Gaming

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred review: Returning to hell is fun

The new Spiritborn makes it worth playing

Published

October 21, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

I’ve played Diablo III for hundreds of hours, and I can safely say that Monk was my favorite class in that bunch. There’s just an indescribable satisfaction when the Monk’s ultra-fast DPS causes bodies to ragdoll out of the screen. When Diablo IV launched, no one really matched up to the Monk. Now, the new Vessel of Hatred expansion is spicing things up with the new Spiritborn class.

Enter the Spiritborn

The new expansion includes a new region and a new campaign. However, the biggest spotlight is rightfully on the new class. Tagged as a blend between the Monk and the Witch Doctor, the Spiritborn touts a speedy DPS build with the ability to call on different spirit animals for additional burst damage.

From the outset, the Spiritborn is absurdly fun to play. The class balances damage output with durability. It manages to replicate the intense close-combat adrenaline of the Monk. Plus, the four Spirit Guardians available — Gorilla, Jaguar, Eagle, and Centipede — allows players a wide variety of playstyles to choose from and mix-and-match with.

For example, the Centipede, which happens to be my personal favorite, builds on poison and fear abilities for maximum crowd control. Meanwhile, the Gorilla, Jaguar, and Eagle focus on defense, attack speed, and ranged attacks, respectively. Each Guardian also has its own ultimate, which spawns the Guardian itself and shreds enemies.

I’m having a lot of fun playing the new class. If you grew tired of the original game’s roster, the Spiritborn easily rekindles the freshness with a consistent feeling of power and the flexibility of experimentation.

Making the game more rewarding

Besides the new class, the Vessel of Hatred expansion also brings a ton of new features and overhauled systems. They’re all welcome changes, too.

As much as I love the franchise, the initial launch of Diablo IV quickly devolved into a grinding nightmare that lacked the feeling of making players more powerful with every battle won. The new patch that comes with Vessel of Hatred overhauls this system and makes levelling much easier, while also raising the level cap to 60 and the paragon level cap to 300.

When I got the expansion, I started a new character. To my surprise, my new Spiritborn reached maximum level in practically no time. More than that, I feel like legendary items drop more frequently with this update. The overhauled system streamlines most of the grinding to favor what really matters most: becoming powerful and showing off new loot against more difficult hordes.

The update also introduces more difficulties. While I haven’t dabbled in the more nightmarish ones, the more streamlined progression lets me access more difficulties and, hence, stronger rewards.

Mercenaries to keep you company

The new mercenary system is also gratifying. While the initial launch introduced an open world where you can meet and fight with other players, Diablo IV was still a largely solo experience. Unless you have friends playing with you, no one is really helping you with the game’s dungeons.

Taken from previous games, the new mercenary system ensures that you’re never fighting the hordes of hell alone. Currently, the game has four available mercenaries to choose from. Each have their own abilities, specialties, and personalities.

For me, the new mercenaries are literal lifesavers. They do help in conquering the more difficult dungeons. At the very least, they provide some much-needed companionship for long gameplay sessions.

A Nahantu vacation

It’s impossible to talk about Vessel of Hatred without talking about the new story and the region. As I mentioned in my previous review, the different regions of Diablo IV are varied enough to offer different flavors, despite being open world.

Nahantu is no different. The new region takes players to a jungle locale, offering up new enemies and dungeons to get through. It’s a refreshing change from the frosty wastelands of Fractured Peaks and the deserts of Kehjistan.

As for the expansion’s story, Vessel of Hatred puts the focus back on one of the more underrated Prime Evils, Mephisto. After prevailing against Lilith, the Prime Evil is on a quest to return and terrorize the world again.

To be clear, the expansion does not conclude Mephisto’s story just yet. Blizzard still has more updates planned for the Prime Evil. Regardless, the story’s pivot to a new antagonist is much welcomed.

Should you play Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred?

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is more than just a story expansion. It’s also a spirited effort to rebalance the game, making it a lot more fun for new and returning players. If you loved the Diablo franchise, especially the fourth one, Vessel of Hatred is a must-play.

Related Topics:Diablo IV Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Gaming

Tides of Annihilation opens first public demo at Gamescom 2026

First hands-on

Published

August 6, 2026

Leez

Tides of Annihilation will make its public playable debut at Gamescom 2026.

Developer Eclipse Glow Games announced that attendees can try an extended demo of the upcoming action-adventure game during the event in Cologne, Germany. Players can find the demo at Hall 6, Booth B-050 inside Koelnmesse.

The studio will also reveal a new trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, before the show floor opens.

Demo offers more exploration and combat

The Gamescom demo gives players a longer look at Tides of Annihilation. It features branching paths that lead to different exploration routes and combat encounters. Players can also explore key locations and experience several of the game’s biggest set pieces.

“Gamescom will be an incredibly important moment for our team since this will be our first global playtest and we’re excited to see how first-time players experience our game,” said Ary Chen, Game Director and Co-CEO of Eclipse Glow Games.

“The team has poured heart, soul, and maybe even a few tears into developing the game over the last few years, and it’s finally our opportunity to share it with players. We’re looking forward to seeing their reaction.”

Members of the press and content creators can also schedule private hands-on sessions with the development team during the event.

Arthurian-inspired adventure

Tides of Annihilation blends fast-paced action with a Neo-Medieval vision of modern London. The story follows Gwendolyn after an Outworld invasion leaves the city in ruins.

Driven by a mission to save her sister, she travels between a shattered London and the mythical realm of Avalon. Along the way, she uncovers the mystery behind her newfound powers. She must also decide the fate of reality itself.

Eclipse Glow Games is developing Tides of Annihilation for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Gaming

Street Fighter 6 adds first Filipino fighter Yasmine to its roster

Eskrima fighter joins battle

Published

August 6, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Street Fighter 6 has officially welcomed Yasmine, making history as the first Filipino martial artist to join the franchise’s playable roster. The new character is now available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 as part of the game’s Year 4 content.

Yasmine practices Eskrima, having learned the Filipino martial art alongside her older brother under their grandfather’s guidance. She wields Karambit knives in battle and embarks on a journey to find her missing brother.

Players can access Yasmine by purchasing the Year 4 Character Pass or Year 4 Ultimate Pass. Her default outfit features traditional Eskrima-inspired combat attire, while a school uniform serves as her second costume. In combat, she specializes in fast, aggressive attacks that build toward an enhanced Bayani Mode.

Yasmine is the first of four Year 4 fighters, followed by Arjun, Tifa from the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, and Bosch. Her release also arrives alongside battle balance adjustments affecting the entire roster.

Onimusha crossover arrives this week

Capcom also announced a limited-time collaboration between Street Fighter 6 and Onimusha. Running from August 7 to August 31, 2026, the event introduces Oni EX character colors, themed Battle Hub decorations, avatar items, and additional rewards for players who log in during the event.

The update also adds new Avatar Arcade courses, additional ending scenes, a Frame Meter option for Avatar Random Match, and refreshed Master ACT rewards.

Philippine launch event set for August 9

Capcom will celebrate Yasmine’s debut with an official Philippine community launch event on Sunday, August 9, at Salud! by Primera Bar & Restaurant in Palanan, Makati. The event runs from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM and features a double-elimination tournament, gameplay showcases, giveaways, and community activities.

Attendees can also receive limited-edition Yasmine merchandise, including event T-shirts, lanyards, and collectible keychains while supplies last. Special guests and cosplayers are also scheduled to appear. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to venue capacity.

Gaming

Gangstar Mirage City launches on August 20 with SEA localization

Join a faction now for a chance to win rewards

Published

August 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

Gangstar Mirage City is set for a full regional launch on August 20, with localization for the Southeast Asia region.

Published by Level Infinite, the free-to-play multiplayer, urban, open-world action game is available for download on iOS and Android.

The full regional release features an expanded open world, a new PvP Arena mode, and local languages.

In Gangstar Mirage City, players can team up for up to 4-man co-op heists, drive powerful vehicles, customize their arsenal, build an empire, and fight for control of Rooklyn City.

Players can register on gangstarmiragecity.com for in-game rewards.

In Southeast Asia, players can also register as a member of their respective local faction and get an exclusive in-game Avatar to represent their loyalty:

Philippines: Manila Brigade
Indonesia: War Kanda
Malaysia: Taiko Tedung
Thailand: SIAM APEX

Factions will be ranked based on how many players join and support them. The winning faction will enable all members to get 300 Diamonds, sent directly to their accounts.

Meanwhile, all players, including those who already began their journey in Rooklyn City with the soft launch last July, are invited to join the Global Vault Heist.

Reaching the final Registration Milestone will unlock the Full Tilt Vehicle Pack. These are the rewards up for grabs per milestone: