Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred

The next chapter in Blizzard's eternal crusade takes players to Nahantu, where they'll find the horrors that Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred has in store for them. A Dense jungle landscape filled with terrors awaits – luckily, you'll have the might of the Spiritborn to chase the shadows away and stack up on all that precious loot.

Vessel of Hatred continues Diablo IV's redemption tour with more quests, exotic locales, and a new class for players to enjoy – before they inevitably go back to picking a Necromancer.

The new maps and quests take the narrative of Diablo IV to new levels, finally delivering the game Diablo fans have been waiting for. Is it enough to replace Diablo Immortal? Well, the answer might depend on what are you looking for in a Diablo game – especially if all you want is mindless fun.

A New Land

This new expansion takes players to Nahantu, a dense jungle land inspired by Aztec and Mayan mythologies. That's where they'll find the Spiritborn: warriors who gain powers from the spirits of guardian beasts. The Spiritborn are called to confront an emerging entity known only as the Vessel of Hatred.

Nahantu offers a change of pace for long-time Diablo IV players. The lush jungles and deep caves add some variety to the game's dark gothic locales, bringing the game closer to the Baldur's Gate 3 standard in terms of map variety. While still not as varied as Diablo Immortal, Diablo IV is steadily redeeming itself after its shaky launch.

Spiritborns Assemble

The new class is a versatile magic warrior with moderate defense and a great balance between ranged and melee attack options. The Spiritborn can use animal spirits like the Eagle, Gorilla, Jaguar, and even the Centipede to unlock new skills. Spiritborns excel at one-on-one combat, depending on other classes to run crowd control.

Due to the Spiritborn's complex mechanics, it would be better to leave this class to more seasoned players. Playing as the Spiritborn requires some level of positional gameplay and experience that new players might lack. For new players, you can comfortably explore Nahantu as a Barbarian or the trusty Necromancer.

A Leap Forward

Visually, Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is gorgeous. The new landscapes show what the engine is capable of, delivering some of the most intricate level designs in all of Diablo. If you were waiting for an expansion to Diablo IV that finally put it in a whole different league compared to Diablo Immortal, Vessel of Hatred is most certainly it.

Diablo IV has come a long way since its release. While some fans doubted Vessel of Hatred's standalone expansion status, it's safe to say its quality proves this might be the way forward for future Diablo content.

Vessel of Hatred is a worthy new chapter in the Diablo saga. With its new class, powerful enemies, and fantastic locales, Nahantu feels like a proper new chapter in one of the best RPG titles in active development.

Pros

• Nahantu is a great new map to explore
• The Spiritborn is fun to play
• Great plot and solid characters

Cons

• Some of the Spiritborn's abilities are too situational