Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection stands as a comprehensive action RPG package that brings together the base game with its major expansions, delivering a dark fantasy experience centered on combat, exploration, and character progression in the world of Sanctuary.
Gameplay
In Diablo IV, combat revolves around real-time action where you select from eight distinct classes, each with specialized skills and playstyles. Barbarians focus on raw strength and melee assaults, while Sorcerers harness elemental magic for ranged attacks. Rogues emphasize agility and traps, Druids shift between forms for versatile combat, and Necromancers summon minions to overwhelm foes. The Vessel of Hatred expansion introduces the Spiritborn, who channel spiritual energies for adaptive builds, and Lord of Hatred adds the Paladin, who wields divine light for protective and offensive capabilities, alongside the Warlock, who commands demonic forces and transformations.
Progression relies on a revamped skill tree system offering over 40 reworked choices and 80 additional options, allowing deep customization through active skill branches that modify abilities, such as changing elemental types or adding new effects. Gear plays a central role, with loot equipped to enhance stats, and systems like the Horadric Cube enable crafting, transmog, and affix manipulation. A loot filter helps manage drops by hiding or highlighting items based on criteria like rarity or power level. Exploration occurs in an open world filled with quests and enemies, supported by a map overlay for better navigation and pathfinding.
Endgame mechanics include talismans that provide stackable bonuses and set affixes, decoupled from armor for flexible builds. Fishing serves as a relaxed activity for gathering resources in specific locations. Multiplayer supports cross-play and cross-progression, though some activities favor solo efficiency.
Game Modes
The main campaign mode follows a narrative arc across Sanctuary, confronting threats like Lilith and Mephisto in regions such as Nahantu and the Isles of Skovos. This story-driven mode spans multiple acts, with options to skip sections after initial completion for faster access to endgame.
Endgame modes expand significantly with activities like Nightmare Dungeons, which offer challenging variants of standard dungeons, and Helltides, timed events where players battle waves of enemies for rewards. Infernal Hordes involve surviving demon onslaughts, while the Pit tests builds against escalating difficulties across 12 torment tiers. War Plans chain these activities into seamless playlists with branching paths and customizable perks via a command table, though co-op can lead to mismatched progress.
Echoing Hatred provides a rare horde mode accessed through special items, focusing on overwhelming minion waves for high-stakes challenges. Tower mode features leaderboards with beta updates, including new environments, bosses, and a build viewer for comparing setups. Seasonal modes, such as the current Season of Reckoning, introduce rank challenges, blessings for improved drops, and a reliquary system for earning cosmetics and mounts.
Expansions and Current State
Vessel of Hatred brings the Nahantu region, the Spiritborn class, and new endgame pursuits like the Undercity. Lord of Hatred, released on April 28, 2026, adds Skovos as a hub with the Temis capital, two new classes, and overhauled systems including expanded difficulty tiers and the War Plans framework.
As of May 2026, the game receives ongoing support through seasons and patches, with Season of Reckoning emphasizing major system updates and community challenges like Hatred's Downfall, where collective paragon points unlock rewards for all players. The level cap stands at 70, and core itemization has been refined with chances for ancestral and greater affixes on gear.
Is It Worth Playing?
With an IGN review score of 8 out of 10 for the Lord of Hatred expansion, highlighting its satisfying story conclusion and build-crafting improvements, Diablo IV appeals to those who enjoy loot-driven action RPGs with extensive customization. Player reception praises the dense endgame and new classes, though some note co-op friction in certain modes and menu complexity.
The collection suits solo players or groups seeking long-term progression, supported by regular seasons and cross-platform features. If grinding for gear and mastering builds excites you, this package offers substantial value through its campaigns and evolving challenges, making it a strong choice for action RPG enthusiasts.
