Two things can be said of Diablo IV leading up to the release of Lord of Hatred: First and foremost, as a series, Diablo has never been in a better or more promising place. Secondly, the game’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, was a bit of a letdown following a tremendous first act. With those things in mind, it’s safe to say that there are very high expectations for the game’s forthcoming expansion. And, if the stakes weren’t high enough, Lord of Hatred also carries with it two promises: a first look at the long-teased and highly-awaited land of Skovos, and an epic conclusion to the game’s ongoing Hatred Saga–one featuring a major showdown with the Lord of Hatred himself.
Oftentimes, expectations and promises only pave the way for disappointment. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Lord of Hatred. Diablo IV’s latest expansion triumphs at maintaining the series’ momentum while also delivering a powerful gut punch of a third act–one that weaves together years of events and lore to create the series’ most-compelling narrative to date. Lord of Hatred offers both a spectacular conclusion to the Hatred Saga and plenty of changes that grant it greater longevity than ever before, including two powerhouse classes, plenty of improvements, and strong endgame content.
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Lord of Hatred picks up not long after the events of Vessel of Hatred, which ultimately saw Mephisto take over the body of Akarat–a messiah-like figure in the Diablo universe. Through using Akarat’s kindly visage, his own manipulative tactics, and performing “miracles,” Mephisto has quickly managed to convince much of Sanctuary’s population that he is a force for good–one who possesses the power to not only purify their lands, but their very souls as well. Even the most cunning of warriors find themselves in his thrall, their desperation for a better world ultimately contorting them into gullible disciples. As such, you, The Wanderer, and your faithful companions, Lorath and Neyrelle, come to be viewed as dissenting pariahs. And the fact that a demon’s blood flows through your veins certainly doesn’t help your case against the fraudulent prophet.
With stakes this high and a literal hour of darkness–or rather, a massive eclipse–rapidly approaching, your party takes to the ancient islands of Skovos in search of aid and a weapon that might strike down Mephisto. As the birthplace of mankind and home to both the Amazons and the divine order of oracles, Skovos is a monumental location in the Diablo universe–one that has been teased since Diablo II and comes with sky-high expectations. Fortunately, Skovos lives up to them and provides a stunning backdrop for Lord of Hatred’s events. The Mediterranean-inspired archipelago, with its clear waters, crumbling cliffsides, volcanoes, and massive temples, feels truly sacred, making its ongoing desecration all the more startling.
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Mephisto’s corruption extends to the environment and the enemies you’ll face off against in Skovos. The reanimated Drowned trudge from the sea to throw themselves against the Amazonian guardians in wave after wave of devastation, while blighted creatures and golems ambush you in the forests. This all offers a nice break from your run-of-the-mill demons, though you’ll certainly get plenty of those as well.
Combat in Lord of Hatred feels more or less unchanged, but this isn’t unexpected or a bad thing, of course. Diablo IV’s combat is already immensely satisfying and just the right level of overwhelming, so more of the same is high praise. Playing on Hard, I faced a bit of initial friction but then quickly acclimated and got my build up to a point where even the largest of waves became a relative breeze. However, all my crowd-control techniques and sheer ability to pump out damage meant naught to some of the expansion’s brutal bosses.
Lord of Hatred’s boss fights are among the most strategic and demanding in Diablo history. This is largely due to an increasing emphasis on what I’d describe as raid-like encounters; just like in the notoriously challenging Uber Lilith battle, simply where you’re standing can mean the difference between life and death. One boss boasted lightning-quick reflexes, making placing down stationary abilities superfluous; a few bosses repeatedly went invincible, requiring me to navigate a chaotic battlefield and interact with the right items or areas to progress; another left me feeling utterly powerless, though that’s all I can share without giving away too much. However, I wish I could share even more on what lies ahead–I’m certain a few of these bosses will be remembered as all-timers.
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You’ll find that wishing I could share more is a common theme in this review. It’s both a blessing and a curse that I am unable to discuss the latter half of the expansion’s story; a blessing, as it would be rude to ruin the twists and sheer spectacle of the experience, and a curse because I want nothing more than to describe in detail all the ways this story is the best the team has ever crafted. Though it takes a bit for things to really heat up and a couple plot points are slightly underbaked, the payoff is tremendous. Despite its sinister-sounding name and abundance of tragic moments, Lord of Hatred places great emphasis on love, sacrifice, and, above all else, the power of enduring hope. Though that might sound a bit quaint for Diablo, rest assured that all of these are explored through dark means, which ultimately makes their presence more impactful. After all, it takes darkness to appreciate the light.
Suffice to say, Lord of Hatred takes that idea to heart, weaving both light and darkness to create an unforgettable experience. This expansion transforms Diablo IV into a cohesive and shockingly timely celebration of the human spirit–a reminder that even against unfathomable odds, our compassion and grit make humans a force to be reckoned with. And though hatred and misinformation might be unrelenting, so are we.
Lord of Hatred’s focus on the duality of light and darkness is further exemplified by its two new classes: the Paladin and the Warlock. As the Paladin class has been playable for the past four months for those who preordered Lord of Hatred (and we’ve already written up some of our thoughts), my focus here will be on the Warlock. However, it’s worth noting that I’ve sunk a lot of time into the Paladin as well, and find the class to be a familiar take on the fan-favorite class that succeeds in delivering the holy knight power fantasy Diablo fans have come to love.
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Though Warlocks have traditionally been depicted as magic-wielders who gain their powers through entering a pact with a dark entity or demon, Diablo IV redefines the class in the most Diablo way possible. Instead of bargaining with demons, which would arguably feel wildly out of place in Diablo, Warlocks hunt and bind the hellish creatures, forcing them to bend to their will and serve them. The Warlock class is then divided into four archetypes based on what type of demons the player controls: the Legion, the Vanguard, the Mastermind, and the Ritualist.
Initially, I built my Warlock up to be a bit of a Ritualist-Legion hybrid, focusing more on hanging back, summoning demons, and flooding the battlefield with hellfire. This was immensely fun, but I felt myself longing to be a bit more active and, perhaps counterintuitively, eager to lean away from the class’s summoning. Though the Warlock feels different from the Necromancer or Spiritborn, I felt my itch to summon was properly scratched by those classes for me. I decided to pivot to something more dark and dexterous, with less emphasis on summoning minions and more emphasis on shadows and stealth. Though I gave myself the ability to summon Beholder-esque creatures and swarms of dark, leech-like creatures from the abyss, I focused on boosting my more direct attacks, debuffs, and trapping enemies with thick chains and an ability called Dark Prison.
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In experimenting with my build, I found that–while the archetypes Blizzard suggests are a good starting point–the updates to the game’s skill tree and increased level cap (70 instead of 60) make the process of building a tailor-made character far more fun and viable. Those who grind out endgame content and keep up with Diablo IV’s seasonal content are probably well aware that there is a meta to the game; plenty of sites and creators focus intensely on nailing down and meticulously outlining very specific endgame builds, and I’ve appreciated and utilized them over the past few years. But while I’m confident there will still be a meta and folks out there doing the work to create the most effective builds possible, the greater amount of versatility and ability to invest up to 15 skill points in a single ability make things far more interesting.
Perhaps the most significant adjustment is that most abilities can actually change their affinity or typing once you reach a certain level. Previously, once I had committed to a set build, I largely ignored branches of the skill tree that did nothing to amplify it. But thanks to the capability to transform a hellfire-based ability into an abyss-based ability, for example, I was suddenly way more attentive to every pathway and every option. Somehow, this slightly more condensed skill tree feels far more unlimited, and that’s an exciting prospect. Though I didn’t get the chance to dig into the other classes, I am thrilled by what kind of builds await me and how this will reshape Diablo IV’s meta.
Similarly, I am also looking forward to spending more time with Lord of Hatred’s endgame content and updating this review with my thoughts a bit further down the road. So far, War Plans–a new feature that allows players to create a playlist of up to five endgame activities, such as nightmare dungeons or pit dives–feels promising, and certainly helps demystify running high-level content by making it more seamless and easier to jump into. The Horadric Cube upgrade system seems to solve a lot of issues folks have with Diablo IV’s emphasis on equipment quantity over quality, allowing you to better shape your gear to your needs–even if the interface is a bit confusing initially. However, these are all features I feel I need more time with before I can properly weigh in on them.
Even without fully exploring everything the endgame has to offer, I believe Lord of Hatred is a must-play expansion. The final chapter of the Hatred Saga triumphs in amplifying all of Diablo IV’s best qualities while also introducing fantastic quality-of-life updates, breathing life into the game, and providing players with the best narrative arc in Diablo history. All that plus the addition of two fantastic new classes, and you have a truly meaningful expansion that elevates Diablo IV as a whole. Though Blizzard thankfully seems to be keeping things open-ended, leaving me hopeful this isn’t the end of Diablo IV, Lord of Hatred offers a satisfying conclusion to a truly great saga.
Source: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/diablo-4-lord-of-hatred-review-mother-knows-best/1900-6418484/
