It's been a year since Blizzard's announcement that Diablo 2: Resurrected would be faithful to the original game, and a lot has changed.
We won't be the ones to complain, though. Everything new in Diablo 2: Resurrected, from balancing changes to new PS4 D2R runewords, is an improvement on the original action RPG. With the introduction of Terror Zones as a new End Game action and certain controversial special charms, the most recent update to Diablo 2 is sure to be the most divisive.
Diablo 2, being 20 years old, lacked substantial endgame material. Players would repeatedly clear out the same zones with the same opponents and drops, or they would farm the bosses they know they can fight. It was and remains enjoyable enough, but Blizzard aimed to make every location worthwhile to explore again. That's why Terror Zones exist now.
A fresh part of Sanctuary's universe is "Terrorized" once an hour in games with Terror Zones enabled. There is a maximum level for each difficulty, but if you venture into that region (which is highlighted with purple lettering to help you find your way), you will encounter enemies at least two levels beyond your own. Killing these frightened beasts is not only satisfying, but also a terrific method to get experience and level up. We will also scale the loot that is dropped by scared beasts to their level.
While Terror Zones are most useful for those in the endgame of Diablo 2: Resurrected (they can cut hours off the time it takes to level 99), they are still useful for everyone. If you've recently completed Nightmare, for instance, the jump to Hell can be terrifying. But now you can spend more time in Nightmare, leveling up to the early 70s and farming for equipment that will offer you a chance to beat Diablo 2: Resurrected's hardest difficulty.
Unfortunately, the only difference to Terror Zones is that the monsters have more power. Blizzard believes that increasing the mob density will have a negative impact on melee builds, thus they have decided to keep it the same. Terror Zones can also be avoided by using an Offline character. Nonetheless, they offer a wonderful foundation upon which to build when it comes to enhancing Diablo 2: Resurrected's End Game content.