One of the things I mentioned in my beta access postings was the lack of connection in D4 to prior versions (that was based on being limited to Act I) besides Lorath (who was a younger Horadrim in D3’s Reaper of Soul expansion), and a short portion where we pass through a fiery portal (where the wolf turned out to be a reforming Mephisto) to see an old vision of that burning Tristram.
As D4 progressed, more story references were made including homages to Deckard Cain; and we eventually have a battle with old bosses from D2 like Andariel and Duriel in the D4 campaign. Even though they tried to weave in the rationale for these old bosses being in the games main story quest, it felt like they were brought back for that nostalgic value (both fights didn’t really capture the originals though). As far as places, we finally also revisit familiar places from D3 like Caldeum, Alcarnus including the Lair of the Witch (both of which are now decimated), and also pass through what represented a small section of the Dahlgur Oasis (the whole thing doesn’t exist; it’s just a small part just outside the Iron Wolf Encampment waypoint).
The city of Caldeum was unlocked as a part of Act VI, while Alcarnus is initially a stronghold in the same zone that once completed, also unlocks the Lair of the Witch area. There’s even the old Hidden Camp (the Act II hub) which is now an abandoned ruin known as the Forgotten Overlook.
It’s still cool to see recreations of older locales like this in a newer version of the game (it’s sort of like how we have to go back to a burning Tristram in D2, to save Deckard Cain, and how we had to pass through parts of the ruins of that original Tristram, in D3). The nostalgia aspect really brings back a lot of memories while bringing that connective glue to the games in the franchise.
