Ten years ago, the Reaper of Souls expansion was completely reimagined and brought back Diablo III. We’ve completely overhauled large parts of the game and strengthened the foundations to ensure D3 remains a fun time long past its expiration date.
Diablo IV moves at a different pace. Although the game managed to be released without any of the technical mishaps that plagued its predecessor, it was still a game that had yet to reach its full potential at the time of release. I felt it in our review, and I felt it in my own playthrough. Once I finished the campaign and started the grinding loop, I quickly got bored and abandoned the character.
But ahead of its first major expansion, Vessel of Hatred, Diablo IV isn’t the same as it was at launch. I’ve been spending some time on new content for Vessel of Hatred, and I’ll be covering what the Nahantu region has to offer, but I wanted to take this opportunity to take a broader look at the current state of Diablo IV. I think so.
Vessel of Hatred adds customization with allies
Vessel of Hatred introduces a new region, Nahantu, and a new class, the Spiritborn. Nahantu is a jungle biome, with some areas being lush and others completely desolate. Basically, this is a standard Diablo IV location. There are also some interesting points for lore geeks.
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Spiritborn is an entirely new class in the Diablo universe and a great addition. This is a close-range fighter with skills inspired by the four Spirit Guardians. The gorilla’s abilities revolve around defense and hard hitting, the jaguar’s tempo-based fire attacks, the eagle’s lightning damage through its wings, and the centipede’s full power of poison. Yes, it’s a centipede. It doesn’t sound like a scary creature, but believe me, these poisonous attacks are terrible. The biggest thrill comes from the ultimate ability to have actual spirit guardians fight for you. Watching a ghostly gorilla defeat and crush its enemies was deeply satisfying in a way I didn’t need.
I spent the most time playing D4 playing Necromancer and Sorcerer. Both are a lot of fun, but they feel strongest when you’re completely focused on one element or damage type. I don’t like completely redoing the talent tree or paragon board every time I come across a unique item, so I appreciate that Spiritborn lets you actually choose skills from the four Guardians. Here’s what Blizzard developers talked about class design in a livestream, and how class-specific spirit holes make it easy to reap the benefits of legendary and unique item powers without having to overhaul your entire rotation. I am happy to report that. That’s not to say that the best builds won’t emerge over time, but the real advantage of the Spiritborn kit is its flexibility.
Another of my favorite additions in Vessel of Hatred is Den, a quartet of mercenaries who can join you on quests. For solo players, they function like companions in Diablo III. You can choose one person to follow and join the fight. Each has a miniature skill tree that you can customize to suit your playstyle. A secondary mechanic, Enhancement, allows you to access your follower’s abilities even if you don’t have them equipped or can’t equip them. Enhancements allow you to select a single ability from a single mercenary and set when to use it. Their skills can map directly to when you use your powers, or to more combat-specific situations, such as when a character is injured or controlled by a crowd. My favorite combo started with me casting an eagle spell to clump up the enemy, then my archer buddy would appear and fire an incendiary grenade to incinerate the enemy. But the combinations are endless, and you can easily switch them up on a whim.
The Den isn’t a deep game system, so if you’re a heavy-duty player, it probably won’t take you long to max out all four companions. However, it gives you another opportunity to customize your playthrough, and I think that’s where Diablo games excel. I used the default Spiritborn model, named her Test, and didn’t bother to transmog her gear, but it didn’t take long for me to grow attached to this character. This was my Spiritborn and my journey to save the world with my friends.
Sanctuary is a dark place. Even when playing D4 with others, the oppressive harshness of the setting and situation creates a sense of “us against the world.” Perhaps a few NPCs may be helpful from time to time, but most of them will either betray us, lie to us, or cost us their lives. But for once, “Vessel of Hatred” made me feel connected, even when facing the most invincible enemy. The basic premise of this expansion is that Nairel has chosen to carry an impossible burden for you and is willing to do everything in his power to survive and succeed. It is in the presence of a den, where someone always has your back in battle. It’s in your guide’s refrain, Elle: Help is needed, so help will be provided. It’s in the new Dark Citadel endgame dungeon, and it literally can’t be completed without at least one person. Even if you’re playing Vessel of Hatred solo, you’ll never feel alone.
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There are other notable additions to Vessel of Hatred, and those who have been following the game over the past year will notice stat spikes and a new difficulty system. Runewords are back all the way back in Diablo II, and of course, with more powerful equipment. However, I see these updates as the culmination of a year of tweaks and revisions to Sanctuary.
Looking back at Diablo IV’s first year
For better or worse, Blizzard is a game studio that caters to its audience. “We hear your feedback” may be the most common phrase said throughout company events. I think it’s a balancing act to give the community such a big voice in the direction of the game, and in the case of Diablo IV, it worked out well across the board. If a lot of people gather on the forums and say that the system is not fun, there is a good chance that the system will be reworked. And there were definitely some things about Diablo IV that weren’t fun.
In Season 4, the item system received a thorough and rewarding overhaul. Activities like Helltide and Nightmare Dungeons are no longer limited to the highest difficulty. Even simple adjustments have significantly improved my quality of life. At some point, the vendor locations changed so that the blacksmith, jeweler, and occultist were all next to each other. This means you don’t have to gear up to cross the city. Just replace one gear. Almost every update feels like it’s aimed at giving players more agency and more power.
The seasonal model also helps here, introducing fresh gameplay ideas every few months that developers can learn from and potentially turn into permanent updates. For example, Vessel of Hatred launches with the start of a new season that adds Realmwalker monsters chasing Sanctuary. Not every season revolutionizes the core gameplay. In some cases, it’s just a glimpse of a force with intertwined threads in a short story. But these thematic endgame additions could be reason enough to keep playing.
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So is it worth returning to Sanctuary?
For those who just want to experience the story, Vessel of Hatred is a worthwhile and natural continuation of the base game’s cliffhanger. I’m sure all you Uber fans who live on the PTR already have your own opinions on what’s going to happen (and will play for hours no matter what).
I’m mainly talking about the central group, who dabble from time to time or never log in after the great battle of Lilith. For these players, now is a good time to return to Diablo IV. Explore new stories and try out Spiritborn. You’re sure to find lots of things to enjoy.
Live games typically take time to find their footing or prove they have staying power beyond their first 15 minutes of fame. Vessel of Hatred is just the latest example of how Blizzard is committed to changing, improving, and making Diablo IV great.
