Diablo 4: Vessel Of Hatred review: mildly pleasant clicking in very pretty jungles

They’re all passive skills, Terry

Image credit:Blizzard/Rock Paper Shotgun

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• Release: Out now
• On: Windows, Linux
• From: Steam / Battle.net
• Price: £35/€40/$40
• Reviewed on: Intel Core i5-12600K, 32GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 2070, Windows 10

Write travel journalism to imaginary places, my spaghetti once spelled out . Do package holidays count? In Nahantu’s jungles, I linger to take shots of vines spilling from verdigris-kissed cages, of footfall-slicked stone paths and mesoamerican mosaics. Even Vessel Of Hatred ’s malignancy feels like a grimly gorgeous tourist trap. Trip Advisor-recommended cyclopean polyps. TikTok viral demonic cysts. I’ve even got a leopard cub to pose with. He’s not sedated, promise. He’s just like that. I told him how much the ultimate edition costs and he’s been catatonic ever since.

I’d like to stick around, but I keep getting ushered along to the next leg of the tour. There are mobs to pop into goo like ripe spots, each fight as slick and frictionless as a pygmy hippo in a butter bath. There are a dozen different tiered resources and event types designed to make repetition feel like progress, until hell freezes over then melts again. It’s fine, Blizzard packed me some wellies. It’s all so comfortable I suspect they’d have thrown in some Xanax and a back rub if they could.

For context, I gave Diablo 4 three stars . In her review for RPS, Alice Bell (RPS in peace) talked about how easy it was lose hours to the game. It might be even easier to commit time-icide with Vessel Of Hatred. It’s a pleasant, generous font of synapse tickles and good boy points, carved beautifully.

Image credit:Blizzard/Rock Paper Shotgun

But time easily spent and time well spent are two different things. Diablo 4 is what I play when I’m too exhausted to go through the hassle of thinking or feeling anything. There’s value in having something that fills that niche, but whenever I do, I feel like Homer pounding crab juice . It tastes a little flat to begin with, and loses more flavour with every popped ring pull but, god, does it go down smooth. This here vessel contains a mildly more pleasant brew. It makes good on the word ‘expansion’ with some transformative options for buildcraft, but it only makes the moment marginally more substantive or interesting. I’d call it time neutrally spent, but I’m honestly quite happy to go something else now. My vessel runneth over, and also down my leg a little.

The power of God and Animorphs are on your side with the new Spiritborn class. I’m sure there are plenty of neat crossover builds, but basic progression is funnelled along one of four different jungle pals: jaguar, eagle, gorilla, and centipede, which was my pick. It’s centred around weakening enemies with poison, healing yourself, grinding down mobs to within an inch of their lives, then pressing the fun button to summon a vomiting bugzilla and watch the word “executed” jostle for space between the big numbers. It’s a great move, even if it feels a little like playing Mortal Kombat: Self Assessment Tax edition.

Image credit:Blizzard/Rock Paper Shotgun

I experimented briefly with the other builds, but none felt as good. If you told me that activation timings or target priority become serious considerations in the game’s tippy-toppiest challenges, I’d believe you - although I do harbour some scepticism toward the combat design of an endgame that seems primarily about who can trivialise it the hardest. Combat in Diablo 4 feels like an intentionally sensory experience rather than a tactical one. Bugzilla’s exact synergies and rhythms just felt right to me, and the accompanying pyrotechnic filth carnival was only rivalled by the ultimate itself. He even follows you around for a bit once summoned, preventing the catastrophic depression that comes from using an ultimate too early. His bugliness is the best thing in the whole expansion.

Bugzilla may not stick around for as long as I’d like, but you can at least hire some new mates. You can have one follow you around permanently like an AI party member, and one more to summon temporarily whenever you perform a specific ability of your choosing, which they’ll follow up with one of their own. I encountered four of these mercenaries, one from the main story and three others from optional sidequests. Alongside the new slottable runes, there’s a throughline of “if X, then Y” build tinkering, adding a sliver of extra programming to your quest to build an auto-battling mulch bot. The mercenaries even have their own skill trees with multiple options. I do not doubt that players who are in to buildcraft are going to eating exceptionally well with these new toys.

Vessel Of Hatred’s story centres around Neyrelle’s struggle to keep Mephisto confined, like a bedroom spider, between the mug and magazine she trapped him in. It’s taking a big toll on her. Characters enjoy reiterating this frequently. At the same time, she’s being hunted by a Cathedral Of Light zealot named Urivar and his big knights. Urivar is an excellent villain for the, oh, six minutes and one boss fight he’s on screen for. After a scrape, your wanderer wakes up in Nahantu, and meets a local named Eru. He’s a sagey healer type fond of Fight Club tier philosophical musings like “to deny your pain is to deny yourself.” Together, you enlist the help of Nahantu’s mysteries to help Neyrelle, and story goes from there. My main opinion on it is that I have a new appreciation for how much not-much you can get away with when it’s coming out of Ralph Ineson, who’s very absent here.

Image credit:Blizzard/Rock Paper Shotgun

Diablo 4 has always struck me as lacking confidence in its own presentation, despite some wonderfully grim worldbuilding and gorgeous prose sitting beside the “this sounds like something Dante would have wrote, stick it in” bits. The original story was wonderfully bleak at times, but also felt self-conscious about needing to be darker than Diablo 3 while still palatable enough for mass appeal. Vessel Of Hatred frontloads its bleakness and body horror and then shifts into plucky adventure mode. Lots of platitudes. Some stoner mysticism. The power of friendship. There’s a few good moments, but the plot could have been an email, and feels thinly stretched and laboured as a result. There’s a scene where a character chows down on a heart, but the camera is very shy about it, so all you get is some sloppy noises and, hilariously, a subtitle that says “chewing”. I suppose you can’t risk making me feel discomfort or disgust in the demons-inflicting-unspeakable-anguish-on-mankind game.

Image credit:Blizzard/Rock Paper Shotgun

But the real heartmuncher is this: I fundamentally cannot trust any design decision in this thing to stem from a place of genuine creative intent, and it taints the entire experience. Diablo Immortal was barely two years ago, and I can’t accept that the same behavioural psychology that allowed that thing to rake in spending wasn’t applied here in some way. You can silo off microtransactions to cosmetics, but that doesn’t stop me feeling like I’m being retained in some way - like I’m not being guided on a quest, more just taken for a ride. Unfair of me? Almost definitely. There is talent and passion and vision and hard, hard work here. Sins of the father and all that. But it’s hard to enjoy an apple when I can’t shake the sensation I’m being whispered at to take another bite.

An example: The first two attacks every character will get are a left mouse basic that generates a resource, then a right button core that spends the resource. The basic is quick and light and generally a bit weak and unsatisfying, and the core is beefier and much more fun to use. So, even within the first two levels of the build, Diablo 4 has already trapped you in this loop that has nothing to do with player expression and everything to do with chasing micro-highs. It’s great game design in the same way salt nicotine was great chemistry. This isn’t a problem unique to this expansion of course, and my centipede Spiritborn specifically does feel very agile when performing this basic combo. But again: fairly or not, I feel like what this game wants from me is not passion, but compulsion .

Image credit:Blizzard/Rock Paper Shotgun

I do not fundamentally dislike GaaS on principle. I like Destiny 2 because encounters feel exciting and intentional, even though it pulls a lot of the same trickery and synthetic progression. I like Helldivers 2 because it sells me on the idea of occupying a doomed grunt in a forever war, and because its moments of tension are cinematically vivid beyond belief. I like Vermintide because a single large ratman has more personality than any of Diablo’s demons, with the possible exception of a fun worm I found named “shocking frother”. I sort of liked Vessel Of Hatred because, I dunno, it was a couple of low stress work days that felt short, didn’t annoy me very much, and occasionally made me go “ah, cool! It’s a big centipede! That’s cool!”.

And it is a very cool centipede . And next time I’m too burnt out to even exist outside of bed without the effortless structure this game is very good at lending to otherwise dead time, I’m sure I’ll be glad for the additions Vessel Of Hatred makes. It’s just very hard to get excited about, and some real excitement is what Diablo 4 needed. I might well book another ticket the next time a new destination gets added, but I’ll asking for podcast recommendations for the trip.

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Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

PS5 , Xbox One , PC

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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