Hold on, I already beat Lilith with Spider-Man three months ago

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Am I the only one feeling demonic déjà vu?

A split image of Lilith from Diablo 4, and Lilith from Marvel's Midnight Suns.
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment, Firaxis)

Jumping into the Diablo 4 beta, I can't help but feel some déjà vu during the prologue's sinister church cutscene that introduces its main antagonist, Lilith. It's because it's only a few months ago that I was fighting basically the same Lilith in Marvel's Midnight Suns.

Not only do they similar horned, reptilian, high-cheekboned visages, but their modus operandi—mind controlling people to do their bidding and summoning demonic minions—seems pretty much the same too. The moment one of Diablo Lilith's followers calls her 'Mother', I'm transported back to a hundred fights against Hydra goons alongside Spider-Man and Nico Minoru. Both games even give you a supernatural connection to her that allows you to have visions of her activities. 

In Diablo 4 she wants to take over the world with an army of demons... (Image credit: Blizzard)

I'm not accusing anyone of copying anyone's homework—both games will have been in development separately for years, and both are drawing on their own source material. Lilith was established as an important figure in Diablo's lore in Diablo 3, and Marvel's Lilith first appeared in the comics in the early 90s. Both have completely fair claims to her as a character.

They're both also, of course, inspired by the same mythology—Lilith is a figure from ancient legend, particularly in Jewish traditions. In some tellings she was the first wife of Adam who was banished from the Garden of Eden and cursed to become the original succubus, and she's sometimes depicted as a mother of demons—which clearly influenced the hypnotic, seductive, yet matriarchal depictions of both games. 

But that doesn't make it any less of an odd feeling to already be playing another RPG where I'm fighting her. In this age of endless multiverse stories in entertainment, it feels like yet another crossover event, and I can't help but muddle features of the two together. I just need to keep reminding myself: red for Diablo, green for Marvel. 

...whereas in Midnight Suns she wants to use an army of demons to take over the world.  (Image credit: Firaxis)

In other words, if I had a nickel for every time I've played an RPG where you try to stop the demon queen Lilith, I'd have two nickels—which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. 

Robin Valentine
Robin Valentine
Senior Editor

Formerly the editor of PC Gamer magazine (and the dearly departed GamesMaster), Robin combines years of experience in games journalism with a lifelong love of PC gaming. First hypnotised by the light of the monitor as he muddled through Simon the Sorcerer on his uncle’s machine, he’s been a devotee ever since, devouring any RPG or strategy game to stumble into his path. Now he's channelling that devotion into filling this lovely website with features, news, reviews, and all of his hottest takes.