A forgotten classic.
It’s been a long time coming. Torchlight II is finally on consoles, and for those craving that action-RPG fix, it might finally be time to retire Diablo III. It is no secret that everyone has been chasing Blizzard’s masterpiece for years. Torchlight has a lot in common with the aforementioned game, not only in style, but in legacy. The developers of Torchlight are made up of some of the same team that worked at Blizzard on the classic franchise. Torchlight II originally released in 2012, and now seven years later console players can finally see what all the fuss is about.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
While I mention this game in the same breath as Blizzard’s classic, it is still a pretty standard game in the genre. It has a few innovations, but for the most part it just manages to do everything that others that copy the formula attempt, it just does them with perfection. Everything is finely tuned. The dungeons are interesting, the loot drops are drip-fed perfectly, and it is just paced perfectly. Probably its biggest innovation is the pet system. Every character gets to choose a pet companion. Not only do they fight alongside our heroes, but they are also able to be used to take items to town to sell, even when out adventuring. Seriously, every loot-driven game needs this system.
Yes this is a seven-year old game so the big story here is the porting job. Bringing a game like this to consoles has become pretty standard fare, and this one is no exception. Character movement feels good and the frame rate holds up on Xbox One. What I love about Torchlight is the outlandish art style. It is interesting that this looks more akin to other Blizzard games such as Overwatch and World of Warcraft, while also being so comparable to another of its games. There are also UI and menu tweaks to fit the console versions. This is a great package and it comes at a wonderfully low price for the amount of content included.
One area that Torchlight falls short is its content. The main adventure is bulky enough and the procedurally generated dungeons make subsequent playthroughs feel fresh, there just isn’t anything outside of it. It is a shame really, as the game begs for multiple modes. The loot does keep me coming back for more though. I also don’t expect a lot of support considering the original developers are now defunct. This seems like a “because we can” port which this generation has been known for. That is fine though, because a whole new audience gets to experience this amazing action-RPG.
There is not a whole lot to talk about with Torchlight II. It is a phenomenal game that has taken far too long to bring to consoles. It came and went with little fanfare, which is a shame. Outside of Diablo III this is probably the best action-RPG currently available anywhere. Do not miss out on this exemplary title. It is a shame that the new Torchlight is not a continuation of the formula, but considering the quality of the first two games I will give anything bearing the namesake a shot.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
