countless adventurers at the devil himself in the 15 years since Diablo 2 launched. I've run through through the pits of hell at least ten times with a buddy or two in the last decade and a half, I would not be who I am today without that harrowing journey. I placed my kris knife on the mantle for the last time around 2009, though many warriors still trudge through the low-fidelity dungeons for the chance to punch Diablo right in his stupid face. Last week, those same stalwart heroes were greeted by something they hadn't seen in five years: a brand new patch.

It has been eleven years since its release, and people are still playing, modding, and just plain enjoying Diablo 2.  A new patch for the 'Hell Unleashed' mod has recently released, and it is specifically tailored to co-op players.

What's not to like about Diablo 2, really? There's something for everyone to enjoy, from the casual clicker to the hardcore binge-gamer. If Diablo 3 is as good as Diablo 2, or perhaps even better, I shudder to think what will happen. Gamers everywhere may lose their jobs from calling in sick days.

On June 29, 2000, Diablo II hit store shelves.  Let that sink in for just a bit... ten years!  An entire decade ago, we first got our hands on the Barbarian, Necromancer, Sorceress, Amazon and Paladin on our way to invade Hell.  The first Diablo was an amazing game, that's for sure.  But the sequel kept the core gameplay that made the original so fun, and added in all manner of user-friendly features like the stash, and cranked the loot up to eleven with the addition of sockets.  It all came together perfectly to make one of the best games of all time.

Og, Blizzard, we love your level of support.  Diablo 2, released two full Presidents ago, has been patched yet again.  The biggest change is oen of the most often requested by fans: a free respec, allowing characters to choose new skills without starting a new character.  Bug fixes and the like aren't quite as exciting, but the improved options for playing on modern widescreen monitors and higher resolutions are certainly appreciated.  Asa always, Blizzard's long-term commitment to their games is second to none.  Now, about that sequel...

Earlier this year, we brought you the news that Blizzard was asking the community for what they wanted in the next patch for venerable action RPG Diablo II.  Besides the obvious desire for rainbows and glitter, a few more serious requests were made, namely, the ability to respec.  Thankfully, hundreds of other Diablo II fans had similar requests, and a respec has been added to the game, at long last!

While waiting for Diablo 3 to be released, maybe even later this year, you might want to crack out your old Diablo or Diablo 2 discs for some good ol' fashioned co-op gaming.  Let me guess, you can't find them.  Yeah, I had the same problem. 

Blizzard has always been great about patching games, even far after any other developer would have abandoned them.  Even given the fact that Diablo III is just over the horizon, they are getting ready to patch the venerable predecessor, Diablo II.  And this time, they are taking input from the community.

 In many ways, co-op gaming is going through a sort of renaissance. The past few years have been a rebirth for co-op and 2007/2008 could be considered “Co-Op Year.” With most systems having several AAA titles featuring co-op (including Halo 3, Resistance 2, etc.). However, many would say that this renaissance of co-op gaming could not have happened without online co-op. This is because the rebirth of co-op seems to have coincided with the rise of online co-op.

This week, we'll mix up the Co-Op Classics formula just a bit.  It has certainly been a huge news week, particularly today with the announcement of another class, the Wizard, in Diablo III.  Much as the original announcement of the game did this past summer, this got me to thinking about the original Diablo games.  Obviously, co-op was a huge factor in the success of these games.  So which class combinations are the most effective?  I'll give you my take on a combo from Diablo 2, and we'd love to hear from the Co-Optimus community as well.  Which class combinations do you feel are the best?