Make no mistake, Torchlight 2 is nothing revolutionary. The deep class customization and richly detailed world give Torchlight 2 a personality all its own, with the compulsion to explore and find new loot as strong as ever. While Diablo 3 is inarguably the bigger name in dungeon crawling action this year, it would be a mistake to write off Torchlight 2. Though there are still the occasional server connection issues, the multiplayer experience is fantastic overall, as players bring their customized characters online and find new uses for their skills that can complement each class. Co-op servers are nicely customizable, letting users set the number of players and character levels allowed. Up to six players can join forces through Runic's matchmaking service, which helps tremendously in taking down the swarms of enemies you will face. Of course, adventuring is always better with a friend, and co-operative play is where Torchlight 2 shines. But those who weren't weaned on Diablo may be puzzled by the lack of direct control over their hero.
Genre purists will see this point of contention as utter blasphemy, and are free to read it as a strong endorsement for the game's adherence to convention. Holding the shift key can plant your hero in place, which helps the issue, but is far from an ideal solution.Ĭonsidering the fantastic work Runic did in adapting the first Torchlight for controllers on Xbox Live Arcade in 2011, it is saddening to not see a similar control scheme, either through a controller or a WASD-like layout, as an option in the sequel. This is especially noticeable when it comes to ranged classes like the outlander or embermage, where a missed click can accidentally send your hero charging into a ravenous enemy mob instead of attacking from afar as intended. This control scheme still works, but is beginning to show its age as it straddles the line between classic and archaic. For many fans, this is exactly what they crave, as they click to move, click to attack, click to open chests, click to do essentially everything.
While busywork and backtracking are nearly cut out entirely Torchlight 2 clings to the click, click, click gameplay that, for better or worse, has defined the genre for over a decade. Your constant companion will not only fight alongside you, but can serve as a pack mule to sell unneeded loot without disrupting your adventure by constantly returning to town. Of course, that doesn't mean the equipment's stats will always be useful, and for that the pet from the first game makes a much welcomed return. Seldom will you get stuck with equipment you can't use, as enemies will conveniently drop the armor and weapons best suited to your class of choice. Speaking of loot, Torchlight 2 smartly scales the items you find based on your class. Each area is large in its own right, but also plays host to numerous dungeons and hidden caverns to explore for side-quests and the ever-valuable loot. Unlike the first game which had players descending level after level into a randomly generated mine, Torchlight 2 features sprawling environments that radiate outward, spanning forests, deserts, a snowy tundra and more. The stylized art style pops on the screen, with character animations and small environmental details making the world truly come alive. While the story in Torchlight 2 is sparse, the game's world is rich with detail. Abilities are unlocked in all trees at certain levels, not based on progress through that tree, enabling a great deal of freedom to mix and match abilities and find exactly the combination to fit your play style. You can just as easily also go down a skill tree focusing on pure damage dealing or another with various hexes to hinder your foes. Of course, those descriptions are gross oversimplifications thanks to three skill trees per class.įor example, while the outlander is best with a gun in hand, one skill tree can further augment the firearms with spells ranging from poisonous bullets to finishing shots that turn defeated enemies into spectral bats that fight for you. The berserker is your speedy melee fighter and engineer summons robotic assistants while the embermage uses elemental abilities and the outlander specializes in ranged weapons.
There are four playable classes this time around, each with their own spin on classic role-playing archetypes. The original hero has become corrupted by the first game's events, and a new hero (or heroes) must step up to restore order. The story in Torchlight 2, what little there is, pays homage to the first game.