Torchlight II

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 16,831 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Torchlight II Game Cover
Runic Games haven't tried to be over ambitious here, they've improved upon the original's failings, and have crafted a fun game you and your friends can enjoy for a long time.
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Torchlight II features randomly generated dungeons and numerous types of monsters to fight for loot. Torchlight II is an action RPG as its predecessor, but features overland areas with multiple hub towns, and a longer campaign. Players are able to customize character appearance with choice of sex, face, hair style and hair color. Additionally, several elements from the first game return, such as p…

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Epic Games
  • Gog Com
  • Linux
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 16,831 reviews
story520 positive mentions
grinding268 negative mentions
  • story1,927 mentions

    The story in Torchlight II is generally considered weak and simplistic, often taking a backseat to the gameplay and loot mechanics. Many players find the narrative forgettable, with quests primarily revolving around typical fetch and kill tasks, lacking depth and engagement. While some appreciate the whimsical art style and the game's overall charm, those seeking a rich, immersive storyline may be disappointed, as the focus remains heavily on action and character progression rather than storytelling.

    • “While its bare story presentation and flat characters take a back seat, the game establishes a distinct mood with colorful visuals and a haunting soundtrack.”
    • “The story is decent and the parchment paper cut scenes are really charming.”
    • “The storyline is good and the gameplay is amazing.”
    • “The story is almost completely unimportant and forgettable; its only purpose is guiding the player between the different levels and environments.”
    • “The story feels much smaller in scope, not involving the fate of the entire world.”
    • “The story is pretty bare bones and is barely fit to be called a story at that.”
  • gameplay1,578 mentions

    The gameplay of Torchlight II is widely praised for its fast-paced, engaging mechanics that echo the classic Diablo series, offering a satisfying loot-driven experience. While some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, the variety of classes, skills, and modding options provide ample opportunities for customization and replayability. Overall, the game is recognized for its solid mechanics, enjoyable co-op features, and vibrant art style, making it a standout in the action RPG genre.

    • “The game developers have managed to combine a relatively easy-to-grasp character progression system with fluid gameplay.”
    • “The variety of classes, pets, and tons of loot to discover keep the gameplay loop engaging, especially in short bursts.”
    • “Torchlight II excels in executing established mechanics with precision and being fun, capturing the gameplay of Diablo II while providing a solid foundation with quality gameplay.”
    • “Repetitive gameplay loop: the core gameplay loop of killing enemies, collecting loot, and upgrading your character can become repetitive, especially if you play for extended periods.”
    • “The gameplay feels generic and uninspired.”
    • “The gameplay is dull, and some of the missions cannot be completed while you're a certain level, and since the monsters do not revive themselves after you leave the zone.”
  • graphics1,516 mentions

    The graphics of Torchlight II are characterized by a vibrant, cartoonish art style that appeals to many players, offering a refreshing contrast to the darker aesthetics of similar games like Diablo. While some reviewers note that the graphics can appear dated or simplistic, they generally praise the game's colorful visuals and smooth animations, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. The art style, though not universally loved, is often described as charming and well-suited for the game's lighthearted tone, making it accessible even on lower-end hardware.

    • “The graphics are gorgeous, creating really stunning maps to explore.”
    • “Torchlight 2 is a fantastic game with great graphics, great gameplay, and a lot of gameplay you will spend a lot of time on this game and will absolutely enjoy it if you liked the first game.”
    • “The graphics are colorful and dark at the same time, which looks extremely good in motion.”
    • “Dramatically boring point-and-click RPG a la the Diablo franchise, but with pastel graphics and far less production value.”
    • “Unfortunately the game is a notable step down from the first entry of the series in regards to mood and art style.”
    • “The graphics are dated.”
  • replayability482 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its extensive mod support, diverse character classes, and randomized maps, which keep the experience fresh across multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the variety in builds and playstyles, as well as the engaging combat, making it accessible for newcomers while still offering depth for veterans. Overall, the combination of community-created content and built-in features like New Game+ significantly enhances the game's longevity and replay value.

    • “This game has endless replayability to the highest degree and with the new game plus option to continue playing with all the gear/abilities you’ve earned, you can play this game over and over again while enjoying everything in stride.”
    • “The extensive modding tools empower players to create and share their own content, significantly extending the game's replay value.”
    • “With the steam workshop, there is an enormous amount of replayability, making this one of my favorite games of all time!”
    • “Little to no replayability and dated graphics all pile up to be a shadow of the genre.”
    • “The story is just middling, the presentation decent, the gameplay is repetitive and the loot mechanics, which is what gives this sort of games their longevity and replayability, are thoroughly disappointing.”
    • “The game comes to an end rather suddenly and offers little in the way of replayability.”
  • music371 mentions

    The music in Torchlight II, composed by Matt Uelmen, is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and nostalgic ties to the Diablo series, evoking a sense of familiarity for fans. While many reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the game's mood and immersion, some note that it lacks originality, often feeling reminiscent of Uelmen's previous works. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its charm and enjoyment.

    • “Torchlight 2's charming music, locations, and secrets solidify it as one of my all-time favorite games.”
    • “The music is lovely, the art style is very catching, and it still somehow manages to convey a feeling of isolation and solitude as you embark on your quests.”
    • “The music is superb, composed by the same guy who did Diablo and Diablo 2.”
    • “Sound and music 5/10 - nothing memorable here.”
    • “The first con is that the music which I was so looking forward to is lackluster, to be kind.”
    • “The music is pretty much Diablo II.”
  • grinding286 mentions

    The grinding aspect of Torchlight II is a polarizing topic among players. Many enjoy the mindless, addictive nature of farming for loot and leveling up, finding it a satisfying way to spend hours in the game. However, others criticize it as overly tedious and repetitive, with some achievements requiring excessive grinding that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game caters well to fans of the genre who appreciate grinding, while those less inclined may find it frustrating.

    • “Good game, short enough to be replayable, not too grindy.”
    • “And also not grindy for a Diablo-like game, which is great.”
    • “Has mods, smooth leveling to level 100 with no grinding.”
    • “The game is too grindy and repetitive.”
    • “Very tedious, boring and unrewarding experience.”
    • “The whole game is playable but quickly becomes easy, grindy, and overwhelmingly dull.”
  • atmosphere126 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is generally praised for its vibrant, cartoonish visuals and engaging sound design, creating a fun and inviting environment reminiscent of classic action RPGs like Diablo II. While some players appreciate the lighter, less grim atmosphere compared to its predecessors, others feel it lacks the depth and darkness that defined earlier titles in the genre. Overall, the game successfully combines beautiful graphics, ambient music, and varied environments to create an enjoyable and immersive experience, though opinions vary on its effectiveness in conveying a truly atmospheric setting.

    • “The atmosphere and worldbuilding it does is a lot better than its ability to tell a story, but it's definitely something to pick up if you like dungeon crawlers.”
    • “The music, story, atmosphere, graphics, mechanics, and loot are all amazing, with the ability to mod the game.”
    • “The atmosphere is just spot on, and the game is loads of good old fun.”
    • “I don't have much in the way of harsh criticism other than the game's art direction and atmosphere are all over the place as you travel from one area into the next.”
    • “The atmosphere is completely lost: the 'evil' you happened to fight against aren't sinister enough.”
    • “The only thing it really lacks is the distinct atmosphere of the first two Diablo games.”
  • humor91 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players appreciating its lighthearted and whimsical tone compared to darker titles like Diablo. Reviewers highlight the presence of funny NPCs, quests, and items, as well as clever pop culture references and humorous gameplay mechanics that enhance the overall experience. While some note that the humor can become repetitive, the game's cartoonish art style and comedic elements contribute to its charm and replayability, making it a fun choice for both solo and cooperative play.

    • “Plus lots of really funny NPCs, quests, and items too!”
    • “The right amount of story, action, loot, and touches of humor.”
    • “I absolutely love the funny references to movies, etc. and the co-op option is perfect to play with friends and family.”
  • stability61 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches, particularly in the multiplayer mode, which often requires extensive troubleshooting to function properly. While single-player experiences tend to run smoothly, the multiplayer aspect is frequently criticized for connectivity issues and desynchronization. Overall, players have noted that while the game performs well on various systems, the persistent bugs detract from the overall experience.

    • “It is well optimized and runs great on my potato computer.”
    • “First and most important thing is that this game runs great on older or slower machines.”
    • “The game runs great on both low-end PCs/laptops to the very high-end SLI/Crossfire machines.”
    • “Tried all troubleshooting steps shared by the community, still no luck.”
    • “The game is very good single player; however, the multiplayer experience is buggy and a real pain to get working.”
    • “While I love Diablo-esque games, this one is a buggy, unplayable mess.”
  • optimization56 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance on low-end hardware and commend its ability to run well on various systems, there are significant concerns regarding multi-core support and performance issues during intense gameplay scenarios. Some users experience stuttering and lag, particularly with higher configurations or when using mods, indicating that further optimization is needed. Despite these issues, the game is generally considered enjoyable and accessible for a wide range of computers.

    • “The mechanics are easy to master, the game runs smoothly on most reasonably up-to-date computers, and there aren't many bugs at all.”
    • “It plays well, and is quite well optimized.”
    • “It's pretty well optimized and can run on medium-high settings on just about any machine you put it on.”
    • “But my main concern, and why I am giving a negative review is because, even with much better hardware compared to the recommended hardware, I am suffering huge stuttering in some bosses.”
    • “Very fun game, even better with mods, but very bad hardware optimization.”
    • “I buy and refund the game three times, the reason is that I love this game, but the game has an optimization problem. After repeated exploration, I came to the conclusion that it is not optimized for multi-core operation, and while it runs very smoothly on a single core, high configuration computers experience stuttering. I hope the programmers can accept my advice and work on multi-core optimization.”
  • character development33 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its variety and depth, with many players appreciating the flexible skill trees and unique class options that allow for diverse character builds. However, some reviews highlight a lack of engaging endgame character development, which can detract from the overall experience. While the character design and animation are praised, comparisons to older titles like Diablo and Titan Quest suggest that there is room for improvement in complexity and depth.

    • “This game is focused on gameplay and it is perfect: everything fits together: a lot of items, many monsters, great character development with a lot of skills, spells, levels, few attributes, and even a pet.”
    • “Character development is legit with well-balanced classes and really satisfying skill trees.”
    • “Between the fun, fast-paced combat, deep character development choices, colorful, charming graphics, varied locations, and multiplayer options, this is one of the better action RPGs on the market.”
    • “Character development was rather boring, but what really killed it is the third-party login.”
    • “Mods help with replayability, but the game suffers from a fundamental lack of character development during the endgame, which can put you off from the grind.”
    • “Character development: skill progression is not a tree - skills only have level prerequisites - and there are no Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction-style synergies either.”
  • emotional26 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed responses from players; while some find it heartwarming and engaging, particularly through character connections and nostalgic elements, others criticize its predictable and shallow storyline that fails to foster deep emotional investment. The music and community interactions are often highlighted as positive emotional influences, yet many players feel detached from the narrative and lack a significant emotional connection during gameplay. Overall, the game offers moments of emotional resonance but struggles to maintain consistent depth throughout its story.

    • “It's one of only a handful of games I've played that made me feel this way.”
    • “The story is also very emotionally compelling with each horse that is born into the world.”
    • “One of the best games I have ever been playing... addicting, stunning, heartbreaking (especially in hardcore mode...) 12/10 :d!”
    • “The grind is definitely there, but the game has a fairly boring story, if you could even call it that.”
    • “It's polished and the game mechanics are okay, but it's basically the same game with a boring storyline and graphics that aren't as good.”
    • “Boring quests to go along with a boring storyline.”
  • monetization18 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and additional costs, offering a complete experience for a one-time purchase of $20. Players appreciate the absence of paywalls and in-game purchases, allowing them to enjoy the game without the typical monetization pitfalls found in many modern titles. Overall, it is seen as a refreshing alternative to profit-driven games, providing substantial content without the burden of ongoing costs.

    • “In most respects absolutely, but it has all the fun and none of the microtransactions and other AAA garbage.”
    • “It's $20 with free online co-op support and no DLC or microtransactions.”
    • “No in-game purchases, you actually have to play the game in order to get proper loot instead of paying for 'em.”
    • “Mmo focused trash which will be full of mobile microtransactions as the new devs are all mobile game devs. Avoid Torchlight 3.”
    • “For 20 bucks, it beats the RMAH-driven cash grab that is Diablo 3!”
    • “With modding tools and thus practically infinite content on the way, there's no reason not to get this jewel for a mere 20 euros compared to the hefty 60 price-tag you pay for certain other 'AAA' titles with less content and game-breaking microtransactions.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

Buy Torchlight II

Play time

37hMedian play time
97hAverage play time
21hMain story
76hCompletionist
10-140hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 76 analyzed playthroughs

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