Back to the Dungeons

Publisher XD Games has announced that its long-in-development pseudo-sequel Torchlight: Infinite will makes its offici?al debut on PC and mobile platforms, as a free-to-play release, on May 9, 2023.

Torchlight: Infinite, the fourth release in the high-fantasy, dungeon-crawling franchise, originally released into Early Access in the fall of last year, but is now set to make its official debut next month. In alignment with the launch date, the game will enter its new season, titled "Cube of Rapacity" and bringing a major overhaul to Torchlight: Infinite's loot and crafting systems, as well as the addition of a new character, Escapist Bing, and a variety of new systems, including the powerful "Divinity Slate".

//twitter.com/torchlight_xd/status/1649871334544138243?s=2?0

Torchlight: Infinity, while carrying the Torchlight name, is not a product of the now sadly-defunct Runic Games, who created the franchise back in 2009 and would receive critical and player plaudits. This initial release would be followed by rock-solid sequel Torchlight II in 2012. Following Runic's closure in 2017, brand owners Perfect World would release inferior second sequel Torchlight III in 2020. Torchlight: Infinite, now developed by XD Inc. is a continuation of the franchise in a free-to-play PC/mobile vein, and features typical h?ack-and-slashing, dungeon-crawling action, although presented with more of a futuristic, cyber-fantasy aesthetic.

Torchlight: Infinity launches May 9 on PC, iOS and Android platforms.

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Now's the time to strike on Torchlight III if you've been waiting for a deal �it's 75 percent off

I wouldn't count Torchlight as the best �or even my favorite �series of action-RPGs, but there are a lot of warm-'n-fuzzy memories associated with these cozy games. To celebrate a dozen years on this rock (technically we're not quite there yet, as Torchlight debuted on Oct. 27, 2009), the series is ??on sale right now across Nintendo Swi??tch and PC.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1MTV4_MMt8

These deals last until Monday, October 18:

• Torchlight â€?$2.99 on Steam
• Torchlight II â€?$5.99 on Steam and Nintendo Switch
• Torchlight III â€?$9.99 on Steam and Nintendo Switch

You're probably "good" on the original game and its fan-favorite sequel after years of discounts and giveaways, but if you still need to get Torchlight II on Switch specifically, or you have been on the fence with Torchlight III at higher prices, here you go.

One potentially huge caveat with this series that I've had to double-check before in my routine couch co-op game searches: Torchlight II and III only have online co-op.

I would not recommend Torchlight III at full price, but for $10? Now that the dust has settled, I think a case could be made �just don't expect it to be "Torchlight II but bigger and better." It's pretty simple, which can be good or bad depending on your tastes and what kind of gaming mood you're in. There's a time and a place, I'd say. I don't know that they all hit the same way, but I imagine plenty of folks are preoccupied with Pillars of Eternity or Diablo II: Resurrected. Maybe you could go for something a l?ittle less... intense.

Another Runic game, Hob: The Definitive Edition, also has a Switch sale �it's $2.99.

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Light up your library

In today's contest you can win Torchlight III for Nintendo Switch!

If I coul??d stop giving a?way games, I would! Just kidding -- if I ran out of games from developers to give out, I'd probably just start giving stuff away from my personal collection. I'm an addict!

Today's we've got some Switch copies of Torchlight III to hand out! You know what to do from here.

Everyone's favor?ite dungeon crawling action-RPG is back! Torchlight III gives players four new classes -- Dusk Mage, Forged, Railmaster, and Sharpshooter -- to traipse around with completing quests, solving environmental puzzles, and of cour?se, taking down waves of enemies. Loot, perks, and upgrades are all in tow covering three story acts across a multitude of diverse environments.

This is really the kind of game yo????u know you want when you see it. And if not, hey, at least you can win it for free!

To enter to win, use the widget below to leave your name and email address. You can enter daily. Click around in there for ways to earn bonus opportunities! We've also got some keys over at Nintendo Enthusiast, so head there to cheat the system.

We have two Sw??itch NA keys to give away; our winners will be drawn Wedn?esday, November 4.

Torchlight III is available now on the Switch eShop.

Dtoid Contest: Win Torchli??ght III for Nintendo Switch

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And I do mean *light*

Some of you expressed interest in the Nintendo Switch version of Torchlight III in particular, and well, here it is, ready to be downloaded today from the eShop for $40. It's the last port out of ??the gate.

In terms of Switch-specific features, you can use the touch screen to manage your inventory and the menus, and the exclusive pet is a freaky Ashen Glittersprite. Hey, what have you got against llamas?

Not to tell you how to spend your money, but I'd probably wait for a significant sale unless you're in a ravenous mood for a lighter action-RPG that won't push back too hard or throw complicated loot your way. That lack of complexity was one of my biggest criticisms – Torchlight III feels like a step down from the eight-year-old Torchlight II – and there's just no getting?? around it. Newer isn't automatically better.

There's always the possibility that Torchlight III can get better over tim??e, but considering it already went through its Early Access phase and the updates didn't turn things around, I'm not optimistic right now.

Frankly, if you're on the fence, I'd give Minecraft Dungeons some serious thought even if you're zero percent invested in the wider Minecraft universe. Semi-related: I miss Gauntlet Dark Legacy so much.

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An oversimplified sequel

After several months in Early Access, Echtra Games is pushing Torchlight III out the door.

As a quick refresher, in my Steam Early Access review, I called Torchlight III more of a "spinoff than a numbered sequel." I said it didn't "do enough t??o enc?ourage experimentation or creativity." It's a lighter, fluffier action-RPG, one that has a place but probably won't live up to long-time fans' expectations.

Did they turn it around for the 1.0 launch? Not exactly. My overal?l impression has barely ??budged.

Torchlight III (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Echtra Games
Publisher: Perfect World Entertainment
Released: October 13, 2020 (PC, PS4, Xbox One), October 22, 2020 (Switch)
MSRP: $39.99

If you're the kind of player who got deep into Torchlight II mods or spent countless hours crafting your ideal character builds, you're almost certainly going to feel under-served in Torchlight III.

While some of the issues I faced in Early Access were tidied up – you can create an offline character if you don't want to deal with potential connection issues, and the powerful but risky removed-upon-death ?Lifebound items have become completely opti??onal – the game's core design remains the same. Echtra made a huge change to the Relic system that feels different but not necessarily better.

The story has a third act and a conclusion now – and there's a decently fun pick-your-poison escalating endgame challenge to grind out – but otherwise, I'm not that impressed. Torchlight III is okay.

It's hard to settle on the main cause for concern without just pointing to a lack of flexibility and impact, two big areas where Torchlight III misses the mark compared to its tough competition in the genre. I appreciate that most of my time in this ARPG is spent in combat rather than constantly popping back to town or chattin?g with quest-givers, but on the flip side, when that's all the game has going for it and it doesn't feel fantastic in the short- or long-term, it's tough to stay motivated. This is a fleeting game.

That said, the??re's an?? audience for a breezier, not-that-complicated action-RPG. Someone will like it.

Dusk Mage, Forged, Railmaster, and Sharpshooter are your four choices in Torchlight III, and yeah, I had to go with the m?ustachioed man who wields a large hammer and summons a roaming turret train. (I also went with the alpaca companion over the dog or owl because that's just the kind of person I am.)

Each character has two class-specific skill trees and?? a Relic subclass tree – poisonous spider minions, lightning storms, icy blasts, fireballs, and blood-fueled health regen &n?dash; that you can choose from.

Rolling a fresh Railmaster for this review, I went with the Bane relic a?gain because I enjoyed having summons that could take hits for me. But unlike before, once I chose a relic, that was it – it's a permanent part of your hero's progression and it no longer levels up independently; it uses skill points.

I can see where Ecthra was going with this change – it makes the skill-tree decisions feel more important – but that doesn't mean I like it. It took me far longer to feel powerful in this Torchlight III playthrough than it did in Early Access, and by the time I reached that point, I felt forced to stick with a setup that mostly work??ed for me even though I knew, deep down, it wasn't the best-case scenario.

Several hours in, the game wasn't handing out enough ability respec items (Respectacles) to let me freely experiment and test drive potential builds. Certain abilities don't reveal their true strength (and synergies) until you've dumped enough points in them to hi??t thresholds that unlock perks. "Saving up" points in the meantime – purposefully holding out for event??ual gains – doesn't feel very good.

I also found some bosses to be way too spongy on Hard mode – to the point where I bumped the difficulty down two notches just to keep things movin?g at a sane pace. Somewhere in Echonok (the final region and by far the most interesting of the three biomes), I took a m?ore focused approach with less spread-out abilities. My build finally clicked. I could shred elites and survive outlandish odds.

At that point, I started to consciously enjoy Torchlight III rather than mindlessly flow through it.

Th??e enemies and environments had more personality (no more goblins, skeletons, and insects!), the boss battles felt fine-tuned enough to be challenging but not an endless slog, and the loot – while not super enticing – was at least plentiful. I was relieved, but it also shouldn't have taken this long.

After wrapping up the forgettable 12-hour campaign, I tried to grind for more legendary items in the endgame challenge, Fazeer Shah's Dun-Djinn, which lets you hop into one of three semi-randomized levels with varying boons and ailments. If you survive, you can move onto the next tier and pick another level. If you fail, you'll be knocked down a peg. It's the most engaging part of Torchlight III,? and even though I'm moving on, I appreciate how condensed it is. There aren't silly hoops to jump through.

As you acquire legendary? gear throughout the game, you'll be able to equip your hero with (eventually) up to three extra passive skills that are based on the specific items you've found. You can also enhance items at your home base by dismantling unwanted? gear and rolling new affixes using the Enchanter's Alter. There's a Fame-based battle-pass-like Contract system, too, but it exists as background noise while you play normally (until you notice a purple icon on your HUD reminding you to claim rewards).

The problem is, most of the loot lacks that special "oh hell yeah" feeling of discovery. And?? the combat – well, it just doesn't feel like anything we haven't already seen before. It's arguably too surface-level.

Other criticisms from the Early Access days – including the customizable Fort system that's perfect for running errands but doesn't feel very meaningful, especially if you're ??playing solo – are still present today. Most players are going to throw down a few crucial structures (some of which can boost gear luck and elemental defense) and be done with it, returning every so often for a quick check-in.

Even if it's more stable and fleshed-out now, I can't shake the feeling that Torchlight III isn't what many of us had in mind for th?is sequel. Most of the time, it feels okay to play – not thrilling, or boring, just adequate – and knowing the game's rocky development history, it's not a mystery as to why that is.

There isn't much for me to love or hate here. Torchlight III is a slow burn, one that struggles ?to stand out like its predecessors did  back when this genre wasn't nearly as stacke?d with great competitors.

If you're down for a simpler grin?d, you might find something to latch onto, but don't count on it.

_{[This review is? based?? on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Danger Dude. But he's a dog

Tomorrow sees the official launch of epic adventure sequel Torchlight III, which is f?inally ready to open its dungeon doors after spending the past few months in Ear?ly Access.

Publisher Perfect World Entertainment has released a lengthy overview video to showc??ase the sequel's classes, customisable forts, skillsets and - most importantly - pets. Whether you enter the dungeon arme?d with crossbow, blunderbuss, or axe, accompanied by dog, wolf, owl, or... erm... alpaca, many monster-filled floors of high-adventure and glorious looting action awaits.

Torchlight III launches tomorrow, October 13, on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. It will a??rrive on Nintendo Switch later in 2020.

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ProbablyMonsters announce third studio

ProbablyMonsters, a company that scouts and establishes game development studios, has announced that it is in the process of putting together a brand new team. This as-yet-unnamed outfit is staffed by developers who have previously worked on popular franchises such as Borderlands and Torchlight.

Among the key players included in this new venture are Runic Games founders John Dunbar and Marsh Lefler, Borderlands level designer Patrick Blank, and former Perfect World developer Allen Fong. As a unit, these four individuals had instrumental roles in the production of 2009 fantasy RPG Torchlight.

The new studio is the third company to be established under the ProbablyMonsters umbrella, following Cauldron Studios and Firewalk Studios, and is already in the early stages of preparing its first title: a co-op RPG developed for next-gen platforms. ProbablyMonsters st??ates that the new studio already has a workforce of over 150 people. The team are planning to move into new headquarters in Washington once it is deemed safe to do so, given the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

ProbablyMonsters establishes third studio [Gematsu]

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I like the Railmaster, but Torchlight II is a tough act to follow

Torchlight III didn't manage to get its hooks in me, so after the initial Early Access push on PC, I decided to step back and wait for big changes lead?ing up to the 1.0 launch. Surprisingly, it's almost time.

Echtra Games is releasing the completed version of Torchlight III on October 13 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with further plans for Nintendo Switch penciled in for "later this year." It'll be $40.

From what I've seen, the studio has done a good job of listening to fans and making changes whenever and wherever it can. The story is finished with all three acts, there's an endgame and Contracts to grind, and equippable Relics were revamped to be a more mea?ningful and permanent part of character builds.

Is it enough? I'm not so sure. I'll want to start a fresh save with 1.0, but on?? paper at least, I'm expecting a more compelling and fleshed-out?? ARPG experience than what we got at the start of Early Access.

That said, Torchlight III is going to have a tough time living up to its name. Big shoes ?to fill.

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Lighthearted dungeon looting with friends sure sounds cozy

Almost eight years after release, Torchlight II doesn't feel quite as fresh, but the action-RPG hasn't lost its comfy, easy-to-slip-into edge. It still holds up in 2020. It's still worth playing even though there's a Torchlight III now. It's one of those games that deserves a spot in everyone's P??C gaming l??ibrary.

If you've avoided Torchlight II this whole time, more than anything, I'm impressed – and you can get it for free, so props to you. The game is free to claim and keep on the Epic Games Store until July 23, 2020. The biggest hurdle?? Figuring out which pet to keep. I'm an alpaca guy. Always have been.

It's just the one freebie this week, but next week, from July 23 to July 30, the Epic Games Store will have Next Up Hero (a more recent dungeon-crawler) and Tacoma (Fullbright's latest) for free.

I can't believe I haven't played Tacoma yet. What'll it take to convince you, brain?

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More of a side-step than a full sequel

I didn't expect to be playing Torchlight III so soon, and definitely not in Early Access, but here we are. Well, here some of us are. After a surprise release over the weekend, the dust has settled. It's playa?ble.

One glance at the Steam user reviews paints a grim picture; that's what happens when a (currently) online-only sequel to a popular series comes out of the gate with server issues. For my part, I didn't start playing Torchlight III until Monday – by that point, at least for me, the c?onnection issues weren't as prevalent &ndash??; but I still faced a few way-too-long loading screens that kicked me back to the menu.

The thing is, it's not just disconnects. While I initially thought people were being t??oo hard on the game (and some of the knee-jerk re?actions undoubtedly were), there are also fundamental design concerns.

Is Torchlight III worth playing yet? For most people – even longtime fans &??ndash; probably no??t.

Torchlight III (PC)
Developer: Echtra Games
Publisher: Perfect World Entertainment
Released: June 13, 2020 (Steam Early Access)
MSRP: $29.99

Before I go any further, it's worth pointing out that an account/character wipe is planned once the Steam Early Access period nears its end, so if that's a deal-breaker for you, feel free to peace out. That huge caveat would normally be too big of a hurdle to overlook, but I will say that Torchlight III falls on the lighter, fl?uffier side of the action-RPG spectrum, so it won't be quite as heartbreaking to say goodbye.

Besides! It gives me a chance to try someone other than the train-building, hammer-smashing Railmaster at launch. The robotic Forged, arrow-slinging Sharpshooter, and light/dark spell-casti??ng Dusk Mage will just have to hang tight. One wiped character is all I can handle, even for a review.

The story has three acts – although only two are playable right now, and some of the illustrated cutscenes are unfinished in a storyboard-w??ith-voice-overs sorta way – but you aren't going to (or at least shouldn't) play this game for its narrative. Evil is afoot and you'r??e going to click until it stops.

Instead, if anything, play it for the soothingly mindless action-RPG combat. Play it for the item-hauling llamas and dog??s. Play it for the chance to summon a bi?g poisonous spider and a cluster of baby spiders.

I can't stress enough that if you're coming in expecting an expanded take on Torchlight II's ARPG combat or character builds, you're bound to be underwhelmed sooner than later. Classes?? have two main skill trees, and a skill can be powered up a maximum of ten times. As you invest points into skills, they'll hit new "tiers" (thresholds) every so often that'll make them more potent or versatile with added perks.

For?? example, my decked-out turret train improved its attack speed and added piercing bullets, while my Hammer Spin skill provides a short movement speed and shield boost. All told, as the Railmaster, I could have 14 possible skills if I wanted to be a jack?? of all trades (but I prioritized train-related skills).

That's all fine in theory for a more casual, laid-back game. In practice, I found a playstyle I liked early on and it rarely evolved in a meaningful way.? Rising n?umbers aren't enough of a motivator on their own.

Generally speaking, for better or worse, Torchlight III is streamli?ned, accessible, and quick to the point. There's very little downtime in or out of menus. Respecs are possible, but they're meant to be infrequent, and the most dynamic change to combat comes from Relic Skills. They're the best bit by far.

Relics are gear items that you'll craft using boss-dropped Ember Cores?? and level up independently. They have their own skills – most of which are passive and won't sit on your limited hotbar – and they're powerful enough to warrant a long "ultimate attack"-style cooldown once they're triggered. I went all-in on the poison-spewing Bane relic (no regrets!), but you might summon a fiery sword or lightning storm.

The last tab on a character's Skills page, The Legendarium, is a way to add (up to three) bonus passive skills to your hack-and-slash adventurer by breaking down Legendary items at an Enchanter's Altar. It's something to strive for, and the same goes for personalized Forts in general. Torchlight III sets aside an account-wide sp?ace for players to customize. It's a neat idea in theory – I like sacrificing unwanted gear to a tree to improve my luck – but the base-building system comes across as an afterthought. I think most players will put in the bare minimum effort since that's all you really need for practical benefits.

The level layouts – and even the world map screen, for that matter – also fe??el like a holdover from a prior vision. I dig the art direction, but there's a sense of repetition and linearity that doesn't do the game any favors. The corridor-esq??ue zones bleed into each other in an uninspiring way.

After a dozen or so hours of Torchlight III, I hate to say, I've pretty much had my fill. Depth – or at least the perception of depth – is sorely missed. The game doesn't do enough to encourage experimentation or creativity. As much as I can ??see the appeal of a straightforward action-RPG when I'm feeling overwhelmed, the loot grind isn't enticing enough and skill customization l??acks long-term hooks.

Technical issues are unfortunate, but they come with the Early Access territory. I can deal with the occasional stuck-in-place enemy, buggy UI elements, the promise of a third act and endgame, and moments of chaotic lag, all of which I expect will be addressed in updates. I'm much less forgiving when the basic pitch – the core design of Torchlight III?? – feels more like a spinoff ??than a numbered sequel.

It's no secret that Torchlight III was previously developed as a free-to-play game called Torchlight Frontiers before Echtra pivoted the project and changed its name. I don't necessarily feel that full meandering history when I play Torchlight III, b??ut I can se?nse that the game went through the wringer.

How much further Echtra can expand and refine this game remains to be seen. For now, at the onset of Early Access, Torchlight III is incredibly okay. I'm no?t convinced that's enough to stand out in 2020.

_{[This scoreless re??view is based on an Early Access build of the game provided by the publishe?r.]}

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Announced at the PC Gaming Show

Announced by way of the PC Gaming Show, Torchlight III (which was recently completely overhauled and is still assigned a "TBA" release date) will come to Early Access today on Steam for $29.99.

Developer Echtra Games explains that the game will remain in Early Access for "several months," as we wait for the full rele??ase, which is still scheduled for 2020. Four characters are available, and once the Early Access period is over, all data will be erased to make way for the live edition.

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It's a side activity, but I'm already obsessed

I get the feeling that Torchlight III is going to hit at exactly the right moment for me. Anticipation is bubbling. Ever since the developers course-corrected away from Torchlight Frontiers??, I've had a renewed interest, and the latest tidbit – the ability to build your own personal fort – speaks to me.

Echtra Games went over Torchlight III's fort-building system in a blog post today – it's unlocked in Act I, it's account-wide, and isn't purely cosmetic (though that's naturally a big part of it). As you play the game, you'll earn new decorations in quests and contracts, and you can place objects – including stuff you craft – "anywhere at ??any time you want within your fort's protective walls." Here's one example:

Forts are "the perfect place to enhance your characters, show off your loot and collections, store items, and visit with party members. Some structures are interactable and will serve invaluable to your character's growth and progress throughout the game." For instance, a Luck Tree can "bestow its blessing on fellow fortune-seekers" and an Enchanting Station can be used to share r??ecipes.

T??he developers also mentioned that there will be "gameplay-enhancing buildings." Music to my ears!

I love any game that lets me deck ou??t a home, town, or base as I play. I'm gonna obsess over forts, especially knowing that I can get contribute with all of my characters, not just the first ??class I pick.

Torchlight III is head?in?g to Steam sometime in 2020. My index finger is all ready to go.

The post I can’t wait to build up my fort in Torchlight III appeared first on Destructoid.

Remember, the game isn't free-to-play anymore

[Update: The new framerate-improved trailer is up! Watch it bel??ow.]

Just a few months ago, we were thankfully spared the pain of Torchlight III (known then as Torchlight Frontiers) becoming a free-to-play game that was seemingly oriented around endless grinds. Now, it's a true successor to the previous Torchlight e?ntries and actually has an end: plus it can be played ??offline!

Now we're starting to get a clearer picture of what this no-release-window game has to offer. Perfect World Entertainment just released a new trail??er for the Sharpshooter class, which is clearly based on the Amazons of old aRPG fame (bow and all). They join the Dusk Mage, Forged and Railmaster classes. If you want, you can play the Sharpshooter now in the closed alpha on Steam.

Weirdly, the below clip for the class is rendered with a really low resolution, which the Torchlight team eventually had to acknowledge on their YouTube account: "Hey Torchlight fans! We're working on rendering out another version of this trail??er that resolves the frame rate i?ssues. Be on the lookout for the new trailer in the next couple of days!"

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New pets are ready for your shop-sending needs

Arc Games has released a new update for the console edition of dungeon crawler Torchlight II. Along with a run of bugs fixes and stability improvements, the ne??w patch - live in-game right now - adds three fun new pets to accompany you on your journey into the murky depths.

The three new pets are a woolly muskox (apparently an actual, real animal), a surprisingly cheerful-looking reindeer and, my personal favourite, a somewhat out-of-place seal. This menagerie will bravely follow your hero as they hack their way through Torchlight II's teeming sea of monsters, c??arrying your gear and juicy loot and willing to skip to the local store to sell off some of your unwanted baggage.

In addition to the new pets, the new patch has rebuilt the UI on the Skills screen, adding demonstration videos for the available abilities. For the budding alchemists among you, a new selection of Transmutation Recipes has also been added, allowing you to turn gems, weapons, and shards into powerful new items. For full details on the new update, visit the official Arc site right here.

Torchlight II is available now on PS4, PC, ??Xbox One, and N??intendo Switch.

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'The true sequel it was always meant to be'

Torchlight Frontiers took on an unconventional name because it was an unconventional take on the Torchlight series. The third Torchlight still leaned into its Diablo-like action RPG sensibilities, but it also marked a departure of sorts from what people expected from another sequel. Frontiers would pursue new angles like a free-to-play model, an MMO-like structure, and leveling that focused on aggregate gear and item stats rather than the?? character.

All of that was not meant to be. After years of development and alpha testing, developer Echtra Games has reverted back to what fans expected all along. Torchlight Frontiers has been renamed Torchlight III, making it the ??official third main-line game in the series.

Echtra CEO Max Schaefer says "During development, you often discover what type of product?? a game was meant to be an??d we found Torchlight Frontiers was meant to be a true successor to Torchlight I and II. Based on this and extensive feedback from our alpha testers, we decided it was time to take the ga??me back to its roots and model it after the?? classic Torchlight games that ARPG fans have come to love."

Alongside the rebranding, Torchlight III seemingly drops nearly all the experimentation that Frontiers dabbled in. Echtra mentions that Torchlight III now follows a linear act-based structure. It's no longer MMO-like, as most combat zones are private areas where cooperative parties can fight alongside each other; the only public zones/social spaces are towns. Because of this change, Torchlight III can now be played either online or offline.

Also of note, leveling no longer revolved around combined item score, which served as a solution for scaling players to the level of the people they were playing with. Progression will be retooled to be more aligned with the previous Torchlight games.

Most crucially, Torchlight III is no longer free-to-play. It's now a "premium" paid-for game, and all in-game microtransactions are being removed. Torchlight III will be sold on Steam, and it's tentatively set to launch sometime this summer at an unspecified price. Console ports are expected shortly after; PS4 and Xbox One were always planned, but maybe Switch is in the mix too after Torchlight II was ported to Nintendo's system last fall.

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Hmm, what could it be?

Torchlight II is a total blur to me at this point, and that means I'm liable to double-dip for the upcoming console ports. The enduring action-RPG will make its way to PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in September with platform-exclusive pets. Clearly, someone's onto me – they know what I care about.

There are actually four different pets dependi?ng on when and where you nab ??the game.

The PlayStation 4 version will have the Faerie, the Xbox One edition will have the Molten Imp, and the Nintendo Switch port is staying secretive until this summer. Are we in for a Nintendo guest spot? I can already picture Panic Button borrowing an enemy from The Legend of Zelda. I'll take a cute lil Octorok!

The fourth exclusive pet, Yapper, is set aside for folks who pre-order Torchlight II.

I get the distinct feeling that I'll end up with the Switch version. That's already the direction I was leaning toward – I prefer multi-tasking with action-RPGs – so all they have to do is top that imp.

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A lootin' we will go

Developer Panic Button and publisher Perfect World Entertainment have some great news for Torchlight fans today, as they have announced that Runic's dungeon-crawling sequel Torchlight II will be coming to consoles in just a few short ?months.

Originally launching on PC back in 2012 (yep, that long ago), Torchlight II invites adventure-seekers to pick their way through multiple randomly-generated dungeons as one of four unique classes. Choosing either the steampunk-powered Engineer, animal-loving Beserker, master of the arcane arts; the Embermage or the mysterious range O??utlander. Players will work their way through increasingly difficult s??tages, bagging new weapons, gear and loot while fending out unfathomable swarms of beasties.

Torchlight II for consoles will include multiplayer support, allowing for players and their pals to ex?plore the colourful fantasy world of Vilderan together. These new console ports will feature overhauled controls, a new targeting system and some exclusive new pets to accompany you on your endless quest for loot and ??glory.

Torchlight II launc??hes on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch September 3.

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Probably including Switch

I'd have a tough time passing on the action-RPG Torchlight II if it were to come to Nintendo Switch, and I bet that sentiment is shared by a not-insignificant number of Switch owners. This week, Perfect World announced that Panic Button is bringing?? the game to consoles thi?s fall with an "enhanced version."

The team has previously brought games like Wolfenstein II and Doom to Nintendo Switch to great effect, and in the near future, Panic Button will launch a port of another title from the Runic Games library: Hob. The adventure game will pop up on th??e Nintendo eShop for $19.99 on April 4, 2019.

Hob: The Definitive Edition will be a Switch exclusive and it's touting touch-screen controls, UI upda??tes, quality-of-life enhancements, HD Rumble support, and more camera control options.

The Torchlight II news is weird??ly vague, but given who's involved, a Switch po?rt feels inevitable.

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Now it's clicking for me

Okay, Torchlight Frontiers looks really good. While talk of a shared, persistent world had me slightly interested in the 2019 action-RPG title, the recent announcement trailer did absolutely nothing for me. This latest footage makes a much better case for Frontiers. It's a no-nonsense look at gameplay.

There's a lot to speculate on since the footage isn't annotated, but right now, I'm fixated on a character who can seemingly lay down tracks for their turret train. That's my jam right there. We've also got a whirling and twirling automaton and a spellcaster who can? swat at foes with a big magical hand.

Everything looks so vibrant and punchy. I'm into it! If there are any concerns on my mind at this point, they have nothing to do with the look and feel of Torchlight Frontiers, which Echtra Games seems to be nailing. As we inch toward 2019, I'll be curious t?o hear about pricing. It's Perfect World, after all.

You can sign up for the beta right here if you're so inclined.

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Rekindle the flame!

When developer Runic Games closed its doors last year, I'm sure many fans weren't expecting to hear about another Torchlight in the future. Publisher Perfect World Entertainment didn't deny the existence of a sequel, but it seemed likely that it would pass over the Diablo-inspired game to focus on other projects. Out of the blue, Perfect World has announced that Torchlight Frontiers is in development and will be c??oming to PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

In a surprising twist of fate, previous Runic Games CEO Max Schaefer will be working on Frontiers alongside some of his old colleagues. It makes you wonder why Runic Games was even shuttered if this new studio is basic?ally the same team.

As for how the game will evolve the tried and true Diablo formula, there isn't much information available. The announcement trailer shows off a more cartoonish art style but gives zero hints of any mechanics or systems in play. The YouTube trailer description does mention a "persistent and dynamically generated world," which could mean procedural generation. At the very least, this certainly will be a Torchlight game.

Torchlight Frontiers - Official Announcement Trailer [Play Torchlight via YouTube]

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Right on the heels of Motiga

Less than 24 hours after we received word that Gigantic developer Motiga was being shuttered by Perfect World, another Seattle-based studio suffers a similar fate. Runic Games, the developer behind the Torchlight series and the recently-released Hob, has also be closed.

Runic head Marsh Lefler announced the news on the front page of Runic's website, confirming that the company was coming to an end after a nine-year run. Parent company Perfect World sent us this statement, which addresses both Motiga and??? Runic:

Following the news that Motiga has reduced the staff of its studio, Perfect World Entertainment can confirm that as the publisher of Gigantic, the game will continue to be available on our plat?forms. A core team of developers remains at Motiga, who will work wit??h us to support the game and its players, including moving full steam ahead with the upcoming November update and future content. We cannot thank everyone enough for their contributions in making Gigantic the outstanding experience it is today.

Perfect World Entertainment recently closed the Seattle office of Runic Games as part of the company's continued strategy to focus on online games as a service. We're grateful to the team for all of their hard work bringing incredible experiences like Torchlight, Torchlight II and Hob to life. Runic Games will remain a part of Perfect World Entertainment's portfolio of studios, and its games will continue to be available to players, as we stay committed to supporting and growing Runic Games' beloved? franchises.

??The staff reduction at Motiga and the closure of Runic Games Seattle were unrelated. Perfect World Entertainment stands ??committed to delivering the best massively multiplayer online gameplay experiences to our players.

We haven't seen the end of either Torchlight or Gigantic, but the people who created those games largely won't be the ones who continue to support them. It has been a rough week for Perfect Wo??rld-owned studios. Our best wishes go out to everyone who was affected by these layoffs.

Runic Games [Runic Games]

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Releasing Monday, February 2

You mean to tell me 2012's action-RPG Torchlight II ?i??sn't already available for Mac? Oh. I see. Well, props to Runic Games for not abandoning the task, then. Maybe I'll play it on my next flight.

The Mac version of Torchlight II hits Steam on Monday. This solemn trailer says as much, but you'll still want to stick around for Falcor the Papillion. Be still, my heart. I'm also fond of Runic's official?? announcement email for the release date, viewable below. ?*Spooky scary skeleton warning*

The post Years later, Torchlig??ht II is almost ready for Mac appeared first on Destructoid.

You should definitely play it

Torchlight II is still chugging along, and this weekend, you can play it for free on Steam. Said free weekend starts now, and ends on Sunday at 1PM Pacific. I never really got all that into Torchlight II, but it's a real??ly great game, and any dungeon craw?ler fan owes it to themselves to try it.

Give it a go this weekend, and if you enjoy it, at least grab it on a Steam sale -- you won't regret it. Like, you know, this sale this weekend, where it's 75% off.

Free Weekend - Torchlight II [Steam]

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Runic CEO Max Schafer is excited

Runic CEO Max Schafer has announced today that Torchlight II has reached two million sales -- nice! In addition to a few celebratory comments on sales, Shafer adds, "I'd just like to say a big thank you to all the players who offered their suggestions on what we could improve, and who stuck with us and supported us during development. It wouldn't ?have been possible without you, and we're humbled and grateful at your response."

For reference, the original Torchlight sold one million copies in its first two years -- a number Torchlight II surpassed in 10 months. Because I'm capable of playing more than one game in any given genre, I enjoyed my time with both Torchlight II and Diablo III (remember how there was a huge war where people disparaged either game?), and it see?ms like proportionally, they were both successes -- which is great news for dungeon crawler fans.

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Add this to your library

Runic Games' action-RPG Torchlight is free for 48 hours on GOG.com as part of a "#NoDRM" promotion. If you've somehow managed to avoid the game all these years -- impressive work -- you might as well take part. The offer lasts until Thursday, June 20 at 12:59pm GMT. Go get it!

Elsewhere in the sale, some 500 games are half price until July 5. That's to say nothing of the daily deals, which go even further with the discounts; today's offers are a Dungeons and Dragons bundle for $21.10 and an Alan Wake bundle for $4.48. Need to resist the urge to buy a bunch of games I remember fondly? but realistically won't play much.

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Steam Workshop integration is music to my ears

After what feels like forever, the Torchlight II mod tools, nicknamed GUTS, have finally been released. In order to access the GUTS editor, simply go to your install folder and open up the "Editor" executable. Since modding is a pretty complex and usually overwhelming task, Runic has set up a GUTS wiki to help out an?yone looking to create t??????????????????????????heir own mod.

There is also Steam Workshop integration, and players are able to publish their mods to the Workshop straight from the editor itself. Runic has already put up two mods of their own: a Respec Potion mod and an Eight Player Multiplayer mod -- how great is that?! There's a new post up on their blog detailing the GUTS system, along with ??a Q&A with some of the team members.

This is what I've been waiting for with Torchlight II, so let the incredible mods begin!

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Romance is just a game away!

Valentine's Day isn't always about getting taken out to?? dinner and receiving fancy treats and trinkets. Okay, well maybe it is, but who's to say that ?you can't get a little gaming on the side?

Consider spending some quality time with your boyfriend by reeling him into the foll??owing co-op games. If he resists, c?onsider your future with him wisely...

Portal 2

Who doesn't love to play adorable robots that can hug and high-five each other all day long? Atlas and P-body are like mini versions of your relationship, only they’re more prone to falling off ledges! For those of you new to the co-op portion of the game, GLaDOS, your evil (or maybe just misunderstood) A.I. guide leads you and your partner through various rooms in order to retrieve data disks for a certain unknown but most likely evil purpose. Portal 2 is a great way to ??bond with your b??oyfriend, especially if you’re both into puzzle-solving hijinks!

Saints Row: The Third

Nothing says “I love you” like taunting your boyfriend with a big fat purple dildo. Saints Row: The Third is the sandbox game you wished for and finally received -- it’s fantastically silly, loads of fun, and extremely self-awa??re. To be honest, I haven’t played through much of the game because I’m too busy doing stupid stuff like skydiving out of airplanes and crashing parties, but from what I've seen it’s the perfect game to play with that someone special. So, what are you waiting for? THQ isn't getting any younger…oh wait.

Torchlight II

Surprisingly, killing lots of things can be delightfully romantic. Created by members of the original Diablo II team, Torchlight II pays homage to those long lost yet reawakened hack-n-slash dungeon-running games. The music will give you all kinds of nostalgic lady boners, and you even get to choose your own pet, ranging from a panther to a random made-up animal like the Chakawary, featured above. As an added bonus, you and your boyfriend no longer need to fight over loot -- you both get your?? own! Gone are the days of “No, honey, YOU take One-eyed Willy’s Other Eye!”

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game

This Valentine’s Day, you and your boyfriend should wreck the s*@$ out of Ramona’s 7 evil exes. Why? Because nothing says romance like kicking some side-scrolling ass to amazing chiptune music, that’s why! Even if you haven’t read the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels (which if you haven’t, you totally should) the game is a blast. The sprites are? adorable and the game puts a totally uniqu?e spin on traditional side scrolling beat-em-ups by just being…completely silly. My personal favorite characters to play are Scott and Kim - they were meant to be together anyway, right?

Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed

Go back to your roots and share something special with your significant other, like your favorite Sega characters! AiAi, Beat, B.D. Joe, Tails are just some of the few playable characters which you can level up. Even better, the levels in this game are insanely immersive -- in addition to your standard driving you can also fly and float your way through the track (which, by the way, often falls to pieces during the last lap). Racing Transformed will soon win your heart and bec?ome your go to "kick y??our boyfriend's ass" game. 

You Don’t Know Jack

Boyfriend doesn't game much? You Don’t Know Jack is the ticket - everyone loves a super difficult, zany trivia game. The only catch is that you’ll probably end up as an ex-couple by the end of it. Every round contains 10 questions plus a few bonus rounds, and a “Wrong Answer of the Game” in which you have to keep your eyes peeled for an answer related to the “sponsor” (which can be anything from Banana Toasters to Granny’s Roach Butter). Overall YDKJ is a quick and fun way to enjoy each other's company this V-day. Plus, who doesn't love a game where y?ou get to screw your significant other?

Honorable Mention: Having your boyfriend cuddle up and watch you play Condemned…in the dark. 

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More monsters, items, and quests!

The SynergiesMOD for Torchlight II is ridi?culous. Here, just look at all that it adds:

108 Elite monsters, 6 Rare dragons, 28 Raid dungeons, 11 unique World Bosses, 4 Sets?? of Legendary Armor, 16 new Tier-1 Legendary Weapons, brand new Quest lines, a new World hub for ACT5, and a whole new class: The Necromancer.

Holy crap! As if Torchlight II wasn't already brimming with content, this mod adds a whole lot more. Modding is one of the best aspects of the game, and this seems to be a prime example. The question remains, though?: when will Runic Games release the mod tools proper?

When will I be able to run?? around as a Dinosaur class using a Buster Sword wit?h a Mr. Destructoid pet? Let us make it happen, Runic!

Insane Torchlight I?I Mod Adds New Class, ??Monsters, Raids [Rock, Paper, Shotgun -- Thanks, T3HM0RR0W]

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Torchlight II was, unfortunately, subject to a number of delays. Originally set for release back in 2011, it's only now become ?available for purchase. I'm happy to say the wait was worth it.

It's a bit rough around the edges, but Torchlight II takes the successful formula of the original Torchlight (and its predecessors) and expands on it, without making any drastic changes. If you played the first game, you know pretty much exactly what you're getting with the sequel -- and that's definitely not a bad thing.

Torchlight II ma?y not be a perfect game -- the UI could use a bit of extra polish and the multiplayer?? system begs for extra features -- but it's a ton of fun and at only $20, it's an absolute steal.

Torchlight II (PC)
Developer: Runic Games
Publisher: Perfect World
Release: September 20, 2012
MSRP: $19.99

It's been a few years since the end of the first Torchlight, and, surprise surprise, the world is in danger again. A corrupted Alchemist (likely the playable character from the original game) has destro??yed the town of Torchlight, stolen Ordrak's Heart, and it's up to you to chase him around the world and stop him before he drains the energy out of the Elemental Guardians that keep balance in the world.

How will you save the world? You will click. On everything. You ??will click on a bunch of monsters, and you'll click on some chests and some urns, and you'll click on all the massive amount of loot that spews forth from everything you touch, and sometimes you'll even mis-click on a poorly placed UI element. You'll happily click away, you'll ha??ve a lot of fun doing it, and you'll suddenly look up and realize you've been clicking non-stop for three hours and you didn't realize how late it was and you really should go to bed but there's another dungeon you need to click your way through so maybe you'll just do one more quest and then you'll finally stop clicking and go to bed. Maybe.

Your primary method of slaughtering enemies will be with your class skills, and Torchlight II's skill system will be familiar to those who've played the original game, although it's gotten some minor tweaks. Each of the four playable classes still has three skill trees, with each tree containing seven active skills and three passives. At each level, you get five attribute points to place into one of the main attributes (strength, dexterity, focus,?? and vitality), and one skill point to place in one of your skill trees.

Unlike the original game, there are no skills shared among all the classes anymore -- each class has a unique set of 30 abilities. As long as y??ou meet the level requirements for a skill (which naturally increase as you train a specific skill), you can put a point into it, regardless of how many previous points you have in skills that come ?before it or in the overall tree.

It's pretty straightforward, ??and on the whole each class's skills seem varied and, for the most part, useful. Even the early skills can hold their own as long as you keep investing points into them (my Em??bermage beat the game almost entirely using Prismatic Bolt, the first skill in his Storm tree).

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of room to experiment -- you can only refund the last three skill points you spent, and the cost to do so is rather high. One to three points in a skill is, I found, not enough to really get a feel for how the skill will perform at later levels. I often found myself hoarding points or just investing in? passives -- I was hesitant to commit, out of a fear of having to restart my character because of bad skill choices.

Another new mechanic is the addition of the Charge bar -- a meter that fills when y??ou're murdering things and decays when you're not, conferring class-dependent bonuses. Embermages receive 12 seconds of mana-free casting and a damage burst when their bar is filled, while Outlanders receive small boosts to a variety of stats depending on how full their bar is. Engineers get charge "points" that make certain skills and abilities more powerful, and Berserkers get guaranteed ?critical hits for six seconds whenever their bar is maxed. It's an interesting mechanic that not only adds depth to each class, but also encourages you to move forward and keep murdering things.

You'll fight your way through four acts (really three acts and a short final dungeon), each with its own ??feel and theme. The locales are nicely detailed and feel varied, and I never found myself getting bored of an area before I was on to the next, even when full clearing the area. Full clearing is something you'll want to do -- missing a sidequest or a dungeon can quickly put you behind the? level curve, and you'll either have to go back and find what you missed or rerun previous areas to catch up before you can progress.

The most notable new feature in the game is multiplayer -- something fans of the original game had been clamoring for. While the multiplayer system is primitive, consisting simply of a friends list, a list of games around your level range, and no chat lobby, it gets the job done, and as expected, Torchlight II is great to play with your friends. Any loot that drops in-game is unique to your character, so you don't have to worry about ninjalooters or f??ighting over the unique item that just dropped.

It's a good thing, too, since you'll see a lot of uniques drop. Loot is plentiful, and as your work your way through the game you'll be showered in upgrades, which follow the standard loot rarity rating of common - magic - rare - unique - legendary. Whereas Diablo III was criticized for the scarcity of powerful items and upgrades, Torchlight II almost suffers from the opposite issue, with?? uniques dropping at a pace of roughly one every half-??hour or so.

I hesitate to call it a "problem," especially since trading is tough/non-existent given the lack of a chat lobby ?in multiplayer, but I will admit to being a bit annoyed after getting three of the exact same uniq?ue helmets in the span of thirty minutes. I've yet to find a legendary though -- the most powerful, rarest items that only show up starting at level 50 -- so even though I ended my first playthrough with something like 35 unique items, there's still better, more exclusive loot to aim for.

And it's easy to want to aim for better loot after completing the game, since Torchlight II gives you a few options to keep things fresh. There's a standard New Game+ mode, allowing you to begin again with everything starting at Level 50, and there's also the Mapworks, which enables you to spend gold to purchase maps that allow you to enter various random dungeons, each with their own level range and special mo?difiers that mix things up.

These complaints are relatively minor, though, especially in light of the game as a whole. It's addictive, it's got character, and it's really, really cheap for the product you're getting. I can guarantee you'll notice some problems as you play through it, and you'll pr?obably wish the UI had a bit more polish and that the multiplayer system was a bit more robust, but you'll find these issues don't detract much from the overall experience. When you consider that the mod tools are already available, and what we saw with the first game, it's likely many of these issues will be modded out somewhere down the line.

If you're a fan of hack 'n slashes, loot fests, or dungeon crawlers, definitely pick up Torchlight II. It's absolutely worth your time and money, and should hold your attention for quite a while. There are portions of the game that could certainly use a little bit of polish, but it's unlikely these problems will turn you off from the game entirely. Grab the game, gra??b some friends, and get to cli??cking.

Did I mention it's only $20?

The post Review: Torchlight II appeared first on Destructoid.

Looking forward to Torchlight II's release in a couple of days? How about the game's soundtrack, composed by Matt Uelmen of Diablo and Diablo II fame? Originally, the OST was released back in June in limited quantities, as Jayson Napolitano previously noted. The good news is that it's now available for the public and for the wonderful, wonderful price of NOTHING!

That's right! You can swing on by the Torchlight II soundtrack page and download the 28-track album right this second. No muss, no fuss. It's a beaut?iful thing.

I love this recent trend of game composers' giving away their soundtracks. It's such a generous gesture that only gets you more excited to check the full game? out. Who among you is going to capitalize on Mr. Uelmen's generosity?

The Torchlight II Soundtrack [Torchlight II]

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