 |
| No torches are actually required to play this game |
The first Torchlight was a well-received ARPG (the "A" stands for "Action"), although some dissenters denigrated it by calling it a "Diablo clone." Well, Runic Games is founded by members from Blizzard North, the now dissolved company that created the first two Diablo games. At the time Torchlight came out (2010), people viewed it as a tasty little snack until the main course Diablo 3 arrived. Flash forward to 2012 (hey, that's now!) and there is a wealth of hatred toward Diablo 3 that the developers (now Activision-Blizzard) probably could never have imagined. So Torchlight 2 steps up to the plate. Although the first Torchlight didn't have multiplayer, Torchlight 2 will feature both online and LAN (Local Area Network, meaning not-online) co-op play. One of the common arguments against Diablo 3 is the fact that is always has to be connected to the internet, even when you're playing single-player. Runic Games heard the outcry from Diablo fans loud and clear, and seems to be bending over backwards to accommodate their players.
Most hack'n slash isometric arpgs get lumped into the category Diablo clone, but if aany title is going to fill the shoes of the hole left in jaded fanboys' hearts of Diablo 3, it's Torchlight 2. People didn't like the skill system in Diablo 3. Torchlight 2 has the a conventional yet new take on a skill tree. People didn't like the real money auction house of Diablo 3 (although some people did, making a mint off digital goods), but those people need worry not because Torchlight 2 features no such chicanery. You almost can't mention Torchlight without mentioning Diablo, and in speaking about the second Torchlight, one almost can't mention the sequel to Diablo as a counter example either.
In the first Diablo and the first Torchlight, there is one central town, and one dungeon that you descend gradually deeper in, fighting progressively harder monsters. Eventually, you get to the bottom and beat whatever the bad monster is winning the game. But neither game is really about the last fight, it's about the loot, the grind, leveling up and equipping new gear. The art style in Torchlight 2 is still sort of cartoonish, like Diablo 3, in comparison to the gritty and dark gothic graphics of the first torchlight. The world of Torchlight is a colorful one, and it more technologically advanced than the world of Sanctuary. There are robots and guns, and I don't recall seeing any of those in any games in the Diablo franchise. In Diablo 2, and Torchlight 2, there is more than just the central town. The game sprawls out in an overworld connected via multiple towns.
But Torchlight 2 isn't a straight up clone; there is enough that is new that lets the title stand on its own. One of the welcome additions to Torchlight, the pet system, is back, and better than ever. UI improvements improve the flow of the game, such as each item taking up only a solitary inventory space.
As far as sound goes, the Torchlight series is composed by the same person that composed for Blizzard North back when they were developing Diablo 1 and Diablo 2.
Based on what I've seen so far, I"m going to have to recommend a purchase for Torchlight 2. It's only $20, can be found on steam, or on the developers own website. I will update more about my time with Torchlight 2 once I spend some more time with it. Also know, that you can get the first Torchlight for free by paying however much money you want, via the humble indie bundle.
No comments:
Post a Comment