Diablo 4's Surprising Malignant: A Game-Changer Emerges!

Highlights

The Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4 unveils an innovative manifestation of corruption and introduces a plethora of new adversary variants, thus amplifying the game's content for an extended period.

In their endeavors, players are entrusted with halting the sudden outbreak of the enigmatic Malignant infection that occurred post the main campaign, devoid of any prior hint or narrative setup.

The game's story could have provided hints or an introduction to the Malignant prior to its sudden appearance, enhancing the overall narrative connection.

Following a month of defeating Lilith and her forces, players of Diablo 4 are now faced with a fresh and formidable challenge. The Season of the Malignant introduces a different kind of corruption, novel enemy variants, unique items, and captivating new stories to delve into. This expansion of Sanctuary offers thrilling avenues for exploration and promises months of exciting content. However, the entire concept also seems to emerge unexpectedly.

Diablo 4 Never Set Up the Malignant

The campaign in Diablo 4 revolves around the relentless pursuit to thwart Lilith's grand ambitions. Players embark on a thrilling journey through the vast lands of Sanctuary, battling hordes of demons, encountering captivating individuals, and even venturing into the depths of Hell to impede her nefarious plans. While it stands as one of the most compelling narratives in the Diablo series, it curiously omits any mention of the rampant and formidable Malignant corruption currently plaguing Sanctuary. The sudden emergence of this obscure concept appears peculiar, leaving players questioning the rationale behind its inclusion.

Following the conclusion of the main campaign, The Season of the Malignant ensues, revealing a fresh manifestation of corruption in the realm of Sanctuary. This wicked plague is rapidly disseminating across the landscape, distorting the environment and manipulating creatures to its whims. As a result, menacing Malignant Monsters have emerged, along with contagious spores that necessitate the intervention of the player. Teaming up with newcomer Cormond, players from all corners of the world must unite for the next few months to eradicate this infection and safeguard Sanctuary from its pernicious influences.

The new Malignant infection, rumored to be a manifestation of Lilith's corruption, mysteriously emerges without any foreshadowing in the main storyline. In order to access the seasonal content, players must first complete the main story, after which the new quest line seamlessly continues from where the campaign left off. At this point, Lilith has been defeated, Neyrelle has fled, and Sanctuary appears to be relatively secure. However, everything takes an unexpected turn when the Malignant suddenly appears, altering the situation once again.

Considering the significance of the Malignant, its absence from the main storyline is rather perplexing. Throughout the campaign, there are no indications or discussions regarding the existence of such an infection or its gradual spread. The entire focus of the story revolves solely around stopping Lilith, making the introduction of this infection seem completely unrelated and disconnected. Without any groundwork laid in the story, the Malignant feels unsupported and its threat appears insignificant compared to that of Lilith.

While it is not necessary for every story element to be set up beforehand, it would have been preferable if Diablo 4 had provided some hints about the existence of the Malignant before surprising players with its introduction. Even a questline in the pre-patch could have contributed to expanding its lore before its appearance one month after the game's launch. The mystery surrounding the Malignant is intriguing, but it could have been significantly strengthened with a more substantial narrative. Diablo 4 is accessible on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.