Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred - Before You Buy

The Diablo IV expansion, "Lord of Hatred," offers significant improvements over its predecessor, "Vessel of Hatred," which was criticized for being too short and feeling like filler despite introducing a new class and visually distinct region. "Lord of Hatred" concludes the fight against Mephisto, the prime evil, and launches alongside Season 13, which brings substantial updates to the base game. Examining the expansion on its own, it introduces two new classes: the Paladin and the Warlock. The Paladin is a familiar archetype, wielding traditional weapons, casting auras, and buffing allies, reminiscent of the Crusader from Diablo II. The Warlock, however, is highlighted as the more innovative class, offering diverse playstyles. The reviewer particularly enjoyed a demonology build, summoning demons to fight alongside them, comparing the summons to extended skill attacks similar to Diablo III's Witch Doctor but with a more formidable, "badass" aesthetic. The Warlock's cosmetics are also praised for their deranged and stylish appearance, making it the standout class of the expansion. The new island region, Skoros, is described as varied and visually appealing, a departure from the base game's aesthetic. The expansion also concludes the Mephisto storyline without a cliffhanger, which was a point of contention with the previous expansion. Improvements are also noted in the core gameplay. The updated skill trees allow for more impactful, branching upgrades that can drastically alter playstyle, akin to Diablo II's modifiers. Players can easily experiment with different skills and respec at any time. The Talisman system, a new item menu for build alterations, and the return of the Horadric Cube for crafting are also mentioned as positive additions, though the latter takes time to acquire. While the reviewer acknowledges the persistent issues of Diablo IV, such as the always-online requirement, microtransactions, and the presence of a battle pass and in-game store, they largely refrain from dwelling on them, stating that these are known aspects of the game. For existing Diablo IV players who tolerate these elements, the expansion is considered a worthwhile addition. The campaign's pacing is improved, with more engaging boss fights and a clearer objective to defeat Mephisto. The writing, while still described as "modern Blizzard," is seen as better than the base game's, intercutting dialogue with more frequent and engaging dungeon crawls. Mephisto himself is presented as a more formidable antagonist than Lilith. Despite the improvements, the game still suffers from excessive dialogue and lore exposition, which the reviewer finds tedious. The presence of Lilith, even in backstory, is questioned. However, the voice acting, particularly Ralph Ineson as Lorath, is praised for adding gravitas. The expansion is compared favorably to other major DLCs in similar games, such as "The Ringed City" for Dark Souls. While the core gameplay is considered strong, the modern Blizzard writing and aggressive monetization are still present. Ultimately, "Lord of Hatred" is recommended as a strong conclusion to the Mephisto saga and a potentially "must-buy" for current players, offering a longer and better campaign than the previous expansion, along with valuable class additions and improvements. For lapsed players, it's a potential return if the content sounds appealing, despite the $40 price tag. The Warlock class is cited as a primary reason for the expansion's success.