Torchlight 2 is the definition of a sequel; bigger, better and much more enjoyable.
Maximum Lvl = Embermage, Level 83
Positive
+ Open-world exploration and new dungeons are a much appreciated new addition
+ Addictive combat system with an endless amount of loot collecting
+ Open character customization gives plenty of options
+ Beautiful visuals, lower-than-average system requirements and costs less than €20
Negative
- Story still takes a back seat to the gameplay
The original Torchlight's success might have come at a surprise. Those thinking it may have been a mere distraction for the ever-impending Diablo III, it turned out to be a much enjoyable game undermined by limited development time. Now, Torchlight 2 rises and with a longer development time, comes an improved sequel that looks back to rather what the original had missing rather than the original's mistakes and builds upon a solid foundation. Torchlight 2 is the meaning of a direct sequel; bigger and better, and Runic Games did a successful job at focusing on its original's reception
The original Torchlight will most certainly not be remembered for its story, and this sequel kicks off some years after, where one of the original protagonists and playable character, The Alchemist is corrupted by the Heart of Ordrak and seeks to disturb the balance of the guardians. You, as one of the four available classes are tasked to stop him. Taking one of the previous protagonists and making him the villain is a pretty neat idea, for a story that is once again fails to be captivating or memorable. So much that you would only want to move forward just to keep playing the actual gameplay. There are four new classes in this sequel; the Embermage is a mage that uses elemental skills, the Outlander uses ranged weapons such as guns and bows, the Engineer is the walking tank, melee type fighter and the Berserker uses high-speed attacks. Each class is different but all can adapt to a weapon of another class up to a certain point. While exploring the new and more varied locations alone in Torchlight 2, the biggest addition of this improved sequel is the co-op multiplayer. Up to 6 players LAN and online, players can team up and play in the same world. Runic Games executes this brilliantly, even allowing players of different levels to venture in the same world, even if they are in any of the game's Three Acts. This idea can break the balance of quests and ease the game to a certain point. Furthermore, the loot is not shared. Only loot visible to you appears on your screen but you can trade with your friends anytime.
The gameplay did not need a revolution and Torchlight 2 is very much like the original, meaning this sequel is built in mind for fans of the original. Using only the mouse for movements, click to move, and click on your enemy to attack and hotkeys for magic and abilities. While the game feels relatively unchanged, it is the new locations that make the difference. Where in the original, you would only go down, and down, and down, and down and further down, Torchlight 2 offers an open-world, multiple towns and a variety of different short dungeons to explore. This successfully relieves unneeded repetition from exploring the same looking dungeon, as the new ones vary in design and form, and all dungeons, even the open-world is randomly generated; meaning a dungeon in your game is in a different part of the map than that of another player. Collecting loot is still a big business in Torchlight 2, and this time around, a slightly larger inventory and more valuable items make it worth the trouble of destroying a few more enemies. You can send your trustworthy pet (which you choose in the beginning) to sell your unneeded items, and this time around, the pet can buy items from town, avoiding the unnecessary trip to town to buy healing supplies.
Gaining EXP and leveling up is another large part of Torchlight 2. After gaining enough EXP, you level up and are given the chance to improve your character without any restriction. 5 points are available to spend on strength, dexterity, vitality and focus, while another separate point allows you to unlock or upgrade skills. Yes, you can choose any available active or passive skill, without any obstruction on how to develop your character. It requires some careful planning and more so depending on which of the higher difficulty you play. For example, you can level an Embermage exclusively on Fire spells, ignoring Frost and Lightning spells completely. Regular enemies may feel like a soft wind breeze, but the occasional Champion enemy, much tougher than average enemy or Bosses at the end of dungeons can prove rather challenging. But the game is forgiving; dying does not mean game over. When you die, you are given the options to go to town for free or resurrect but go to the beginning of the dungeon but for a price. No collected items are lost fortunately. This forgiving aspect of the game is a saving grace, since you will be dying a whole lot. Side Quests are always open for those seeking some extra things to do, or simple exploring the map to find an extra dungeon. Side Quests only send you to a close dungeon, most of the time requiring you to clear it and obtain something. But you are always rewarded with new items or money in the end. Finishing the game unlocks extra maps for those who want to level further.
It is immediately evident that Torchlight 2 looks great; beautiful and varied locations populate this world, and good array of enemies to fight and other minor details shows the work Runic Games have put in this sequel. The varied and shorter dungeons, and the open-world help elevate some occasional monotony the slightly tiresome gameplay brings, because unlike the first Torchlight, you may feel the progress of advancing from stage to stage. Some new animated cutscenes, which are so rare they are forgettable, look good but feel out of place. As forgettable as the voice acting. The soundtrack is pleasant, but serving no purpose other than being there. Most of the time, you will so absorbed in combat, especially since enemies can easily fill most of your screen that you will ignore the soundtrack.
Torchlight 2 is a pretty good game, but it is its price that outshines giant AAA games. From Steam, the game is being sold at €18.99, a true bargain for a game that offers such variety. Furthermore, the system requirements are not steep. Even on average computers, there are never slowdowns, even when enemies continuously enter the screen. The draw distance is more limited than it should be, with enemies and objects sometimes appearing a little too late after being close enough to see them. The over-head camera sticks to that of the original of course, allowing zooming in and out to the player's content.
Whether Torchlight 2 outshines Blizzard's humongous Diablo III is only for the players who have played the two. If you have played the original Torchlight and have had mixed feeling, this sequel is an overall improvement while keeping the same formula. It is a big achievement, building on a solid foundation, and the additions of solid multiplayer and much more varied dungeons what were needed in the original. Torchlight 2 is what a sequel needs to be, and it appeals more than just genre fans. Anyone with a decent taste in PC gaming should consider giving Torchlight 2 to try, even if they did not play the original. You play Torchlight for its gameplay, the story's role is merely to exist and nothing more.
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Graphics = 9.0
Varied environments this time around and it is quite a pretty game.
Sound = 8.4
Fitting soundtrack, but the voice acting still meh. Nothing to remember, but nothing annoying either when fighting.
Presentation = 8.5
Animated cutscenes are good but feel out of place. Runs super smooth and cheap price.
Gameplay = 9.3
Point and click to move, point and click to kill. 4 different classes, freedom to upgrade your character at will and an avalanche of different loot. Yep, this game is awesome. It is still repetitive, but dungeons are smaller this time around.
Story = 8.4
The story still is not as interesting as everything else. The added multiplayer is great, but the single player portion is still enjoyable. A ton of replay value, even after finishing the main story.
OVERALL = 88 / 100
Torchlight 2 is the definition of a sequel; bigger, better and much more enjoyable.