Two things can be said of Diablo IV leading up to the release of Lord of Hatred: First and foremost, as a series, Diablo has never been in a better or more promising place. Secondly, the game's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, was a bit of a letdown following a tremendous first act. With those things in mind, it's safe to say that there are very high expectations for the game's forthcoming expansion. And, if the stakes weren't high enough, Lord of Hatred also carries with it two promises: a first look at the long-teased and highly-awaited land of Skovos, and an epic conclusion to the game's ongoing Hatred Saga--one featuring a major showdown with the Lord of Hatred himself.

Oftentimes, expectations and promises only pave the way for disappointment. Fortunately, that's not the case with Lord of Hatred. Diablo IV's latest expansion triumphs at maintaining the series' momentum while also delivering a powerful gut punch of a third act--one that weaves together years of events and lore to create the series' most-compelling narrative to date. Lord of Hatred offers both a spectacular conclusion to the Hatred Saga and plenty of changes that grant it greater longevity than ever before, including two powerhouse classes, plenty of improvements, and strong endgame content.

Lord of Hatred picks up not long after the events of Vessel of Hatred, which ultimately saw Mephisto take over the body of Akarat--a messiah-like figure in the Diablo universe. Through using Akarat's kindly visage, his own manipulative tactics, and performing "miracles," Mephisto has quickly managed to convince much of Sanctuary's population that he is a force for good--one who possesses the power to not only purify their lands, but their very souls as well. Even the most cunning of warriors find themselves in his thrall, their desperation for a better world ultimately contorting them into gullible disciples. As such, you, The Wanderer, and your faithful companions, Lorath and Neyrelle, come to be viewed as dissenting pariahs. And the fact that a demon's blood flows through your veins certainly doesn't help your case against the fraudulent prophet.

With stakes this high and a literal hour of darkness--or rather, a massive eclipse--rapidly approaching, your party takes to the ancient islands of Skovos in search of aid and a weapon that might strike down Mephisto. As the birthplace of mankind and home to both the Amazons and the divine order of oracles, Skovos is a monumental location in the Diablo universe--one that has been teased since Diablo II and comes with sky-high expectations. Fortunately, Skovos lives up to them and provides a stunning backdrop for Lord of Hatred's events. The Mediterranean-inspired archipelago, with its clear waters, crumbling cliffsides, volcanoes, and massive temples, feels truly sacred, making its ongoing desecration all the more startling.

"Okay, just one more run."

This is the phrase I've muttered at midnight--and then again at 2 AM--every day since diving into Vampire Crawlers. There are nights when it feels like it'd take an army to pull me from the clutches of its pixelated chaos. This deckbuilding spin-off to indie roguelike Vampire Survivors is every bit as gripping as that original outing, bringing both familiarity and freshness wrapped up into a first-person dungeon-crawling adventure.

I love that Vampire Crawlers maintains an undying commitment to the tone, characters, and retro visuals of its predecessor. It's evident even from the initial cutscene, which shows a returning character fending off hordes of attackers in the Mad Forest from Survivors' isometric view before transitioning to a first-person view of the area. Without using a single word, it proudly declares that a new perspective doesn't change the fact that this is still unquestionably Vampire Survivors at its core.

"Okay, just one more run."

This is the phrase I've muttered at midnight--and then again at 2 AM--every day since diving into Vampire Crawlers. There are nights when it feels like it'd take an army to pull me from the clutches of its pixelated chaos. This deckbuilding spin-off to indie roguelike Vampire Survivors is every bit as gripping as that original outing, bringing both familiarity and freshness wrapped up into a first-person dungeon-crawling adventure.

I love that Vampire Crawlers maintains an undying commitment to the tone, characters, and retro visuals of its predecessor. It's evident even from the initial cutscene, which shows a returning character fending off hordes of attackers in the Mad Forest from Survivors' isometric view before transitioning to a first-person view of the area. Without using a single word, it proudly declares that a new perspective doesn't change the fact that this is still unquestionably Vampire Survivors at its core.

That being said, where Vampire Survivors was about quick reactions, Vampire Crawlers is about planning and execution. Its slow, grid-based movement is merely a means to reach the next turn-based battle in which you now use a deck of cards to perform gloriously ludicrous attacks against hordes of enemies. Vampires' items show up in the form of cards here, ranging from damage-based options like Knife, Whip, and Cross to support-focused options like the power-increasing Spinach or healing Pummarola. Evolutions even make their return, letting you combine two cards into a more powerful version that can further devastate your foes. New additions to the lineup are few and far between, but it's this dedication to serving up what players already know and love that helps the transition into a new format feel seamless.

This time around, you don't directly control specific characters so much as bring them along for the ride. Referred to as Crawlers, they each have unique starting weapons and passives, but they also present as cards that can be played from your deck to provide additional bonuses for a limited time, such as increased damage or XP boosts. Eventually, you can bring along up to three Crawlers at a time, so mixing and matching characters that complement each other helps you set the tone of your runs right out of the gate.

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There's no shortage of boomer shooters out there for those looking for some retro-style first-person action: Cultic, Ion Fury, Prodeus, and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, just to name a few. Yet only one of these nostalgic shooters meshes the genre's arcade sensibilities with the black-and-white rubber-hose visuals of cartoons from the 1920s and '30s and the unmistakable trappings of film noir.

Originally released as a tech demo that quickly went viral in 2023, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is now a fully-fledged game--one that oozes style and doesn't lack substance either. It's both familiar and incredibly niche at the same time; an endlessly charming game that I found a joy to simply behold, even before the cartoon bullets started flying.

Unsurprisingly for a game about furry rodents, Mouse: P.I. is all too fond of cheese-based puns and wordplay, so it makes sense that you should slip into the stylish trenchcoat of one Jack Pepper. The titular P.I. is a former war hero-turned-private dick working on a missing-persons case. As is par for the course, the investigation quickly spirals out of control, escalating into a complex web of intrigue and corruption that spreads to every sleazy corner of the city of Mouseburg.

There's no shortage of boomer shooters out there for those looking for some retro-style first-person action: Cultic, Ion Fury, Prodeus, and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, just to name a few. Yet only one of these nostalgic shooters meshes the genre's arcade sensibilities with the black-and-white rubber-hose visuals of cartoons from the 1920s and '30s and the unmistakable trappings of film noir.

Originally released as a tech demo that quickly went viral in 2023, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is now a fully-fledged game--one that oozes style and doesn't lack substance either. It's both familiar and incredibly niche at the same time; an endlessly charming game that I found a joy to simply behold, even before the cartoon bullets started flying.

Unsurprisingly for a game about furry rodents, Mouse: P.I. is all too fond of cheese-based puns and wordplay, so it makes sense that you should slip into the stylish trenchcoat of one Jack Pepper. The titular P.I. is a former war hero-turned-private dick working on a missing-persons case. As is par for the course, the investigation quickly spirals out of control, escalating into a complex web of intrigue and corruption that spreads to every sleazy corner of the city of Mouseburg.

It's an enjoyable and authentically noir tale, full of twists, turns, and all the familiar hallmarks of the genre, with femme fatales, morally ambiguous characters, and a tangled plot among its defining elements. While it's not a straight-up parody like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's "The Janitor Always Mops Twice," Mouse: P.I. doesn't take itself too seriously either.

The writing is witty and lighthearted throughout, playing up the genre's clichés with a comedic tone befitting its cartoon art style. A few fun concepts are also implemented to fit its unique world and add some breadth, such as its dairy-based narcotics and black ink as a substitute for blood. You can also find old newspapers hidden within each level that give Mouseburg a sense of history, with news of ongoing worker strikes and emerging political parties, as well as exposés on mob bosses.

The voice cast is excellent, too, particularly Troy Baker, who embodies Jack Pepper's sarcastic stoicism with a performance that's both hardboiled and humorous--adhering to the film noir genre with a knowing wink.

As the investigation takes you across Mouseburg's seedy underbelly, including unscrupulous movie backlots, city docks, subways, wetlands, a highfalutin river boat, and more, you're met with opposition from a range of armed crimin