Released October 2009, Torchlight was a fantastic Action-RPG that surprised many gamers by its similarities to the classic Diablo series. However, considering that members of the the original development team actually worked on the likes of Diablo, Diablo II, Mythos and Fate, then it’s clear to see why Torchlight invoked a sense of pure nostalgia, whilst simultaneously offering players a completely new adventure to play through.
Having received great critical success with Torchlight, it would seem only rational that Runic Games would continue to expand the game’s universe. While details of the forthcoming MMO are still scarce, Runic Games isn’t afraid to let us know what’s coming in Torchlight II:
Typical Action-RPG nonsense, then. The truth is, we don’t play these games for their attempts at story (even if they are designed to be a meta-joke), but we do play them for loot-whoring and, in the case of previous Action-RPG titles, for the co-operative play – something, unfortunately, Torchlight lacked. Thankfully, Runic Games has come prepared with Torchlight II:
If, like me, you enjoyed Torchlight but always longed to be able to play with friends, then this news should make you very pleased indeed. Of course, it wouldn’t be anything to get excited about if the only new feature was co-operative play – thankfully, Torchlight II has a whole host of new key features that should get you a little excited:
Customizable Characters – With four classes now in the fray, you can also change your character’s cosmetics and gender, along with all the standard variables - ie. Loot acquired, Armor equipped, etc. Updated ‘TorchEd’ – Torchlight II will ship with an updated version of the Torchlight editor, meaning you can create a world that’s even close to your original artistic vision. New UI – In an attempt to be more player-friendly, Torchlight II will include an updated User Interface, making it easier for you to kill those bad guys. New Overworld areas – Torchlight II has large randomized overworld areas to explore, complete with day/night cycles, weather effects and random events to keep you busy. Retirement System – Once characters are sufficiently leveled up, they can “retire” and bestow specific benefits and perks onto new characters.
All in all, Torchlight II is shaping up to be an amazing game. I was a huge fan of the original title and was pleased to see that, after it was released on Steam for Mac, I wasn’t the only one singing its praises. Admittedly, I’m most excited about the Character Customization that has been revealed for Torchlight II – my favorite aspect of World of Warcraft was the fact that it was my character performing all these miraculous feats of bravery, and when I first loaded up Torchlight, it’s an aspect I missed almost immediately. I’m also looking forward to hooking up with some of the Game Rant staff, and plowing through dungeon-after-dungeon – mainly because I’m a competitive soul, and I want to be the one with the most awesome loot at the end of it.
What about you, readers? Are you excited for Torchlight II? Were you a fan of the original Torchlight? Let us know in the comments below.
