Summary
One could argue thatDiablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion is the culmination of over one year of work on Blizzard’s part to improve the base game experience, and with the sheer amount of content and changes added by the DLC’s accompanying patch, even free-to-play gamers got a lot out of it. As much as this assessment may be true, one of the biggest pain points of the game so far has been the endgame, as some seasons likeDiablo 4’s Infernal Hordesdid try to provide fans with new exciting content, but the base game has mostly been about Nightmare Dungeons and Uber Lilith.
Instead, Vessel of Hatred adds two new endgame modes that aim to give players more options in terms ofDiablo 4aspirational challenges, and that’s something the game has needed for quite some time. The first of the two is Kurast Undercity, a timed trial where players can customize the difficulty and the loot for improved rewards. The second is the Dark Citadel raid, which leans more into the MMO side ofDiablo 4for better or for worse, but it still gets the job done and adds both new challenges and loot. However, as games likePath of Exilehave proven, ARPGs can take things to the next level with one key element: meta-progression.
Path of Exile’s Atlas of Worlds is The Perfect Blueprint For Diablo 4 Meta-Progression
Diablo 4’s Endgame Has Still a Long Way to Go
For those who may be wondering what meta-progression looks like in an action RPG,Path of Exile’s Atlas of Worldsprovides the perfect example of meta-progression in the way its system works. This is a series of interconnected endgame challenges similar toDiablo 4’s Nightmare Dungeons, which inPath of Exileare called Maps. Completing Maps in given regions of the Atlas or simply completing a set number of Maps across the whole system provides players with new possible encounters and rewards, escalating all the way toPath of Exile’s aspirational content.
This interconnected system makes each part of the game more valuable than it would be on its own, rewarding players for strategically approaching multiple endgame challenges rather than farming a single activity over and over. It’s still something thatPath of Exileplayers can do, but that is their choice, and it too can have some benefits - like farming specific Maps in order to complete a given set of Divination Cards.Diablo 4’s Kurast Undercityand Dark Citadel are great additions, but they are nowhere near a meta-progression system.
Diablo 4’s Nightmare Dungeons Could Take Farming to The Next Level
The solution wouldn’t have to be too complex, either. Nightmare Dungeons could be all connected by a system that rewards completing specific ones before moving to a different “tier” of difficulty, eventually leading to unique boss encounters likeDiablo 4’s Uber Lilith and Uber Duriel.Path of Exile’s Atlas of Worlds gives players direction in terms of what to do next, for example, at least if their goal is to complete different Maps. Nightmare Dungeons do something similar by providing players with Sigils, which can be activated to start a different Nightmare Dungeon, chaining them.
A meta-progression system that ties these endgame challenges together could lead to a longer shelf life of the game by giving players varied content -or rather promoting a varied approach to said content- and also give them new and progressively more difficult challenges for a shot at even better rewards.Diablo 4doesn’t need to copyPath of Exile, but the latter does have an integrated system that can make playing the game more satisfying for longer spans of time. New Uber boss fights and other types of encounters that are triggered upon completing other subsets of activities could makeDiablo 4’s endgame more engaging than it currently is, even if the current version is miles better than what the title started with.
Diablo 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or explore an expansive end game and shared world where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle world bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play, cross-progression, and couch co-op on Xbox.This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
