Diablo IV Season 1: Should You Play the Season of the Malignant?

Diablo IV’s Season 1, “Season of the Malignant,” has arrived, promising new challenges and rewards. But is it worth your time? This article explores the season’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you decide if diving into the Malignant’s embrace is the right move.

Diablo IV Season 1 – Season of the Malignant Overview

Season 1 introduces “Malignance,” a corrupting force spreading throughout Sanctuary. Players team up with Cormond, a former priest, to fight back against this insidious threat. While the concept is intriguing, the execution leaves some players wanting more. The season’s core mechanic, Malignant Hearts, is a key focus but potentially lacks the depth and impact some players expect. The overall feeling is that it’s a solid start, but potentially lacks the long-term replayability of previous Diablo seasons.

The Introduction of Malignant Hearts

• Malignant Hearts: These legendary items, dropped by unique “Malignant Monsters,” offer potent bonuses when equipped. These monsters are unique to the season and are found throughout the game. This introduces an exciting new loot mechanic.
• Diverse Categories: Four categories – Vicious, Brutal, Devious, and Wrathful – correspond to different monsters. Each type grants specific perks.
• Class Imbalance: The usefulness of the Malignant Hearts varies greatly between classes. Some classes find incredibly powerful Heart sets, while others receive weaker or less impactful options. This could lead to a noticeable disparity in player power depending on their character build.
• Unnecessary Capture Mechanic: The requirement to capture the Malignant Hearts by putting the enemies in cages is not very engaging. A simple drop would suffice in this regard, leading to a more efficient loot experience.

The Campaign

The season’s campaign provides context to the Malignant’s presence. However, it’s quite brief and feels more like a minor sub-campaign, rather than a fully fleshed-out story arc. This could disappoint players who expect a more substantial narrative element for a season. The short campaign gives little justification for the need to grind out the seasonal content.

The Seasonal Journey

The Seasonal Journey consists of a set of activities and goals designed to guide players and contribute to progression in the battle pass. This helps players acclimate to the seasonal mechanic and offers some objectives, but doesn’t significantly engage with the Malignant Hearts mechanic. The lack of clear connection between the journey and the Malignant Hearts feels like a missed opportunity for more compelling seasonal gameplay.

Season 1 Battle Pass

The battle pass is a key aspect of the season, offering rewards for players who participate. The best rewards, including highly desirable armor and cosmetics, are typically locked behind the paid sections. A significant portion of the rewards is locked behind a paywall, which means that significant effort is required for players to gain meaningful advantages. The free portion of the pass is still well-designed, but it ultimately incentivizes players to spend money to get the best rewards.

• Paid Benefits: Players who are willing to invest in the paid content of the Battle Pass can get a huge reward.
• Free Rewards: The free part of the battle pass still provides some useful rewards.
• Progression Goal: Getting to level 75 of the paid content can provide many significant rewards. This is a valuable reward for those willing to spend money.

Overall Review

Whether or not to play Season of the Malignant depends on your priorities. The season’s main attractions are the unique Malignant Hearts and the Battle Pass, but their effectiveness varies between classes, and some players might find the capture mechanic tedious. The overall campaign length also limits its appeal. If you’re eager for quick progression in the battle pass and value the cosmetic rewards, then the season is worth a try. However, if you prioritize a deeper story and challenging gameplay, you may want to wait for future updates to address the season’s strengths and weaknesses.

In conclusion, while the Season of the Malignant offers intriguing new elements, it doesn’t quite deliver on its promise for many players. The significant power creep and balancing issues could make it more impactful if addressed in upcoming updates. A potential player should prioritize getting their hopes up for future updates rather than starting the season right away.