Torchlight II will feature a narrative that'll take us across a continent. That is the initial clue that Runic Games is attempting to lift the series out of the doom and gloom and into differentiated areas, a not-so-subtle flip-flop for a game whose predecessor was defined by, in part, its one-dungeon confines. But what kind of places will we see above the ground? According to Runic CEO Max Schaefer, a variety of cities and open expanses will welcome us when we adventure in the game at some point in Spring 2011.
"People felt a little claustrophobic with the structure--Torchlight is just one town [Torchlight] and a series of dungeons underneath. So, the obvious remedy for that is to make big overworlds and different cities," Schaefer told Gamasutra. "So, we're doing that."
This'll be a meaningful change that addresses one of the easiest criticisms one could lob at the original hack-and-slash title: the constant retreading over the same, almost never-changing ground.
== TEASER ==Torchlight II's MMO-like approach with its co-op, and now apparently its world map, doesn't mean Runic Games has scrapped its plans to create a Torchlight MMO. We discovered that when speaking with a representative. But Torchlight II does mean the Torchlight MMO won't be the next title from Runic.
"The more we thought about it, we could give people what they're asking for, and give them a nice, co-op Torchlight experience a lot faster than we could do an MMO," Shaefer told Gamasutra. He explained that Runic felt there was a void and wanted to fill it because, well, it "ran out of excuses not to do it." Kinda like how we're running out of excuses not to build a one-use time machine to Spring 2011.
Torchlight II will feature a narrative that'll take us across a continent. That is the initial clue that Runic Games is attempting to lift the series out of the doom and gloom and into differentiated areas, a not-so-subtle flip-flop for a game whose predecessor was defined by, in part, its one-dungeon confines. But what kind of places will we see above the ground? According to Runic CEO Max Schaefer, a variety of cities and open expanses will welcome us when we adventure in the game at some point in Spring 2011.
"People felt a little claustrophobic with the structure--Torchlight is just one town [Torchlight] and a series of dungeons underneath. So, the obvious remedy for that is to make big overworlds and different cities," Schaefer told Gamasutra. "So, we're doing that."
This'll be a meaningful change that addresses one of the easiest criticisms one could lob at the original hack-and-slash title: the constant retreading over the same, almost never-changing ground.
== TEASER ==Torchlight II's MMO-like approach with its co-op, and now apparently its world map, doesn't mean Runic Games has scrapped its plans to create a Torchlight MMO. We discovered that when speaking with a representative. But Torchlight II does mean the Torchlight MMO won't be the next title from Runic.
"The more we thought about it, we could give people what they're asking for, and give them a nice, co-op Torchlight experience a lot faster than we could do an MMO," Shaefer told Gamasutra. He explained that Runic felt there was a void and wanted to fill it because, well, it "ran out of excuses not to do it." Kinda like how we're running out of excuses not to build a one-use time machine to Spring 2011.
There were 2 dungeons in Torchlight! Even more if you include the sidequest ones, dungeon scrolls and those mobs that open a portal to a bonus dungeon when you kill them (lots of items/gold in them).
Multiple dungeons wont really make much difference anywho, since its just pallet swaps and different enemy types. Oh wait, each one could have its own quests? Yeah... i didnt really follow story much in this type of game. There was an evil wizard or something... wasnt there?
Still looking forward to this though, i stopped playing torchlight for a while and now im starting to find it a bit difficult to get back into it, a whole new game would get me going again.
Torchlight already made many things better than Diablo 2, in terms of gameplay, usability and technology (of course that last one is kind of obvious, given the age of D2). It was just immensely dumbed down. Now Torchlight II will bring more content and at the same time keep making things better? I'm in! Because honestly, I'm starting to be unable to stand the sight of D2. The last two times I started playing I kept thinking of what chores were ahead of me and stopped somewhere between lvl 30 and 40.
I wonder how Diablo 3 would be if Blizzard North was still alive they lose their jobs then fail at Flagship Studios but then start Runic can are looking to get 2 games out before Diablo 3 and maybe even the MMO in that time
The original is a nice diversion but I found my self enjoying Diablo 2 more when I decided to start playing it again. I dont know what it is, but Torchlight doesnt quite have what diablo does.
The cartoony nature of it doesnt help.
No biggy, its not a bad game. I'll definitely check the second one out at some point.
So stoked. Here I was thinking the next Torchlight thing I could play would be some free to play MMO and now we're getting a proper sequel (with multiplayer no less).
@BoDoM: Even if so, what's the point? Playing a hack n slash is much easier with a mouse, and the game runs on netbooks. The only reason I would see anyone buy this on a console would be for achievements/trophies, but then again, TC2 will probably have Steam achievements, maybe even a TF2 hat for preordering or something.
Yes! Without any co-op I can't find much motivation out of these kinds of loot games. It'll be much more fun with coop. I'd still like to see them do a Guild Wars style game where you can find people to group up with in the towns, and then go out into an instanced world.
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