Diablo IV was my biggest surprise out of last year. In terms of a game I thought I would never get into, then suddenly sunk a lot of time into it. I hadn’t bothered with Vessel of Hatred, though, because I just wanted to get into understanding what Diablo really was.
One of my biggest issues was that I wanted to see the endgame, and that meant that I wrongly put the story in my mind as an obstacle. Something to be overcome and not enjoyed. That said, on those moments where I paid attention, I really actually liked it, and those cutscenes are stunning. The peak of the industry.
All that said, when I started playing Diablo IV, the new expansion, Vessel of Hatred just came out and there was a whole lot of furore around the Spiritborn class and how broken/over-powered it was.
I wasn’t going to invest in an expansion for a game I wasn’t sold on, yet. So I held off. Then I didn’t…..
Vessel of Hatred
At release Vessel of Hatred certainly stirred up considerable interest amongst players, and for good reason. The expansion provides a satisfying continuation of the core Diablo IV narrative, picking up directly from the main storyline’s conclusion. I love how Vessel of Hatred ran straight on from the main story. I’d just finished one and was able to get straight into the other.
Focusing on Neyrelle’s perilous journey with the soulstone containing Mephisto, offering a compelling progression for those invested in the game’s lore.
The more I played, the more I got into it. I really like Neyrelle as a character and the burden she took on, of carrying Mephisto felt significant. She tried to shoulder it alone, and we made sure she didn’t. Vessel of Hatred continued to shine with some incredible cutscenes, and the story came to a new cliffhanger, which hopefully means another expansion at some point.
Let’s talk Spiritborn
A major highlight of the expansion is undoubtedly the introduction of the Spiritborn class. This new class has been widely lauded for its versatility and unique gameplay mechanics. Its deep connection to the jungles of Nahantu, and the ability to channel the powers of various animal spirits, provides a refreshing and exciting playstyle. The overwhelmingly positive reception of the Spiritborn class appears to be a significant draw for players considering the expansion.
At release, it was found to be “broken” and you could see the amount of people using it to clear the Pit as a guage as to just how mighty it had become. Blizzard made the choice to leave it “as is” until the next season, so as to let players really enjoy the new class.
When I started Vessel of Hatred in the new season, I knew I wanted to try a Spiritborn character. Knowing it wouldn’t have this unlimited potential in the new season was actually appealing, I just wanted to play it as any other character.
Holy shit, it’s been fun. My only other Diablo experience is Diablo 3, playing as a Monk and the Spiritborn class feels very similar. Getting into the action fast, and dishing out tons of damage. This is what I was looking for in Diablo. Spiritborn is the class that has just scratched the itch I always hoped Diablo would scratch.
Now I just have the issue of a season ending and having to start again…..
Nahantu
The new region of Nahantu provides a visually distinct and atmospheric setting. The lush jungle environment offers a welcome change of scenery within the world of Sanctuary. This fresh locale effectively contributes to the immersive experience, providing a tangible sense of new territory to explore.
It’s a lovely contrast to the woods/desert/gothic architecture fromt he core map. Being in the jungles, and seeing these Inca-inspired buildings and cities is cool. Vessel of Hatred brings its own flourish of style, and the game is better for it.
Furthermore, the expansion introduces a range of gameplay enhancements, including adjustments to difficulty settings and the addition of features like the Mercenary system and Runewords.
Using runewords to amplify builds is some true end game content in a game like Diablo, and it really adds to the fun in Vessel of Hatred. Note you can’t use the runes without the expansion.
Mercenaries are great, although I’ve not properly exposed this system yet, just using the same mercenary for quite a while. But there are sysnergies and benefits to maxing-out and utilising different ones as you play solo.
Overall
Vessel of Hatred takes Diablo IV and improves it by addition of new modes, build features, areas of the map, a new class and a significant continuation of the story from the base game.
Spiritborn is now my go-to class and I’m going to have a hard time moving on because it just clicks for me.
I really enjoyed the story, and actually think the expansion benefitted from it being shorter than the base game. Strong cast of characters, great voice acting and visuals. What more could someone want?
We’re a few months beyond release of the expansion now, but it’s taken a game I’d struggled with but evenetually grown to enjoy, and turned it into something I genuinely love. That’s a big delivery from an expansion!
Exceptional! Truly.
There’s still a lot for me to do and uncover, but Vessel of Hatred has delivered in spades for me and I’m really just comfortable playing the game now and genuinely enjoying myself.
Now I just want to carry some friends through and flex my Spiritborn muscles a little. Anyone want to join me?
