Image via Blizzard
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is the newest expansion in the Diablo IV storyline, taking players to the birthplace of humanity as they explore an expanded narrative following Vessel of Hatred. The expansion introduces two new classes, a new region, and many refreshes to the overall game mechanics.
When it comes to Diablo, I’m definitely no expert. Unlike our wonderful Matt Fuller, I am less of a “build” player and more of a casual Hell explorer. This review will be less of a deep dive into the foundational mechanics of builds and abilities and more of a breakdown of the playability, changes, and story offered in Lord of Hatred.
Key Details
- Developer: Blizzard
- Series of Expansion: Diablo IV
- Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation
- Price: $39.99+
- Release Date: April 28, 2026
- Access Provided for Review: Yes
New Classes Add Fresh Options for Players
The first thing to break down in Lord of Hatred is the new Classes. Players can now build Warlocks and Paladins, each with unique skill sets. Due to the limited time we had with the game before launch, Bonus Action decided to take on the Warlock.
If you are a fan of ranged abilities, clever skills, and magical combat, the Warlock is going to be a fantastic choice. Right from the start of the game, I unlocked an ability that gave my character a phantom scorpion tail in combat. This tale, when leveled several times, became a monster damage dealer. I was able to hit enemies easily while keeping some distance, making it easier to escape damage while knocking down waves of monsters.
The Warlock is a bit squishy, so players will need to get good armor quickly. Especially if they are planning to level up before launching into the main story. Hitting some Helltides for loot, partnering up with friends for higher chances of victory, and shaking down chests will be critical to protecting the Warlock while exploring.
The Paladin, while we didn’t get the opportunity to play it, is the opposite of the Warlock. The bulky tank comes with divine abilities and solid defense. Instead of flying around enemies, throwing attacks as quickly as possible, players will rely on their armor and natural defensive skills to absorb hits and smite their attackers.
Overall, both classes add something new to the mix for Diablo IV and provide a refreshing basis for new playthroughs. As a casual Diablo player, I really enjoyed the versatility of the Warlock and had a blast diving into each new ability.
A New Adventure With Terrifying Stakes
The vast majority of the storyline in Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is set in the land of Skovos, the original birthplace of humanity. After arriving in the region, players will have the ability to explore a vast new map and begin tackling important story points.
As fans prepare to battle Mephisto, they will unravel the new information about characters they have worked alongside in the base game and Vessel of Hatred expansion, learning new things about their journeys and discovering information unique to Lord of Hatred.
The realm of Skovos is beautiful but dangerous. The main city is brightly lit, featuring ancient architecture and unique locations for players to explore. The outer areas beyond the city are riddled with danger, making exploration challenging, especially for Level 1 characters just getting their footing.
Overall, the story is fantastic, and without spoiling the major themes presented, players will be amazed at everything they can discover.
A Few Hangups and Hiccups
Unfortunately, Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred isn’t without its bumps. I regularly ran into issues when trying to talk to quest-important characters, where selecting to engage with them wouldn’t work unless I was standing a good deal away and tried many times.
There were also issues with quest markers not appearing correctly as new steps for quests in the main storyline unlocked, making it difficult to know where to go.
The most frustrating issue I bumped into, however, was character freezing during battle. It wasn’t a lag or performance drop, but my character hung while enemies continued to attack, leading to heavy damage and death when my Warlock should have been able to hit or take potions.
Outside of this, however, the gameplay for Lord of Hatred was smooth, and there was no crashing, hanging, or stuttering as I explored the new region. Additionally, there have been substantial changes to the Pit, Skill Tree, and Torment Tiers. Players can also reach Level 70 as of this expansion, adding more opportunities to improve and fine-tune their character builds.
Final Score 8.5/10
Overall, Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred adds plenty of new content to the game. New Classes, maps, level caps, and storylines add depth and opportunity to the game, while tweaks and improvements have helped address some of the challenges players have cited following Vessel of Hatred.
There is a possibility that players may bump into a few issues while playing Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, but the overall experience we had with the early parts of the new content were positive, and from a casual standpoint, extremely enjoyable.
If you are looking for a way to jump back into Diablo IV, this is a great expansion to pick up and play as the game kicks off new seasons.
**Bonus Action was provided with limited early access to the Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred expansion for the purpose of this review**
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