Diablo 4 stood out as one of my favorite games last year, so naturally, I had high expectations for Vessel of Hatred, the first expansion for Blizzard’s dark and gritty ARPG. Thankfully, this new adventure through the swampy jungles of Nahantu delivers plenty of what makes the series great, even if it doesn’t quite go as far as I’d hoped. The campaign feels more like a prologue than a full-fledged expansion, with an abrupt ending and a somewhat limited amount of endgame content. However, the wealth of quality-of-life improvements, a fresh meta shake-up, an exciting raid-style activity, and the fantastic new Spiritborn class more than make up for it, ensuring I’ll be sinking hundreds more hours into grinding XP and chasing legendary loot.
https://youtu.be/eoqi_-O_Asc?si=SdAed9UcimJ1YoM8
A Campaign That Ends Too Soon
Picking up right where the base game’s story left off, Vessel of Hatred dives straight into the aftermath of Lilith’s demise. The young adventurer who carried away a soulstone containing Mephisto—the ever-scheming Lord of Hatred—finds themselves at the heart of a growing crisis. Over the course of roughly six hours, the story builds tension as evil forces conspire to bring Mephisto back to power… but just when things start to escalate, the campaign wraps up abruptly with another cliffhanger. While the characters, lore, and developments are compelling, there simply isn’t enough of them to feel truly satisfying.
Exciting Gameplay and Smart System Changes
Fortunately, the moment-to-moment gameplay remains just as addictive as ever. From the revamped loot system and leveling changes to new dungeons and side quests, nearly every addition is a win. The return of Rune Words, which allow players to enhance their gear with powerful enchantments, adds another fun layer to buildcrafting. Meanwhile, the Kurast Undercity—a new infinitely replayable dungeon—is an excellent way to farm high-end loot, making it a prime endgame destination. Not everything is a hit (the Realmwalker event, which involves escorting a sluggish monster, gets old fast), but exploring the dark and deadly world of Nahantu never feels dull.
One of the biggest improvements is the new leveling system. Instead of grinding all the way to level 100, the cap is now 60, followed by 300 levels of overleveling that let you invest in deep and intricate Paragon trees. This means players reach the endgame much sooner, allowing for faster access to high-tier gear and challenging content. The more streamlined progression makes rolling new seasonal characters feel far less daunting, which is a huge win for long-term replayability.
Spiritborn: A Class With Endless Possibilities
The standout addition in Vessel of Hatred is undoubtedly the new Spiritborn class. This tribal warrior channels the power of guardian spirits, allowing for an incredible range of playstyles. Whether you prefer brute force, lightning-fast melee, high mobility, or deadly poison tactics, there’s a spirit to match your preference.
- The Gorilla turns you into a near-invulnerable tank with powerful counterattacks.
- The Jaguar offers lightning-fast melee strikes but comes with a glass-cannon downside.
- The Eagle excels in mobility, letting you teleport around the battlefield.
- The Centipede focuses on poison-based attacks and life-stealing sustain.
What makes the Spiritborn class so special is its flexibility. Unlike traditional classes that lock you into a specific archetype, Spiritborn allows you to mix and match abilities to create a playstyle that suits you best. Want to switch from a tanky build to a high-damage assassin? Just swap skills and gear instead of rolling an entirely new character. It’s a brilliantly designed system that makes experimentation endlessly rewarding.
Mercenaries: Solo Play Gets a Boost
Another great addition is the mercenary system, which introduces recruitable NPC allies to fight by your side. Solo players can now bring along AI-controlled companions like Subo, a bow-wielding bounty hunter, or Aldkin, a demon child who wields dark magic. These allies have their own backstories and progression, adding another layer of depth to the experience.
Dark Citadel: A Raid-Like Endgame Challenge
The biggest new endgame activity, Dark Citadel, is a highlight of the expansion. This challenging co-op gauntlet pushes players to coordinate through three deadly fortress wings, each featuring powerful bosses and puzzle-like mechanics. While the raid mechanics are fairly simple compared to traditional MMO raids, it’s still the most engaging and ambitious endgame activity the series has seen.
One of the most intense moments came when our team had to split between two dimensions, working together to bring down a boss’s immunity shields. The thrill of tough battles combined with the satisfaction of high-end loot made this a mode I’ll gladly run over and over. There’s room for improvement—puzzles could be more complex—but as a first step into raid-style encounters, it’s a fantastic addition.
Matchmaking and Performance Issues
To make co-op play even easier, Vessel of Hatred introduces Party Finder, allowing players to quickly team up for dungeons, raids, and world events. It’s a long-overdue feature, but its arrival couldn’t be better timed with Dark Citadel making group play more important than ever.
However, the expansion isn’t without issues. Surprisingly, this is the buggiest Diablo 4 has been since launch. I ran into multiple crashes, quest-breaking glitches, duplicate NPCs running amok, and even bosses that became permanently invulnerable. While none of these were game-breaking enough to make me stop playing, they were frustrating interruptions in an otherwise smooth experience. On the flip side, some bugs were actually fun—like one that gave my friends and me massive XP boosts, letting us skyrocket through levels in minutes.
Verdict
Vessel of Hatred is a fantastic expansion that enriches Diablo 4 in all the right ways. The Spiritborn class is an instant favorite, Dark Citadel is the best endgame activity yet, and the improved leveling system makes the grind feel smoother and more rewarding. While the short campaign and lingering bugs hold it back from true greatness, the overall package still delivers plenty of reasons to keep slashing through the minions of hell for hundreds of hours to come.
🔥 Pros:
✔️ The Spiritborn class offers unparalleled build flexibility.
✔️ Dark Citadel is a fun and challenging endgame raid.
✔️ Streamlined leveling makes endgame more accessible.
✔️ NPC mercenaries improve solo play.
✔️ Rune Words return, adding more depth to gear customization.
❌ Cons:
❌ The campaign is too short and ends abruptly.
❌ Some new activities, like Realmwalker, are underwhelming.
❌ Performance issues and bugs can be frustrating.
⭐ Final Score: 8.5/10 – A strong expansion that builds on Diablo 4’s strengths, even if its story leaves us hanging.
