News April 25, 2026

In a column published this week, PC Gamer's Online Editor Fraser Brown has declared that he's finally enjoying Diablo 4—and the reason is surprisingly simple: he stopped trying to make it something it's not. The Dungeon Master columnist, known for deep RPG analysis, spent considerable time with Blizzard's action-RPG ahead of the upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion and found that accepting D4's streamlined approach rather than comparing it to more complex alternatives transformed his experience entirely.

Brown had previously bounced off Diablo 4's campaign in favor of seasonal content, finding the game 'boring' compared to both Diablo 3's character progression and Path of Exile's bold ARPG experimentation. While he never thought D4 was terrible—praising its aesthetics as more in line with Diablo 1 and 2, and noting that Lilith and Mephisto make compelling villains—the lack of compelling buildcrafting left him without a reason to continue playing.

What Changed

Brown describes his shift in approach as embracing what he calls 'laziness' when approaching the game. Instead of wishing D4 matched Path of Exile's complexity or Last Epoch's skill tree experimentation, Brown resigned himself to enjoying the experience on its own terms. He adopted a popular Sorcerer build featuring three flaming rays that cause enemies to explode, relying on solid crafting to refine his gear while simply 'clicking things and watching them die.' The column notes this approach requires no dedicated theorycrafting sessions or entire evenings spent optimizing builds.

The current seasonal content also factors into Brown's renewed enjoyment. Diablo 4's ongoing season allows players to temporarily play as the Butcher character, an experience Brown describes as 'immensely fun'—running around obliterating enemies with meathooks and incineration effects for a few minutes at a time.

What This Means for Players

Brown's perspective offers an alternative framework for players who may have struggled to connect with Diablo 4. His argument suggests that the game's simplified build systems, which previously drew criticism compared to competitors, can function as a feature rather than a limitation. For players seeking a 'smooth power fantasy' without deep investment in theorycrafting, D4's current state provides accessible entertainment.

The column also highlights how D4 differs from games like Path of Exile, where Brown notes that following build guides or creating original builds 'feels like you need a degree in dungeoneering.' While acknowledging PoE's 'intimidating but thrilling' depth, Brown suggests the ARPG space benefits from having both complex and accessible options available to different player types.

What's Next

Brown's column arrives as Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred approaches release. Referencing Tyler Colp's review of the upcoming expansion, Brown notes that Lord of Hatred appears set to address some buildcrafting limitations by moving more powerful effects directly into skill trees rather than requiring specific item combinations. This shift could make D4's campaign progression feel more experimental and rewarding from the outset—a change Brown compares favorably to Diablo 3's character development flexibility.

For players currently waiting for Lord of Hatred, Brown's piece suggests that enjoying Diablo 4 may be as simple as adjusting expectations and embracing what the game actually offers rather than what it lacks compared to more complex alternatives.