火炬之光2

Torchlight II is an action RPG in a fantasy setting. Choose a class (Mage, ranged, DPS or tank) and level it by accepting quests, clearing the map and running dungeons. The game never ends: after finishing it you get new game plus modes, with higher level enemies, and a vendor that sells maps to random dungeons. The loot is endlessly varied, coming in various rarities and has randomized stats. There are vendors, enchanters, alchemists, gem savers, and even a gambling shop. To manage all this loot, besides the inventories of your own and your pet, you have access to a personal and a shared stash, so you can even transfer items between your different characters. While the genre has quite a few legends (The Diablo series and Grim Dawn foremost) this game is the one I have played the most. I love it because the visuals are colorful, the music is enchanting, the atmosphere is game-y rather than grim and serious, and the tone is light and funny. The gameplay is absolutely addictive (gotta collect all the sets and the best unique items), the fights keep me on my toes (try the higher difficulties or even hardcore mode), the builds are very diverse and finding out which ones are good enough for elite difficulty is as challenging as you'd expect from a game in this genre. I bought the game twice, once on Steam and once on Gog, because I really think this game is a classic. Honestly, I don't understand why the developers went bankrupt, given that they made a true gem like this one. If you like aRPG's I think you should really give this a try.

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.