Torchlight: Quick First Impressions

Torchlight is a game that’s been floating around the blogosphere quite a bit since its release early this week.  And with good reason.  This gem of a game is the product of a lot of love from a developer who’s had some major ups and downs in the past couple years.  Runic Games is formed entirely (with some additions) of the same team that was working on Mythos before Flagship went belly-up.  It should comes as no surprise that Torchlight bears a striking resemblance to not only Mythos, but Diablo 1 and 2 and Fate as well.

Max and Erich Schaefer (key developers on the Diablo series) and Travis Baldree (lead designer of Fate) are the founders of this little studio.  What’s astonishing is that in eleven short months they’ve made a game that, while derivative, is extremely satisfying in a way that few games since Diablo 2 have been able to replicate.

At very first glance, players familiar with Fate will see some very obvious connections.  As Syp recently pointed out, Torchlight is essentially the same game.  Good or bad, this little fact doesn’t mean Runic’s first entry into the world of computer gaming is something to pass over.  Fate has over a million customers (insert McDonald’s I’m Lovin’ It theme here) for a reason.  But even that game was missing, for me, the same thrill and drive to keep delving deeper into the dungeon that Torchlight captures.

It borrows heavily from the Diablo series, Fate, and even Mythos.  You have several skill trees for each of the three classes.  There’s a heavy reliance on potions, identify scrolls, and town portals (Diablo).  You have a pet that can change into different beasts by feeding it fish, run back to town to sell your gear, and learn spells to help you fight (Fate).  You can even purchase random dungeon maps that will give you a nice diversion from the main quest line (Mythos).

I mean, let’s call a spade a spade here… Torchlight is an amalgamation of many previous entries into the Action-RPG genre.  But where in the past games like Sacred  and Titan Quest have failed to capture the same addictive and enticing qualities that Diablo once did, Torchlight shines.

I don’t know why, but so very few games in this genre ever match the same feeling that the best of the best give.  I was rarely eager to keep playing Sacred, I didn’t sit at my desk and dream of the next shiny piece of loot in Titan Quest.  But with Torchlight, I’m already planning my next character and what skills I’m going to own little zombie faces with.

Our full review will be coming later, but until then why not check the game out yourself?  Steam has a demo available, and it only costs $20 to unlock the full game.  I will personally guarantee you’ll get your money’s worth if you’re itching for a good new hack-n-slash.  If I’m wrong, Br3ntbr0 will gladly pay you back.

(Though he may deny it…)

- JoBildo