14 DAY TRIAL // While most RPG fans are currently busy with Blizzard’s Diablo 3, Runic Games has been running the beta stage of its upcoming Torchlight II title.
Promising to deliver a great dungeon crawling experience, but without some of Diablo 3’s downsides – like the mandatory online connection or the real-money auction house – Torchlight 2 is definitely looking like a great game, especially since it supports local multiplayer and is priced much lower than Blizzard’s own title.
Given the fact that the game’s beta has almost ended and most of the bugs have been squashed, it’s time to share our impressions of the RPG.
Right from the get-go, Torchlight II impresses with the visuals which, while still reminiscent of the first game, have a bit more polish and retain their stylized looks.
You first choose a character, male or female, from the four playable characters, namely the Embermage, the Berserker, the Outlander, and the Engineer, which can then be customized with an array of face designs and hairdos. After this, you can choose your loyal pet, going from dogs and cats to panthers or even bipedal lizards.
Story-wise, Torchlight II doesn’t impress that much, although the opening cinematic highlights that there’s a brand-new monster in the world of the game which needs to be defeated.
After the introduction, you’re thrown into action and begin exploring the game, fighting your way through different encounters, in classic dungeon crawling style.
Each class has different abilities and, as you begin earning XP for your actions, you can start spending talent and skill points on your character. While the talents consist of active and passive powers, the skills represent attributes like Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, and much more, so you have more customization options than in the likes of Diablo 3.
Torchlight 1 fans will see the return of certain mechanics, including fishing and, as always, the pet one, as your small animal can help you in battle and by carrying the loot you’ll uncover throughout the game’s world and dungeons.
Combat feels good, but it mostly depends on what class you choose. While the Outlander can deal damage from afar, the Berserker is great for those who want up close fighting, while the Embermage relies only on magic, and the Engineer solely on different abilities.
Overall, Torchlight II, at least judging by this final beta stage, is pretty impressive and will no doubt entertain fans of the dungeon crawler gameplay, especially since it offers features missing from Diablo 3 and costs a fraction of the price.
Sadly, Runic Games hasn’t announced a release date for the RPG, but you can expect something official to be revealed soon enough.
Until then, check out a video of gameplay from the Torchlight II beta above.