Is Vessel of Hatred a step in the right direction for Diablo 4? Let’s see what the critics say.
Just a few more sleeps: On 8. October 2024 Diablo fans around the world can finally get started with Vessel of Hatred. The first major add-on for Diablo 4 comes with numerous new content, gameplay features and a fresh story.
But is this mix enough to repair Diablo 4’s tarnished reputation? We would like an unrestricted one And
write, but as our own test shows, the answer to this question is complicated.
This is how Vessel of Hatred performs in international reviews
At Metacritic Everything initially looks like a success across the board. There is currently an average of 85 points under the conclusion boxes. Also on OpenCritic With an average of 86 points, all signs point to peace, joy and pancakes.
The But
: There are almost only extremely high, almost euphoric top ratings beyond 90 or mixed reviews of 80 or lower. In the vacuum in between, there are only a few judgments from critics. Reason enough for us to take a closer look at what our colleagues are writing:
That’s what the international press says
Gamereactor (Rating: 90)
Blizzard has listened to players and addressed and improved many of the criticisms that were raised. The game feels much better balanced now and the expansion adds a wealth of new content that makes the game even more enjoyable than when it released last year.
PCGamesN (Rating: 90)
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred takes everything that made Diablo 2 and 3 great and modernizes it for today. The mix of stunning graphics, majestic music and sophisticated, bloody combat surpasses the base game in every way, even if some may be a little confused by the story.
PC Gamer (Rating: 90)
Vessel of Hatred keeps the heart of Diablo 4 beating: compelling characters to root for, creative loot to hunt, and expressive action.
Destructoid (Rating: 90)
The Ghostborn is probably the most fun class in the history of the series, and after some small tweaks, I think the Dark Citadel and Kurast Undercity will help improve the grind in the late game. Combined with all the revisions and improvements that the base game has received over the first five seasons, Diablo 4 is in its best form yet with Vessel of Hatred.
GamePro (Rating: 86)
In addition to an exciting campaign, a cool new class, you also get new endgame content that wonderfully complements the base game.
IGN (Rating: 80)
Vessel of Hatred is a great expansion that offers an excellent new area to explore, a wonderfully modular character class that I can’t stop playing, an impressive first raid activity, and much more. But while pretty much everything it adds is great, it definitely doesn’t do enough when it comes to the flabby campaign and story, and numerous bugs can occasionally drag the experience down. […]
GameSpot (Rating: 80)
[…] As satisfying to command in skirmishes as they are to experiment, the Spiritborn class offers depth beyond that of any previous class. Both the Kurast Undercity and the Dark Citadel are compelling additions to the existing (and dramatically improved) end-game content. The expansion is only let down by a mediocre story that fails to build on the structure of the base game and ends with nothing more than a foretaste of the presumably real conflict to come. […]
PC Games (Rating: 80)
Good new content and a solid continuation of the plot: Vessel of Hatred is not spectacular, but it is successful. Thanks to patch 2.0, the game continues to develop in a meaningful way.
Jeuxvideo.com (Rating: 75)
Vessel of Hatred is a good expansion for Diablo 4. It doesn’t revolutionize the original game like Reaper of Souls did with Diablo 3, but it does make some solid additions. The main plot is still supported by an extraordinary atmosphere that you can immerse yourself in. The new class works wonders in terms of customization and is the best way to offer dynamic gameplay. […]
GRYOnline.pl (Rating: 70)
Despite a few problems (insertion of MMO elements into the gameplay, unbalanced campaign, technical problems), I had fun most of the time. This is mostly due to the development and upgrades from all seasons, but Vessel of Hatred introduces a solid amount of good things. Still, it won’t cure all of Diablo 4’s woes – you’ll have to wait for updates and fixes.
13:39
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred gets so many things right and one thing terribly wrong in the test
Gameplay hui, Story pfui
With our subheading we have already briefly summarized how the tenor of Vessel of Hatred can best be described. In terms of play, the addon has almost no weakness, but not only we ourselves, but also many other critics criticize the story of the new campaign.
The newly introduced Spiritborn class, on the other hand, is being showered with praise. So if you’re primarily drawn to the game by fresh gameplay ideas, new skill rotations and revised mechanics, Vessel of Hatred should hit the spot for you. Story fans, on the other hand, have to lower their expectations.
But all the hype surrounding Vessel of Hatred makes one thing more than clear: Diablo 4 is lively and moves people’s minds, be it among fans or critics. It is therefore very likely that it will not just be an addon. But hey, we’ve waited so long for Vessel of Hatred that we’re not looking forward to the future, but rather looking forward to October 8th!
