So I completed Season of the Malignant in Diablo IV. And by "completed," I mean finished the seasonal questline. As irksome as it was to have to complete stages of the Season Journey to complete said questline, at least I didn't have to do the whole thing. The downside though is that because of the gaps between story sections in order to do the seasonal requirements, a lot of the story feels stop-start. That said, it does give me some stuff to talk about, but on that note:
-I don't know how much overlap there is between those who've played Diablo and those who've played Gears of War, but as someone in said overlap...is it just me, or are the Malignant a lot like the Lambent? You have a more grotesque spin on pre-existing monsters with associated 'growths' popping up everywhere. Still, even then, the Lambent a lot more interesting conceptually and even thematically. I know that's not fair, as the Lambent were built up over three games while the Malignant are just here for a season, but even so...
Also, that the Malignant are the result of Lilith, however indirectly, kind of feels off. D4 ends with Lilith defeated, but in the knowledge that humanity may have lost its only hope for survival against the Prime Evils. SotM plops right into things with a reminder that innocent people suffered under Lilith all the same. Which would be fine, if this was really addressed in a meaningful manner, but it isn't. And I get it, seasons are meant to be self-contained, but even so...
-I mentioned in a previous post that Cormond is boring as a character. Having completed the season...yeah, he kinda still is. He's sympathetic, sure, but still kind of boring. After coming off D4's party roster, Cormond just isn't up to snuff.
-Varshan I have little to say about as a character (since in his twisted state, he's barely a character at all), though I will give credit where it's due, his design is appropriately horrific, there's a number of moments where I was uneasy given the ambience, and he's a fun boss to fight.
-There's something that stuck with me towards the end, where Cormond tells the Wanderer that already, they're forging a legend for themselves (given the events of D4), yet they're regarded with fear and awe alike. He himself is afraid of them. None of this is new in storytelling per se, but it's done well enough here. It kind of reminds me of D3 in a sense - by the end of Act II, the Nephalem emerged to the cheering crowds of Caldeum, having defeated Belial and saved the city. It isn't until Act V that you start seeing a darker side to your player character, and even then, a lot of that is in their journal, or in assorted material. Here, it's outright stated. Overall, I would say it's well done. Still, it does raise a bit of a question, as to whether your toon is fated to meet the same fate as the D1 heroes, or get a slightly better outcome. I mentioned earlier in the difference between D3 and D4 in regards to how it handles their player characters (in D3, personalities shift in accordance with class, in D4, the personality and dialogue is the same regardless), so while D3 arguably has stronger characterization, D4 has more consistent characterization, and while the Wanderer is a bit of a blank slate, there are some things established, namely that they're a genuinely good person who cares about their companions (e.g. when they talk with Neyrelle before the march on Caldeum). If SotM is hinting at them going down a darker path...well, time will tell, I guess.
So, yeah. As a piece of seasonal content it's...fine, really. In the "great stories" thread, I put D4 in my list without reservation after completing it, Season of the Malignant is by no means up to snufff, but then, on one hand, it doesn't have to be. I can't think of any season in any game where the narrative is better than the core game (feel free to post examples if you have them). Season of Blood looks more interesting, but I don't know if I'll get straight into it. I've been playing D4 for months now, and while the experience has been about 80-90% positive, I might need a break.
-I don't know how much overlap there is between those who've played Diablo and those who've played Gears of War, but as someone in said overlap...is it just me, or are the Malignant a lot like the Lambent? You have a more grotesque spin on pre-existing monsters with associated 'growths' popping up everywhere. Still, even then, the Lambent a lot more interesting conceptually and even thematically. I know that's not fair, as the Lambent were built up over three games while the Malignant are just here for a season, but even so...
Also, that the Malignant are the result of Lilith, however indirectly, kind of feels off. D4 ends with Lilith defeated, but in the knowledge that humanity may have lost its only hope for survival against the Prime Evils. SotM plops right into things with a reminder that innocent people suffered under Lilith all the same. Which would be fine, if this was really addressed in a meaningful manner, but it isn't. And I get it, seasons are meant to be self-contained, but even so...
-I mentioned in a previous post that Cormond is boring as a character. Having completed the season...yeah, he kinda still is. He's sympathetic, sure, but still kind of boring. After coming off D4's party roster, Cormond just isn't up to snuff.
-Varshan I have little to say about as a character (since in his twisted state, he's barely a character at all), though I will give credit where it's due, his design is appropriately horrific, there's a number of moments where I was uneasy given the ambience, and he's a fun boss to fight.
-There's something that stuck with me towards the end, where Cormond tells the Wanderer that already, they're forging a legend for themselves (given the events of D4), yet they're regarded with fear and awe alike. He himself is afraid of them. None of this is new in storytelling per se, but it's done well enough here. It kind of reminds me of D3 in a sense - by the end of Act II, the Nephalem emerged to the cheering crowds of Caldeum, having defeated Belial and saved the city. It isn't until Act V that you start seeing a darker side to your player character, and even then, a lot of that is in their journal, or in assorted material. Here, it's outright stated. Overall, I would say it's well done. Still, it does raise a bit of a question, as to whether your toon is fated to meet the same fate as the D1 heroes, or get a slightly better outcome. I mentioned earlier in the difference between D3 and D4 in regards to how it handles their player characters (in D3, personalities shift in accordance with class, in D4, the personality and dialogue is the same regardless), so while D3 arguably has stronger characterization, D4 has more consistent characterization, and while the Wanderer is a bit of a blank slate, there are some things established, namely that they're a genuinely good person who cares about their companions (e.g. when they talk with Neyrelle before the march on Caldeum). If SotM is hinting at them going down a darker path...well, time will tell, I guess.
So, yeah. As a piece of seasonal content it's...fine, really. In the "great stories" thread, I put D4 in my list without reservation after completing it, Season of the Malignant is by no means up to snufff, but then, on one hand, it doesn't have to be. I can't think of any season in any game where the narrative is better than the core game (feel free to post examples if you have them). Season of Blood looks more interesting, but I don't know if I'll get straight into it. I've been playing D4 for months now, and while the experience has been about 80-90% positive, I might need a break.
