Torchlight 2 Review

Torchlight 2 is the big sequel to Torchlight, which is now available on Steam. Torchlight 2 took everything Diablo 3 did, and made it even better. With an insane amount of replay value and content, Torchlight 2 is a great deal at only $20. Is the quantity equal to the quality? Yes it is, and here is why.

When it comes to gameplay, TL2 is chocked full of possibilities and combinations to experience. There are now 4 classes to choose from in the game: Embermage (the spell caster), Berserker (barbarian), the Outlander (the gunslinger), and the Engineer (the powerhouse). My preferred class in any RPG is the mage, but in this game I was also drawn to all three other classes, and I ended up trying them all out for chunks at a time. Besides the classes there are also new pets that can be by your side; the Ferret, Chakawary, Cat, Bulldog, Hawk, Panther, and the Wolf. Your pet will fight by your side in battle, and can also carry loot as well. Not only does this make it possible to have more inventory space, but you can also send your companion back to town to sell off the loot you have given it, saving time in the long run from having to travel back and forth from battle to town.

You get experience points and reputation points from leveling up from battles/quests. The more quests you complete, the more your name gets spread across the land. This adds to the feeling that the world around you in the game is alive, with the NPCs acknowledging your accomplishments. With XP, you level up, and each time you level up, you can choose stats to increase, such as strength, dexterity, magic, and health. Alongside increasing these stats, you will get one point per level to either unlock or upgrade a new move/spell. These will be very helpful farther into the game when your default powers become less efficient in large battles. One of my main complaints, however, is the battles themselves. The animations and visuals for battling are nice, but when you are surrounded by a large mob, the explosions, magic, and other visual effects do clog up the view, which made it harder to concentrate and see what was going on.

Like in Torchlight 1, when using the controls in the game, get your mouse ready. You’ll be using the left and right mouse buttons to click almost everything. The only times I found myself pressing anything else was either when I used a special attack, a potion, or to open my inventory. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a bit of variety would have been appreciated. Aside from that, the controls were nice and simple. This makes this game easy to pick up for anyone.

The plot of the story is easy to follow. Taking place years after Torchlight 1, The Alchemist is corrupted by the evil power from the first game, and it is up to you to take up the role as a hero to stop them. The story takes place throughout three acts, and you will be pacing through a huge world to get from one place to another. Besides the main quest, there are the generic side quests, such as saving a group of hostages or even fishing. As an RPG lover I always enjoy a good story, but sadly in this game I found myself zoning out in the dialogue sequences. It was nothing special, but it was still a good plot.

The graphics and soundtrack of this game are great. I found myself in awe of the artwork of the scenery and characters, and the OST of the game was entertaining as well. Right now if you go to their website you can pick up the soundtrack for free, which is great to even listen to outside the game. The visual effects as stated above are stunning, but it does block a lot of the screen.

Torchlight 2 is a great RPG, and is easy to pick up and learn. It has an incredible amount of content, and is definitely worth the price it is currently at. The battle visuals and stereotypical plot were a slight downside, but all-in-all Torchlight 2 is a fun time to be had by all.

4/5