Put down your pitchforks, Nephalem - it looks like Blizzard might have actually pulled off something special. Reviews for Diablo 4's second expansion, Lord of Hatred, are dropping, and according to a roundup by Push Square, the consensus is surprisingly positive across the board.
The expansion is being praised as a genuine turning point for the oft-criticized ARPG, with reviewers highlighting the standalone campaign as a standout element. It apparently delivers on story beats in a way that the base game and its predecessor, Vessel of Hatred, never quite managed to nail.
Finally tying up those loose threads
If you felt like 2024's Vessel of Hatred left you with more questions than answers, Lord of Hatred seems to be coming in clutch. Push Square reports that the DLC wraps up a lot of the hanging narrative threads from that expansion in a satisfying way - which, frankly, is the minimum we deserve after grinding through Sanctuary for this long.
This is the kind of glow-up that Diablo 4 desperately needed. The game launched to a stormy reception, survived the seasonal content gauntlet, and now - two expansions deep - it might be leveling up into something worth actually recommending to your friends again.
Is this Blizzard's No Man's Sky moment?
It's way too early to call this a full redemption arc, but the signs are looking good. If Lord of Hatred delivers on the promise reviewers are seeing, this could be the patch note that finally flips Diablo 4 from "wait for a sale" to "buy it right now, you fool."
Whether it's enough to bring back lapsed players who rage-quit after the endgame droughts of year one remains to be seen. But hey, even the darkest dungeon has a torchlit exit - and it looks like Blizzard might have finally found theirs.
