Lord of Hatred may feel like more of the same, but with some much needed refinements
Back in April I had the opportunity to get a pre-release review of Diablo IV‘s newest expansion, Lord of Hatred. It is a fitting continuation for the story of Sanctuary and its origins that had begun to be expanded upon in the main game and then Vessel of Hatred. At the time of playing, the worst part of the experience was the time limit to complete as much as possible. I managed to make it through the entirety of the new campaign in about 8 to 10 hours. Shout out to the playability on Steam Deck here, I don’t think I would have made it through otherwise (I don’t recommend trying to play it in the car on a phone hotspot though). Hey Blizzard: we’re till waiting for that single player offline mode.
I played through as one of the two new classes, the Warlock. The Paladin was also tempting, but since Paladin was already available as a pre-release bonus, going with the Warlock was more enticing. The entire campaign takes place on Skovos, the Amazonian island homeland. Mentioned only in passing in Diablo III and Diablo IV proper, it is a nice change of scenery departing from the mainland.
Despite the new locale, it is a familiar experience to the main game and Vessel of Hatred. The revamps to the skill trees are welcome, but even with a new class it treads upon worn soil. I find myself returning to Diablo, especially with the more recent installments, to continue the story of its world and the people (and other beings). In that way, Lord of Hatred delivers all I hoped for. The campaign has a well paced, if not a tad slow at times, cadence that is accentuated by what I find to be the most well crafted soundtrack and design since Diablo II.
A lot of players look forward to the ways new mechanics and items shake up the endgame. Unfortunately, I never made it there during the limited time; I’ve dabbled lightly since the release, but I will not be declaring myself an informed guide on its quality compared to the alternatives. That said, sets are back baby! The new Talisman and associated Seals and Charms unlock an extremely welcome way to expand on build diversity without complications from already equipped unique and mythic gear, existing in a separate UI and inventory.
For Diablo players, Lord of Hatred will feel like well trodden territory with a few new party tricks. I think all the tricks are neat, but the shadow of something we’ve seen and played before looms over it. You’ll find me out there demon slaying none the less.
This review is based on a PC code sent to SideQuesting by the publisher. This video first appeared as a part of The SideQuest Live for May 01, 2026.
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