I was disappointed by Diablo II and the endless hordes of creatures that kept attacking you. When you finally cleared an area and came back to it later suddenly there were more hordes waiting for you, having magically reappeared. EI is less repetitive than DII, more realistic, and to me much more satisfying. There are numerous quests and a decent plot. Great fun and great game.
Graphics are outstanding.
I don't understand how people can knock the graphics. It is full 3D with a rotatable and zoomable camera. Lakes and rivers are beautifle with ripples and splashing when you ford them. The system requirements are fairly steep but you can turn off a lot of options. I love the shadows that follow the characters and monsters.