Today sees the launch of Torchlight II on Nintendo Switch, an award-winning dungeon crawler originally developed by Runic Games. A new launch trailer has appeared to show it off, and we've plonked it up above for you lovely lot to check out.
As you may already know, this new version of the game for Switch, PS4 and Xbox One has been handled by Panic Button, the team behind such Switch ports as DOOM, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, and Warframe. The studio has become something of a fan-favourite around these parts as of late, so we imagine there'll be a fair bit of interest in the game.
Torchlight II has players exploring a world filled with bloodthirsty monsters and bountiful treasure. Panic Button's updated version of the game features brand new content including new pets which are exclusive to each individual platform (Switch gets a unicorn), enhanced controls, an improved targetting system, and a new interface designed specifically for consoles. Here's a quick feature list:
Action-Packed Multiplayer
Play co-op with up to 4 players online. Experiment with hero synergies and take on the fiercest opponents together, for the world’s most awesome loot.
Customizable Characters
Create and customize a character from one of four distinct classes. Each class can be played as either male or female with customized features. Robust skillsets and powerful equipment provides tons of opportunity for unique character builds.
Open, Dynamic World
Explore vast overland areas and multiple hub towns. Fight through rain and snow, day and night. Level randomization ensures fresh new layouts, paths, loot, and monsters every time you play.
Pets and Fishing
Empower your pet with special transforming consumables. Pets can fight by your side or sell loot while you’re out adventuring.
New Game Plus
Once you've completed Torchlight II's primary campaign, you can start again with the same character for a significantly greater challenge. You'll keep all of the skills, gold, and gear you worked so hard for.
The game is available worldwide today on the Switch eShop and you can grab it for $19.99 / £17.99. We'll have our full review of the game for you shortly, so if you want to learn more about it, make sure to keep an eye on the site!
Will you be giving this one a go? Are you heading over to the eShop to buy it right now? Let us know with a comment.
Comments 37
Already played it on PC when it first came out, which seems like forever ago, so I'll happily play through it again on Switch at some point. But I'm cheap so I'll wait for a sale
It's something that I'd definitely be interested in playing if I didn't already have so much to play as it is. I don't think I'd be able to find the time for it unfortunately.
4 player online seems very cool.
Physical please!
I will throw 40$ for it!
Sounds like a fun game for $20. I might pick it up. Plus, that unicorn pet is cool.
Great game. I would have loved if it was available in physical form.
Is it just multiplayer online or does it have local multiplayer too?
@scubydo I'd be interested to know if they had local MP, too.
@Patron @scubydo There's no co-op on the same Switch,
Great Diablo-style game! I highly recommend it.
No local multi-player? That seems odd
We need First Torchlight that is better than second game.
preordered a week ago and preloaded it
still can't play...
Ports have been pretty bad recently ( pillars of eternity, my time in Portia, bloodstained). It’s a wait and see for me.
The Switch is a gold rush for studios. It seems like they get games out ASAP and worry about bugs/ patches later.
It's an OK game, but it seems rather pointless when you could be playing Diablo III instead.
When will the physical version released? They show it on the trailer so I hope it's bound to released physically as well.
@isellpixels that is why I hate Nintendo's preorder stuff on the eshop. Things just don't unlock on release day. Still excited to jump right back in. After my playthrough of Astral Chain.
@Mountain_Man This was the first good Diablo Clone I've played and actually liked. To each their own but from my understanding most people consider Diablo 3 a low point for the series. So people need to go play Diable 2.
@Mountain_Man I remember initial reviews of the two stating there wasn't much separating them. Overall, I will take the $20 experience that was designed for offline over the online first approach to Diablo III.
I would however, be very, very tempted for a Diablo 2 port (as many hours were lost playing this game).
Randomized levels. 👎
@N8tiveT3ch OG launch Diablo 3 was a low point for the series. It is miles better than that now.
@Fighter_Hayabusa
The Pillars of Eternity port to Switch is actually good, the long loading times are an issue on other platforms as well.
How close to Diablo is it, gameplay-wise? I've never played this or Diablo, and thinking of picking this up.
@BorderlineJon I’d go with Diablo III over this.
@GrantM3 how come? All I was thinking, was this is probably a fair bit cheaper, so would be less of an investment to try this type of game out. Though if it's like a top-down Musou type gameplay I will love it. I did enjoy Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance back on the PS2/Gamecube.
@Indielink I enjoyed Diablo 3 I think I put in close to 200 hrs or more I think...with that being said Diablo 3 sounds like Fallout 74. Horrible at the beginning and it got alright over time. Mind you fallout still stinks.
@Darknyht Not sure what you mean about Diablo 3's "online first" approach. It's true that the PC version of Diablo 3 does (did?) require an online connection, but the console versions of the game never did, nor is there anything about the design of the offline campaign that makes it seem biased toward online. In fact if anything I'd say Torchlight II is more online biased, given that it only supports online multiplayer, whereas Diablo 3 supports local coop on one device.
@Fighter_Hayabusa While those ports were all poor quality, none of them were done by panic button who had a solid record of excellent ports to the switch. Its much more important to look at who worked on the port rather than just saying it is a port.
@bilboa The ground up design of the Diablo 3 was from an always online approach. They loosened up for consoles because felt that they had to, not because they designed it to be that way.
To quote: “Something Kevin [Martens, lead content designer] says all the time is: Diablo plays best when you’re playing with other people,” he told Eurogamer at Gamescom. “Because not a lot of people connect their consoles to the internet, that’s where the whole idea of having to get four people on the same couch playing together [comes in]. That’s how we get that social aspect.
“But on PC, we really want players to feel they’re part of the bigger Blizzard and Diablo community. It’s a choice of platform and opportunity for our players to benefit from. There’s a more secure item trading environment, but also a more social environment.
“We have a lot of plans to make online matter. For us it’s about that connected experience.”:
Free time...come back!
Preordered, pre downloaded and been playing all day. I love Diablo and was happy to double dip for this as Torchlight on the move is awesome. If you love looty games, this is a no brainer!
@FullmetalB
I didn’t know. You just sold them a copy. Thanks for the tip!
@Darknyht Regardless of the version history or thoughts of the developers when they were making the game, I can't think of anything about the games themselves that makes the single player portion of Torchlight 2 have any more of an "offline approach" than the single player portion of console Diablo 3. I'd be curious to know what you’re thinking of in this regard.
Now, I do think the online features of Diablo 3 are a bit more developed than Torchlight 2, and that’s what I think the developer quotes that you mentioned point to. The Diablo developers’ goal of making online play be very fun resulted in a very mature online feature set, in addition to the well developed offline campaign. However the offline mode definitely does not feel like an afterthought, and in fact is at least as substantial as the Torchlight games.
Cool! Reminds me of Diablo III, maybe I will pick it out as an alternative to it soon.
Speaking of Panic Button, I hope they bring Subnautica to Switch soon, that game is quite immersive.
Been there done that, but still a pretty good game. I'm just not a big fan of these style of games on consoles since I think they tend to do better with a keyboard and mouse.
@Diogmites
Standards have dropped for what is considered release ready. Made 2 characters, sound cut out on the games intro sequence both times.
These are not game breaking bugs, but it’s rushed shoddy work. Bought into what was said in above comments about panic button being a solid porter... meh.
I've read from a couple internet sources that this runs at 60fps on Switch. I was happy to read that because YouTube videos of gameplay on Switch looked like 30fps even when the options were turned up to 720p 60fps(for the YouTube video streaming quality). Anyways, this looks really fun and I want to try it. I've never played any Torchlight game.
@bilboa Call it an allergic reaction to Blizzard's general hostility towards local co-op since Starcraft II. They have a business model that revolves around filtering players through blizzard.net and requiring an online internet connection. While they yielded ground this time (because they had to), they are a company on record stating they wished even Diablo II had been online only.
It's is a little sad (and ironic) that Runic was closed because their parent company also wanted to focus on "Games as a Service".
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