Way, way
back in the Edsel days of the era known as modern gaming, a Cadillac came along
that really set the standard for dungeon-crawling role-playing games. Actually,
it was more than a standard-bearer; it was the foundation, the pillars and the
game everything would draw comparisons to for a long time to come.
Wait a
moment … (closing the eyes won’t work, especially if reading this) … deep breath
… look pious and say the name with reverence – Diablo II.
Oh, those
were the days! Blissful, pure gaming, decorating dungeons with splotches and
splatters, all in a vibrant red motif. Of course, there was treasure, and armor
drops, and spell scrolls and health potions, and … well, it’s all pretty
standard stuff. There have been any number of Diablo-esque imitators over the
years. Runic and Encore have one just out, and it goes by the name of
Torchlight. But however similar Torchlight may be to Diablo II (and it is very
similar), it still is a very well executed game that has a graphical charm to it.
The story is a rehash, certainly, but it provides more than enough impetus to
blast, shoot, or hack through dungeons.
Torchlight
released as a download in October 2009, but recently hit retails in boxed form.
Inside is a snazzy RPG title complete with a mod editor that allows players to create their
own levels.
The game
revolves around the mining town of Torchlight. A valued resource, Ember, was
easily mined but strange goings-on have taken place and the mine is overrun with
all manner of foul and nasty creatures. Players start off selecting a character
from three basic builds available. They fall into the generic categories of
Berserker (tank), Alchemist (mage) and Vanquisher (ranged attacks). Although the
characters are pre-built, there is some latitude as players kill, accrue
experience points and level up. There are different trees where leveling points
can be allocated and these bring a nice dynamic to the character and allow for
minimal customization.
Additionally, like any good dungeon crawler, as the hero kills, the mobs drop
all manner of items – like coins, armor, weapons, and so on. Each of the
characters comes with a pet, and the pet has inventory slots available to tote
items back from forays deep into the mines. There are three pets to choose from
– cat, dog and ferret. The looks are mostly for aesthetics as the pets all
roughly have the same function, but nuances are thrown in when the pet’s look is
transformed by the type of fish you feed it.
Torchlight
does provide reason to continue the excursions into the mines to get to the root
of the evil infesting it. One of the first missions received is to rescue a
warrior that has gone into the mines to hunt down the mage-centric individual who
attacked his companion. He is pretty much a loose cannon, but nonetheless joins
the player’s team and there is some decent hacking and slashing to be had for
the 10-15 minutes it takes to descend a level and find the bad guy. Unfortunately, it’s
all a trap and the warrior that the hero was sent to retrieve is corrupted by foul
Ember and transformed into a beast that must be put down. Bad
doggy-monster-thing!
Oh, and by
the way, the magic used to transform soldier boy into monster tainted the hero.
Find a cure or suffer a similar fate.
That’s the
story in a nutshell. The rest of the game is pretty much grab a mission, descend
into the mine (mobs get tougher the deeper you go), slaughter and reap the rewards, and
consequently level up. Torchlight may be stock stuff, but the game is graphically a feast for
the eyes. It has a cartoon quality, but is lush, bright, and well animated. The
sound serves in the role of supporting cast member and does its job well.
While not
overly complex, Torchlight is a solid and entertaining game that does what it
set out to do – and does it well. There is enough reason to keep venturing into
the mines, to level up and power up skills for maximum effectiveness, and
generally it’s a good time in the best of dungeon-crawling traditions.
|
|
Gameplay: 7.5
It’s not
complicated; the camera angle is fixed and there are environmental elements that
get in the way, but this is a point-and-click game that plays like Diablo II.
Graphics: 8.5
The look of this
game is rather appealing.
Sound: 7
Nice supporting
cast member; there is some voice work and the music is unobtrusive
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Concept: 7.5
The overall
concept is not new, but this is a very well-done tribute to a style of gaming
that is basic, and enjoyable.
Multiplayer: N/A
Runic is, though,
apparently working on a F2P (free to play) MMO in the same vein.
Overall: 8
It’s not a new
concept, but the execution is tight. Torchlight is a nice ride that echoes with
memories of grand gaming times of the past, while using an updated style and
graphic charm to keep it fresh and fun.
