Fans of ARPGs should be familiar with Torchlight and it’s signature fantasy-steampunk setting. After all, it’s not often that players encounter a CRPG with a welcoming cartoonish vibe with engaging gameplay separate from its contemporaries. Thanks to the success of Torchlight 2, gamers can soon play Torchlight 3 on PC and major consoles. In turn, players can once again return to Novastraia and protect its denizens against the Netherim.
Interestingly, as players have seen in demos and gameplay trailers, Torchlight 3 seems to have its fair share of new features alongside its trademark aesthetic and charm. However, for long-time fans of the series, just which features should make a return in this new installment?
10 Aesthetics Matter
One of the most unique additions of ARPGs and CRPGs to modern entries would be more “stylistic” representations of gameplay systems. In Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2, resource systems of various classes are represented differently according to their themes. Moreover, Torchlight 2 retained a similar steampunk aesthetic to the game’s systems, keeping interfaces minimalist while entertaining with visuals of characters, pets, and other items.
However, Torchlight 3 seems to further tone down this aesthetic. Much of the interfaces seem more accessible at the cost of tactical “depth” and “aesthetic” that previous titles had. For instance, the inventory and skill trees had more uniform uses of shapes and blocks that resulted in a rather dull visual approach instead of the more liberated aesthetics of previous titles.
9 Man’s Best Friend
Players consider Torchlight‘s Pet System as one of the best additions the series has given to the ARPG genre. Moreover, Pets in Torchlight not only accompany players. Rather, they also fight enemies, equip spells, and even sell inventory back home. In Torchlight 3, players choose their first pet and can switch them up with other pets they discover along the way.
However, perhaps a more meaningful feature would be the original permanent pet system of the first two games. In both Torchlight and Torchlight 2, the player’s pet choice is final. As such, their pet would be their companion throughout the entire game. This makes pets less of a min-max tool and instead actually genuinely useful companions.
8 More Expansive Skill Trees
Unlike other ARPGs and CRPGs, Torchlight offers a more straightforward way of playing its games with a rather limited skill tree system. However, both Torchlight and Torchlight 2 had expansive tier-based skills. For instance, both games had three skill trees for their classes, enabling players to get more creative with their builds. Interestingly, Torchlight 3 simplifies this system by only having two class-based skill trees with fewer skills per tier. Moreover, they introduced a Relic System that introduces a special ability that can be leveled up.
However, perhaps Torchlight 3 could benefit from its predecessor’s more diverse skill choices. There’s no reason not to include a third skill tree to further diversify player choice when it comes to their chosen builds. Moreover, while the six spell hotkeys minimize the strain to make combos, it still seems pretty limiting.
7 World Hubs Work
In most ARPGs, players have world hubs that serve as their base of operations for that particular act or chapter. As such, this “base” always has the necessary NPCs to give quests, buy and sell items, or even enchant equipment. Both Torchlight and Torchlight 2 shared different world hubs based on their games’ chapters. In fact, in Torchlight, only the eponymous town served as the primary world hub.
In Torchlight 3, players seem to have different “world hubs” depending on what act they are in the game. However, perhaps interesting is the inclusion of a personal “Fort” where players can build various buildings that have different features (e.g., an enchantment area). While this adds a degree of personalization for players, Torchlight 3 may be better off just having more colorful NPCs that served different functions.
6 Deep Dungeons Are Great
Unlike other popular ARPGs at the time, Torchlight had a straightforward premise. Players need to investigate the mines of Torchtown, as its mysterious mineral called Ember has been mutating nearby living creatures into monsters. In turn, players explore and have adventures inside the multi-leveled dungeons of Torchlight’s mines.
In true ARPG fashion, the levels in Torchlight have a wide array of aesthetics despite being in the same lore-based location. As such, players get to explore typical cave systems, ancient ruins, and even lava-filled environments. Sequels Torchlight 2 and Torchlight 3 have different locations with different enemy types. However, Torchlight‘s deep dungeon premise seems to be a nice change of pace with the rather formulaic “explore this and that” nature of other modern ARPGs.
5 Overlay Map Has That Retro Feel
Another staple ARPG element that Torchlight retained across the series would be the popular Overlay Map. Thanks to this map, players can have a view of the main dungeon area as they slowly reveal the fog of war blocking their initial journey.
Granted, Torchlight 3 retains the overlay map for players to use as reference to see the main dungeon. In fact, it seems to be a good match with the smaller mini-map on the top-right corner of the screen. However, it seems counterintuitive to have the overlay map appear only when characters aren’t moving. Should Torchlight 3 decide to not change this feature, it may be much better to retain a permanent overlay map players can simply toggle on and off at their leisure.
4 Enchantments Are A Risk
Enchantments remained a great way to create more versatility in terms of player arsenal, especially in terms of loadout. Thanks to enchantments, players can get a wide range of abilities potentially unique to their weapon. Across all Torchlight games, players have the option to both enchant and disenchant items for a cost, enabling them to have unique items without having the need for tedious dungeon-crawling to get the effects they want.
In fact, Torchlight 3 improves on this idea by including the ability to select a particular enchantment group when enchanting. This way, players know exactly the kind of abilities they can get. However, a great feature to add would be the original Torchlight‘s enchantment risk, which can break the original item on an unlucky roll. After all, this adds value to the original item.
3 Rarity Versus Cosmetics
In speaking of value, all Torchlight games feature item and equipment rarity options. In Torchlight 3, this feature gets expanded with the Legendarium. With this new feature, players can destroy acquired Legendaries to add their effects to their pool of bonuses. Moreover, players can choose these special bonuses to equip to their character.
However, despite the customizability of the Legendarium, it does affect the way people can perceive rare items in the game. After all, what’s the point of acquiring Rares and Legendaries if their effects can be duplicated by the Legendarium? Part of the fun in ARPG equipment hunting is to decide whether to keep a weaker item with better bonuses or a stronger item with ordinary bonuses.
2 Solo Adventures Feel Personal
Unlike its predecessors, Torchlight 3 will be releasing as an online-only experience. This means that, while players can indeed have a solo experience, their hub worlds will be populated by various other characters. In theory, this can be a great way for players to meet people to form parties and complete the main story with. However, the original Torchlight experience feels more like a personalized game thanks to its single-player focus.
Moreover, it’s important to note that due to the limited customization options of Torchlight 3, seeing many characters in a hub world might feel like seeing clones of characters with slightly-different equipment akin to the early-stage levels of MMOs.
1 A Story That Unfolds
In previous Torchlight games, players understand that they can take on the main quest while embarking on various side quests along the way. In turn, completionists get rewarded with better loot, while speedrunners play through the game faster. Moreover, the game doesn’t immediately specify how “close” players get to the ending of the game. In turn, each dungeon crawl becomes more exciting than the last.
Unfortunately, Torchlight 3 reveals relevant areas and teases potential questlines across a relatively vague map interface. Granted, this is a handy way to navigate to areas of interest. However, this can take away the thrill of unraveling the overall story.
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