Torchlight II

I played this through several times. Can't say that for very many games these days. It held my interest. Lots of character development options, fairly easy to grasp, can be played by someone with less dexterity on a lower level or played by a more agile player at higher levels. Some games are just plain fun. This is one of them. The graphics are fun, the mechanics are fun and responsive, the world is interesting. Not a fascinating story but then--it doesn't really need one. It's a murder hobo and lootfest, dream.

I have had this game for a couple of years now and can honestly say it has not aged one bit. Torchlight II finds a way to indirectly challenge and beat Diablo at it's own genre. Diablo II has certainly aged at both visually and mechanically, where as Diablo III does nail the smooth gameplay but suffers from a slower pace. Torchlight II has fast-paced combat and will constantly pit you against large swarms of enemies, yet it will never feel frustrating because the combat system is so well implemented and each class is so capable on their own that anyone familiar with this genre will quickly become proficient. Torchlight II hooks you with the pacing, Things happen quickly, and when the game does slow down at hubs it is satisfying since it gives the player a chance to relax and focus on their stats. The randomized areas keep things interesting through multiple fresh or new game plus playthroughs. The art style is distinct and pleasing to the eyes. I personally always like the stylized approach to the graphics in a game, since they don't age as badly as graphics that attempt realism. Enemies do become bland over time. There are a number of different enemy types, and new enemies are introduced fairly often, but in the end they are all fodder. With that said, the boss fights are well done. They are the most challenging part of the game and for good reason. They also are in a good middle area between being too easy and just being a damage sponge. Overall, this is an excellent game that deserves all the praise it receives. Here is hoping for a Torchlight III some day.

Having played both games, Torchlight II offers a bigger world and bigger story than Torchlight, with many new interesting monsters and bosses. If you liked the first game and want more, I can only recommend it. If you have not yet played the first game, start there, at the beginning of the story. So why only 4 stars? Some small but annoying gameplay changes (you can no longer upgrade the level of socketables, only the rarity, and some of your class-independent skills like Adventurer or Barter are spells now, taking up precious slots) and a generally slower pace of exploration (the environment changes slower, and you get no fresh monsters when backtracking over land). Also look up the robot sidequest before you miss parts.

Gameplay- A+ Minor issues with path finding at times, especially when trying to grab items that are higher or lower than your character. Music/Sound- A+ All perfectly atmospheric, especially the sound effects. Graphics- A It may be a little cartoony, but I find this just makes it hold up better over time. If you experience any stutter with lots of bad guys on the screen, try tweaking the shadows first and then the particles. I find these really affect performance, but the quality difference is barely noticeable in game. A note to parents of younger children, who might find it hard to play bloody games with them around. There is an option to turn off all blood in this game. Cool right? Longevity- A+ I've been playing this game since 2012 and have tried different mods before, but mostly play vanilla. I'm still not bored. There is plenty of variety in character builds. I still find equipment I've never seen before. Last night, I searched a corpse and a ghoul popped up out of it to attack me. I've never seen this happen in 6 years of playing. I really like ARPGs and have been playing them since Diablo was released. This game doesn't do too much new and since its release, basically every newer ARPG has borrowed the few new mechanics that Torchlight II added. That said, this game handles every aspect of what a good ARPG is, perfectly. I have played Path of Exile, Grim Dawn, Titan Quest, and Diablo 3 in recent years, but I always end up uninstalling those games and firing Torchlight II back up. I hope you have as great a time with this game as I have over the last six years, killing thousands of enemies, collecting all the treasure, and sending your overloaded panda pet back to town to sell every off, because you're just too busy killing even more monsters.

Torchlight 2 is a game that took what I loved about ARPG classics like Diablo 1 and 2 and modernized it while also retaining a lot of what made those early games so good. It builds on the designs of Fate and Torchlight 1, both good games that were limited in scope, and delivers a really polished product that can easily give you hundreds of hours of gameplay if you are into hitting the level cap and farming gear. To this day it remains me favorite ARPG and I hope Runic gives us a Torchlight 3 after putting out their next game Hob.