Torchlight II

Torchlight 2 is a hack and slash isometric role-playing game developed and published in 2012 by Runic Games. It is the sequel to Torchlight video game released in 2010. It follows the story of the original title and focuses on the Alchemist – a playable character from the previous game – which now plays the role of the main antagonist led by the corrupting power of the ancient dragon, Ordrak. The game is available on Windows, Linux, OS X, and Xbox 360 with further plans from Panic Button to release the title on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Story and Characters

Torchlight II story takes place some time after events from the first game. The ancient dragon Ordrak, who was corrupting the mysterious Ember ore and people who went into contact with it, was defeated. The source of Ordrak’s power, however, was stolen by the Alchemist, who apparently wasn’t cured of the Ember Blight. The Alchemist suspects he may not be the only one suffering from the curse, and thus plans to combine dragon’s heart with the power of the elemental guardians to destroy all the Ember and finally free himself and the others from the Ember Blight. There is one catch – elemental guardians are the key to the balance in the world, and harming the guardians may have terrible consequences. This is where the player comes in – he needs to stop the Alchemist and protect the guardians.

Gameplay and game modes

Torchlight 2 features addictive and dynamic gameplay consisting of traveling through large open areas full of enemy monsters of all kinds. This is a significant difference in comparison to Torchlight, where the whole action took place in the mines deep below the town. The player chooses his character from one of the 4 playable classes, each with 3 different skill trees, and develops it by completing a multitude of quests and by slashing through hordes of enemies. He can also choose his companion pet who will fight alongside his character, and also could be used to send to town to sell unwanted loot and buy potions or other basic items, so the character doesn’t have to run to town himself and can keep hunting.

The game can be played even after finishing the main story, thanks to the New Game Plus system. The player can start the journey all over again, retaining his character, gold, and items, but with stronger monsters awaiting to be challenged and more powerful loot to be found. There is also a long-awaited cross-platform multiplayer co-op which allows to enjoy the game together with friends regardless of the platform they’re playing on.

Reception

Torchlight II (PC) is a very good game, according to both critics’ and players’ reviews, with over 1 million copies sold in 2012. The title is generally seen by many as an upgrade to Torchlight in almost every way, taking the things that worked in the previous game, upgrading and polishing them, while adding some new mechanics to the mix.

According to gaming critics, the game does not bring much innovations to the genre – it implements the solutions widely known to RPG and hack and slash fans, but it does it incredibly well. The games’ numerous random encounters, tons of unique abilities, low price, low system requirements, and the introduction of a long-awaited multiplayer mode were also mentioned as its strengths.

Key features

• Choose one of the 4 playable classes and dive into the fantasy world with elements of steam-punk – slash through the hordes of enemies and thwart the Alchemist’s plans.
• Explore the world and discover tons of secrets and hidden content as well as numerous easter eggs related to other popular games.
• Fight alongside your trusted pet and save time spent in town by sending him back to sell your loot and ordering him to do basic shopping for you.
• Jump into New Game Plus after finishing the first playthrough – retain your character and items, and face even greater challenges.
• Enjoy a multitude of community-made mods, as the game supports Steam Workshop, where players can share their own creations.