Who needs Diablo III? Runic announces Torchlight II release date

Torchlight (and Diablo) fans rejoice! Developer Runic has announced that the sequelshould be arriving sometime next spring. The plot of the new game will stretch across the continent of Vilderan as you quest to stop an unknown evil that threatens the world. Look, story was never Torchlight%26rsquo;s strong suit, it%26rsquo;s really all about tearing enemies into bits with axes, arrows, and magic fireballs to the face, Diablo-style. And that is Torchlight%26rsquo;s strength, which is why we%26rsquo;re so excited.

The sequel%26rsquo;s arguably more epic plot has been laid over a new game world that includes a randomized continent with weather, day/night cycles and triggered events. The other big addition is the new co-op mode. Although details remain scant, the press release states that Torchlight II enables you to explore dungeons with the help of your friends. If you%26rsquo;re a bit lacking in the companion department the game%26rsquo;s matchmaking service will help you find strangers of similar level who are looking for co-op action.

Runic also promises a number of smaller additions. A new as-yet-unknown class will be included along with customization options for your character%26rsquo;s gender and appearance. The interface is to be entirely revamped to make the game easier to play and a new version of TorchEd will be available for players who want to tweak the game.

Torchlight II will come to Windows first. A Mac OS X release is planned, but a timeframe for release is not set. Runic has indicated that there are no plans for a console version. We really hope this changes, because it seems like a 360 version at least would be quick to port and would rule the XBLA charts.

Aug 4, 2010


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