Diablo 4, Balatro, And More Games We Can’t Wait To Dive Into

Play it on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Current goal: Help Neyrelle

I’ve played more Diablo IV than I care to admit, but if I’m honest, endgame grinds and the pursuit of endless power don’t interest me as much as narrative pursuits like saving the world from demonic threats or helping a friend in desperate need. So, after a while, I lost interest in Diablo IV’s seasons, which mostly are about those endgame elements that see you repeating the same activities over and over (and over) again for resources so you can make your weapons and armor even more effective so you can do even tougher activities over and over again for resources so you can…well, you see where this is going.

Thankfully Vessel of Hatred, Diablo IV’s first expansion, gives me a reason to care about the world of Diablo IV again, as my hero pursues her endangered friend Neyrelle into the new realm of Nahantu. I’ve only just started the expansion’s campaign but I’m really loving the atmosphere of its new jungle region, and I’m intrigued by the possibilities of its story as Neyrelle tries to shoulder the burden of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, all by her lonesome. Also, I’ve convinced a few friends to take up arms with me in the game’s original campaign, so I’ll be playing through that again but, this time, with others by my side, which should make for a much more enjoyable monster-killing, loot-collecting experience. — Carolyn Peti