Vessel of Hatred is the first expansion for Diablo 4 and brings back an iconic area from Diablo 2. This is meant to be a tribute to the past, but also to meet today’s expectations.
Which area does Vessel of Hatred bring back? With Vessel of Hatred, Nahantu returns. The jungle area is located around the city of Kurast, which lies south of Kehjistan. This will especially please Diablo veterans, as Kurast is already known from Diablo 2.
In Act 3 of Diablo 2, you reach the docks of Kurast and must fight your way to the bazaar of Kurast. And just like in Diablo 2, you might encounter especially nasty enemies there. They are the nemesis of many players and have claimed countless hardcore characters.
A connection to the past, with new experiences
This is how the implementation went: In an interview with PCGamesN, Associate Narrative Designer Eleni Rivera-Colon and Environment Art Director Chris Ryder discuss the redesign of such an iconic zone.
Ryder explains that the approach to design today is different than it was for Diablo 2. They have new technologies and techniques, and the expectations of players have changed as well. At the same time, it is a “tribute to the past.”
Specifically, Chris Ryder says:
We are definitely oriented towards the [Diablo 2] locations, but we also take into account how players play today. We need to ensure that the layout of the city matches what we have learned from feedback. There are many more considerations today than there were back then.
Our access to information and our technical capabilities also allow us to realize the game in a new way; I would say, in a richer way. We want to maintain the connection to the past – Sanctuary is a real place, and we want to honor that – but we also want to develop it into something richer, deeper, and that offers players more.
In a YouTube video by AnnacakeLIVE, you can see the docks of Kurast in direct comparison:
The developers explain in the interview that there are elements in Nahantu that they wanted to keep. However, there are also new parts to explore.
Eleni Rivera-Colon says about this:
It’s less about discarding the old lore, but rather about honoring the existing lore, the stories we know, and the places we are familiar with, while introducing new lore and new experiences in different areas.
One element that was also present in Diablo 2 and is found again in Diablo 4 is the “Gidbinn.” This is a knife that hovers in a blue energy field and protects Kurast from Mephisto’s hatred, Rivera-Colon notes. This creates a nice connection, reminiscing for a few moments about various adventures.
The new antagonist in Vessel of Hatred is Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and Lilith’s father. Some may also know him from Diablo 2 – you encounter him in Act 3 there. However, those who have only started with Diablo 4 may not know this strange skull-headed figure. Here you can learn more about him: Diablo 4: Mephisto will be the new big boss in Vessel of Hatred – Who is he anyway?
