Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred’s release is just a few days away—April 28th. And today, the first international press scores were leaked. On Metacritic, the expansion currently has an 81 based on 27 reviews. Critics are generally pleased: Blizzard has finally wrapped up a major story arc beautifully. However, not all the new mechanics have been equally successful.
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Wccftech and Lord of Hatred’s Strengths
Wccftech gave the expansion a 90 and called it “an excellent expansion that truly reinvigorates the action RPG.” Journalists are delighted with the conclusion to the long-running story, the new Warlock (a joy to learn), and the reworked endgame systems. Build variety is now noticeably greater. INVEN Review: The Finale of Diablo 4’s Story Arc
The INVEN edition (87 points) emphasizes something else: Lord of Hatred brings Diablo 4’s first major story arc, which began back in 2023, to a close. After three years, the game’s service has finally stabilized, and the narrative has reached a logical conclusion. Reviewers call the expansion “a bold expansion that breaks stagnation and introduces significant changes.”
Warlock vs. Paladin: A Look at the New Classes
COGconnected rated the expansion 82 points. They found Lord of Hatred to be more substantial than Vessel of Hatred. The Warplans mechanic is a welcome gift for veterans, even if it’s essentially a remix of familiar content. However, there’s a downside: the Paladin class was called “a bit dull.” The Warlock, however, is the undisputed star of the evening. ComicBook Rating: A Step Forward Without Revolution
ComicBook (70 points) calls the expansion a confident step forward. Quote: “The game gained confidence, a self-awareness.” Lord of Hatred doesn’t fix everything, but it does what already worked better. A focused experience. A must for fans.
TheGamer gave Lord of Hatred only 40 points
TheGamer delivered the harshest verdict – only 40 points. Journalists acknowledge that the expansion understands what Diablo should be. But it spends too much time on something completely different. The review doesn’t specify what exactly this means, but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Lord of Hatred Story: Controversial Critic Reviews
The story in Lord of Hatred is a controversial one. While the narrative has received praise, there’s also plenty of criticism, calling the script short and predictable. Tellingly, the expansion is still noticeably stronger in this regard than Vessel of Hatred – the gap is palpable. However, the final verdict will be given by players after April 28th.
The same is true for the new features. Some journalists say the improvements are too modest, “painfully familiar.” Others say they’re a confident step forward; Diablo 4 is heading in the right direction.
Lord of Hatred Release Date for PC, PS5, and Xbox
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred releases on April 28th for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The Moscow release is traditionally midnight between April 27th and 28th. We won’t remind you twice—you won’t miss it anyway.
Final Press Verdict and the Return of the Overlay Map
The press overall gave the expansion a solid “B.” Those who have followed the Lilith and Mephisto saga should definitely pick it up. For loyal players, this is a great reason to return. However, newcomers are advised to play through the base campaign first.
And yes, a special plus to the developers: they finally brought back the overlay map. It’s a rare case of a studio accommodating a community that has persistently and long-requested a seemingly minor feature. This further demonstrates how modern games-as-a-service evolve in response to feedback—even years after release.
