Torchlight began as a series which has been exclusive to PC but it ended up making its debut. Despite getting a sequel it was not flashed again largely because of the complexity of the port . Needed an overhaul to operate and the game was never supposed to be played with a controller.
After over a whole generation of missing out on consoles, Torchlight two was ported to Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PS4 but is it worth the wait? The short answer is there isn’t enough incentive here to get the match if you have played with it by now on PC. It still has some flaws that make this model inferior when compared with the PC release, Though Torchlight 2 has obtained a quality interface.
The compromises that have been made to get the game working on a Nintendo Switch means there is no offline co-op support, which kills the appeal of a multiplayer game for a system like the Nintendo Switch. Despite the lack of offline co-op, the game still offers 4-player online co-op so the multiplayer isn’t completely stripped out of the game itself.
While action RPGs are slowly coming back into the spotlight again, Torchlight 2 feels a little too late to join this party. Diablo 3 has already received a superb port for the Nintendo Switch and it triumphs Torchlight 2 in every department including offline co-op support. Despite this, we can’t write off Torchlight 2 because it is a solid alternative to Diablo. It offers four distinct classes for the users to customize with a huge degree of skills and abilities to acquire leading to different player builds.
Torchlight 2 carries an immense amount of replay value. The customization choices that can lead to different players build is divided between the four classes. New Game Plus mode is also included in this port letting the player continue the game with a new sense of challenge while retaining most of their skills, gold, and gear that they have collected in the game. As a result, each time you give the game another chance, it will be a different experience.
To add to this, the game uses dynamic levels and dungeons which are randomly generated by an algorithm. It doesn’t matter what class you pick in the beginning because of the way the upgrades work, you will often end up making them wildly different and far more useful. Like other loot-based games, you have a lot of things to pick and equip on your character with a huge variety of gear. It is not as addictive as Diablo 3 but somehow you still get the urge to keep on the lookout for new loot.
Nintendo has proven that their hybrid console can offer a great portable experience and this is where Torchlight 2 feels right at home. It is a fun game to play in short bursts of time. The lack of offline co-op is a major bummer but it feels ideal to the play on the Nintendo Switch. There are a couple of minor bugs that need to be ironed out but it is not a major dealbreaker. The controls are also a little complicated especially if you have never played a game of this type before, and they can take some time to learn the various commands.
Torchlight 2 is excellent because of its customization, combat, and the amount of replay value it offers, but it fails to do anything meaningful with its story. It is entirely forgettable and serves its purpose of sending you on a quest. It also deals a little with the events in the first game so if you have never played the original, it is hard to care for the story here.
Some of the redeeming qualities of the port are that the visuals are kept intact to the PC release. It looks nice when playing the game portably but it is easy to notice the flaws when playing the game docked on the big screen. The price point of this port is also great considering how much time can be squeezed out of it.
I am not a big fan of the art style for Torchlight 2. It also feels a little outdated by now with some of its game design. It is not exactly the best alternative to Diablo 3 especially if you have already bought it on the Nintendo Switch, but if you want more of the same in the genre, it is a good choice.
