Although Permi-online is bad it was the way things have been heading for some time, the first one i personally saw heading down this path was C&C(not getting into the whole WOW)... so after SC2: P1 was released i knew it was the way Blizzard were going to go with D3. Cracks will probably be released but for true enjoyability it will require the full version with mates and a internet connection, unlike D1 & D2 which me and my friends would smash for week's on end with just a local TCP/IP alone.
Torchlight was a offering some time ago by Runic games, that some-what resembles D3...