Torchlight is like a less serious Diablo, or Diablo is on steroids and this game is what normal looks like. Not Bad.
For example, in Torchlight you have a pet that is your constant companion--following you wherever you go, leveling up when you do, carrying inventory like you do, and even with the ability to learn a few spells and carry charms and rings to increase various character strengths. While a single inventory may be frustrating the addition of this extra inventory space with the pet is nice. But, as if determined to resolve in some way the inventory frustrations that have waylaid RPG gamers for years when they find themselves too far from an established portal or waygate, the designers of Torchlight gave your pet the ability to travel back to the town independent of you to "sell" its inventory. This spares the tedious trips back and forth from the depths of the earth as the player amasses treasures. This use of the pet is one way in which Torchlight well separates itself from Diablo...its easier. While a pet selling things may seem an unbelievable concept it is not too much different from the same pet learning how to cast a fireball spell (a personal favorite). These elements show how Torchlight is designed to appeal to a wider age group, making 'light' the dark that is so often pervasive in similar games.
As you level up and descend you meet a variety of critters both large and small, important and unimportant that aid you in your quest for leveling up. Particularly bad guys often give you fame status, which does not affect much in game play, but is nonetheless rewarding. The storyline itself revolves around the town of Torchlight, a mining town that has found itself beset by strange malicious creatures. The interesting thing is that these same creatures and mishaps that have been occurring are related to the element ember which is being mined for. In essence, the same thing the mining village thrives on has now caused them this problem. Ember, with mysterious powers that makes it quite popular as a commodity, is usually a 'pure' power. But the citizens of Torchlight have found an 'impure' vein that taints the minds of man and creature, endowing them with strange powers. Throughout the game you seek various bits of this ember for citizens of the town, as well as seeking an explanation for this ember's strange and evil effects on all things.
With leveling up you get the traditional character sheet upgrades in strength, agility, magic, etc. With fame increase you can unlock various spells or bonuses that are constantly enabled. Armor can be enchanted and some allow the addition of enchanted gems. Weapons and armor come in all varieties and effects, and the casual player will have no difficulty getting a set which suits them.
Torchlight sports a nice little soundtrack, not particularly long, but it gets the job done nicely. The graphics are decent and someone who is checking out this game after playing Diablo will immediately notice that this game is also literally lighter. There is not so much of the deep and dark as much as there is the strangely lit and mysterious in this one. Camera angles are pretty set--the player may zoom in to see close up action but there is no ability to rotate the camera--which is annoying at times when an additional angle could be useful for observing chests and treasures behind a rock wall. This locked camera angle does not much affect gameplay however. One other thing that does not affect gameplay too much is processor speed. This game is a fairly light load for most processors and even has a netbook setting for those playing on an atom processor. Expect it to run smoothly if you have a recent computer of any type.
All in all, Torchlight is an entertaining game that departs in some ways from previous RPG's, but keeping some of the same addictiveness. Unfortunately, it is fairly easy--which might actually hurt its replay ability, and since there is currently no multi-player that may not change. Yet, it is fun and probably worth 20 hours of entertainment or so. Since there are three classes of characters to play as (yes, only three) perhaps that 20 hour figure could be tripled? Regardless, it is a fun and light game that is entertaining enough and sufficiently without bugs to be worth the money to play through. Check it out.