Torchlight | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Runic Games |
Publisher(s) | Perfect World Entertainment Microsoft Studios (X360) |
Designer(s) | Travis Baldree |
Composer(s) | Matt Uelmen |
Series | Torchlight |
Engine | OGRE [1] |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows OS X [2] Xbox 360 (XBLA) [3] Linux |
Release | Windows
|
Genre(s) | Action role-playing, hack and slash |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Torchlight is an action role-playing hack and slash dungeon crawler video game developed by Runic Games and published by Perfect World Entertainment. It was originally released for Windows in October 2009. [5] The fantasy-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight and the expansive caverns and dungeons nearby, which adventurers explore to collect valuable loot and battle hordes of monsters. [6] Following the October 2009 digital distribution release, a Windows retail box version was released in the U.S. in January 2010 by Encore, Inc, [7] and JoWooD Entertainment published a retail box in Europe in April 2010. [8] A port for OS X was developed by World Domination Industries and released through Steam [9] on May 12, 2010. Runic Games and World Domination Industries developed a port for Xbox Live Arcade which was released on March 9, 2011. [10] A Linux port was released as part of the game's inclusion in the Humble Indie Bundle 6.
Development of the game was led by Travis Baldree, designer of Fate , joined by Max Schaefer and Erich Schaefer (co-designers of Diablo and Diablo II ), and the team that worked with Baldree on the original incarnation of Mythos . [11] [12] In September 2012, Runic Games released a sequel, Torchlight II , for Windows. [13] In 2018, the long-planned MMORPG was announced as Torchlight III . [14]
The player controls a lone hero who explores a series of randomized dungeons, fighting large numbers of enemies and collecting equipment, gold, and other loot. The game also features a single town which serves as a hub, to which the player character can periodically return to buy and sell items to NPC vendors and obtain quests. [15] As the protagonist delves into the dungeon, a series of quests are presented which involve battling unique bosses that advance the main storyline. Optionally, the player may take on side quests, random quests or visit branching dungeon areas. [16] The graphics are three dimensional and viewed from an overhead perspective, similar to the isometric perspective used in the original Diablo . On personal computers, the game is controlled using a point-and-click mouse interface and keyboard hotkeys, while the Xbox Live Arcade version uses a controller and has a completely redesigned user interface. [10]
The game generates each level of the dungeon by assembling modular "chunks" of the game environment. Each chunk is designed by hand and may be composed of multiple rooms. They can contain scripted events and interactive objects such as levers that open secret doors or cause bridges to move. [17] This approach to level generation is intended to create dungeons with more purposeful design, instead of environments that simply look like "crossword puzzles that have been extruded upwards." [18]
As in Fate , the player has a permanent pet which fights alongside and can carry and sell loot. The initial pet can be a wolf dog, a lynx or, in the retail version of the game, a ferret; [19] the player can feed fish to their pet to transform it into different creatures. [20]
Also present in the game is a retirement system, in which the player can pass on an heirloom item from an old character to a newly created one, likened to a New Game Plus game mode. [15]
Torchlight features three character classes. [17] [20]
The player develops their character by placing points into class-specific skill trees. Further, there is a separate category of spells that any character can learn from scrolls, regardless of class. [24]
In the fantasy world that serves as the setting of Torchlight, there is a mysterious ore known as Ember which has the power to imbue people and items with magical power. The mining boomtown called Torchlight is built above a rich vein of Ember, and adventurers are drawn to the town seeking the magical substance and the enchanted items it creates. However, as the player character explores the dungeons below Torchlight, they discover that Ember has a corrupting influence which led to the fall of past civilizations and endangers those who use it in the present. [6] [16] [25]
The player character arrives in town and is recruited by Syl, a sage who is searching for her mentor, an alchemist named Master Alric, who has disappeared in the nearby mine. At the bottom of the mine tunnels, the player finds a passage into older, crypt-like chambers below, eventually discovering that the entire dungeon is a "layer cake of ruined civilizations." [26] [27] Alric ambushes the player and reveals he has become evil due to the corrupting influence of Ember. After fighting a series of monsters and henchmen to reach the bottom of the dungeon, the player must face Alric and an ancient creature named Ordrak, the source of the Ember's corruption.
Pre-production on Torchlight began in August 2008, shortly after the dissolution of Flagship Studios. Runic Games was founded by Travis Baldree (lead developer of Fate and Mythos ) and veterans of Blizzard North and Flagship: Max Schaefer, Erich Schaefer and Peter Hu. [16] [28] The "entire Flagship Seattle team" consisting of 14 people (the branch of Flagship which created the original Mythos) signed on to Runic Games at the time of its formation. [18] [29] Having lost the rights to Mythos, the Runic team saw the development of a new game as a way to "finish what [they] started," although they would have to start over with none of the code or art assets from Mythos. [30] From the start, the company's ultimate goal was the development of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game with gameplay similar to that of Mythos or Diablo, but before tackling the MMO, Runic's founders decided to "go back to [their] roots" with a smaller game that they could refine and polish within a relatively short production cycle. [16] This single player game was intended to introduce the Torchlight game world to the public ahead of the MMO. Further, it allowed the team to get a released game under their belts sooner than if they had immediately started on the MMO. [23] [31] [32] Full production on the game started around November 2008, giving the entire project a development period of approximately 11 months. [33] As of July 2009, 25 team members were working at Runic Games. [24]
In a feature article on Gamasutra , art director Jason Beck explained that Torchlight's art style was inspired by comic books and classic film animation, using stylized character designs combined with painterly background textures. [30] The developers have described the game's look as inspired by " Dragon's Lair meets The Incredibles ." [31] The team chose to give the game world a lighter fantasy tone to make it more inviting, rather than utilizing a "dark and gritty" style. [30]
The game uses the OGRE open-source 3D graphics engine and CEGUI system for GUI, although the rest of the game engine was built by Runic. The game was designed to run on a wide range of systems (including a 'netbook' mode) and does not require shaders. [1]
Diablo composer and sound designer Matt Uelmen also joined the team, creating original music and sound for the game. [34] Uelmen based his score on the pacing and context of the gameplay, which he observed even in very early playable builds of the game. [35] For the "Torchlight" town theme, Uelmen incorporated some elements reminiscent of his "Tristram" theme from Diablo, but also tried to give it a distinctly different sound. For this piece, he recorded over 200 live takes using a twelve-string guitar among other instruments. For other portions of the score, he played a pedal steel guitar, and created a different sound from the instrument's typical use in country music. [34]
The developers cast voice actors with the help of veteran voice actress Lani Minella, who also performed in the game. [34]
In August 2010, Runic CEO Max Schaefer revealed that the game was in development for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, aiming for release by the end of the year. [3] In January 2011, Runic announced that Torchlight would be released for Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) in early 2011, but a release for PlayStation 3 was no longer planned. [10] Because Microsoft is acting as publisher of the XBLA release, Torchlight will likely remain exclusive to the Xbox 360 on consoles. [36]
The Xbox 360 port was developed as a collaboration between Runic Games and World Domination Industries. Runic became more heavily involved in the port in mid-2010 when it became clear that its controls and graphical interface required a complete overhaul to adapt for use with console-style controllers. [37] As such, the player character is now directly driven by the controller without any virtual cursors. The game also includes some new content such as additional armor sets and a new pet, and incorporates technology developed for Torchlight II including character animation blending and an improved automap. [36]
The PC version of Torchlight is designed to allow extensive modding by players, and Runic Games has released the game editing tools they used to create the game as a free download. [15] [21] [38] The editor, known as "TorchED" is intended to be intuitive to use and allows the user to switch between editing levels and playing in them without leaving the editor. Player, monster, and item statistics, language translations, and even particle systems can be customized within the editor. [26] TorchED is also capable of editing quest events, scripting, and global game balance. Further, the game uses publicly available file formats, allowing users to import models and animations with relative ease. [32]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | PC: 83/100 [39] X360: 81/100 [40] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
1Up.com | A [41] |
Eurogamer | 8/10 [42] |
Game Informer | 8.75/10 [43] |
GameSpot | 8.0/10 [44] |
GamesRadar+ | 9/10 [45] |
IGN | 8.6/10 [46] |
RPGamer | 4.5/5 [47] |
Publication | Award |
---|---|
RPGFan | E3 2009 PC RPG of Show [48] |
GDC | 2010 Best Debut Game [49] |
Torchlight received positive reviews; the PC release currently holds a score of 83 out of 100 on Metacritic [39] while the Xbox 360 release holds a score of 81 out of 100. [40]
Writing for RPGamer, staff reviewer Anna Marie Neufeld praised Torchlight's "phenomenal music and great art direction" as well as its addictive combat but criticized the game's storyline as shallow. [47] Rock, Paper, Shotgun reviewer John Walker found the core gameplay to be a highly focused and engaging refinement of the dungeon crawl genre, albeit one with a "tissue-thin" story and quests. [50] In his review in Game Informer , Adam Biessener listed responsive controls, attractive animations and effects, and clever enemy designs as some qualities that set Torchlight above most other action RPGs. [43] GameSpot 's Brett Todd found the game's pace engaging, noting a deep variety of monsters and loot, but found the lack of multiplayer to be an omission. [44] Several reviewers cited the game's low price as a positive point. [46] [43] [44] [42] [50] [51] The Australian video game talk show Good Game 's two reviewers gave the game a 7/10 and 8.5/10. [52]
Many reviewers compared the game to the Diablo series, some describing it as the best Diablo-like game since Diablo II [42] and "the best Diablo clone in years." [43] Adam Biessener of Game Informer stated that "the soul of Diablo hasn't been so ably captured in years," [43] and The Escapist 's John Funk wrote "Torchlight absolutely nails the formula that made Diablo so addictive." [51] RPGamer stated that Torchlight "manages to overcome the Diablo expectations by being a game that can stand on its own merits." [47] Satchmo on the blog Press X to Continue gave an overall score of 9/10 saying that "It is a fine entry into a genre that doesn't have much representation on the Xbox". [53]
In July 2011, Torchlight sales surpassed 1 million copies. [54] As of 2015, the game has sold almost 2 million copies. [55]
Torchlight won the Best Debut Game Award at the 2010 Game Developers Choice Awards. [49]
On August 4, 2010 Runic Games announced Torchlight II, a continuation of the story, featuring a co-op mode, new player characters, an "overworld" with multiple outdoor areas, and a new user interface. [13] [56] [57] Although the developers originally estimated a 2011 release, the game was finally released in 2012. [58]
Runic Games had originally planned to begin work on an MMORPG set in the Torchlight game world immediately following the release of the first game. Runic entered into a partnership with Chinese online game developer and operator Perfect World Co., Ltd. to publish the MMO worldwide. [31] At some point after the release of the first game, Runic Games decided to develop a sequel to Torchlight with co-op multiplayer capabilities, temporarily putting the MMO on the back burner. On September 20, 2012, the developers revealed they were no longer pursuing plans to create an MMO in the Torchlight universe. [59]
While Runic Games had been shuttered by Perfect World in 2017, Perfect World held the rights to the Torchlight IP. In mid-2018, the company announced Torchlight Frontiers, a shared world game developed by Echtra Games, a studio within Perfect World founded by Runic's Max Schaefer. [60] Frontiers was renamed Torchlight III in January 2020. It was released later that year on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, the company was founded in February 1991 as Silicon & Synapse, Inc. by three graduates of the University of California, Los Angeles: Michael Morhaime, Frank Pearce and Allen Adham. The company originally concentrated on the creation of game ports for other studios' games before beginning development of their own software in 1993, with games like Rock n' Roll Racing and The Lost Vikings. In 1993, the company became Chaos Studios, Inc., and then Blizzard Entertainment soon after being acquired by distributor Davidson & Associates early in the following year. Shortly after, Blizzard released Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.
Diablo II is an action role-playing hack-and-slash video game developed by Blizzard North and published by Blizzard Entertainment in 2000 for Microsoft Windows, Classic Mac OS, and OS X. The game, with its dark fantasy and horror themes, was conceptualized and designed by David Brevik and Erich Schaefer, who, with Max Schaefer, acted as project leads on the game. The producers were Matthew Householder and Bill Roper. The game was developed over a three-year period, with a crunch time of a year and a half.
A role-playing video game, a role-playing game (RPG) or computer role-playing game (CRPG), is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character immersed in some well-defined world, usually involving some form of character development by way of recording statistics. Many role-playing video games have origins in tabletop role-playing games and use much of the same terminology, settings, and game mechanics. Other major similarities with pen-and-paper games include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replay value and immersion. The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences.
Flagship Studios was an American video game developer founded by Bill Roper along with Max Schaefer, Erich Schaefer, and David Brevik, former high level Blizzard North executives. The core personnel of Flagship Studios had been collaborating as a team since 1993 when they founded Condor Studios and in addition to creating the Diablo franchise many were key high level executives in the development of Warcraft, StarCraft and World of Warcraft games. Flagship Studios was formed following the resignation en masse of Blizzard North management following a dispute with Blizzard Entertainment parent company Vivendi regarding the potential fate of the company, development team, and titles, which were in doubt at that time. Flagship Studio's primary target platform for their games was the PC.
Blizzard North was an American video game development studio based in San Mateo, California. The studio was the Bay Area division of Blizzard Entertainment, known for its Diablo series. The company was originally based in Redwood City, California, before moving a short distance away to San Mateo, with Blizzard proper being based in Irvine, southern California.
An action role-playing game is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre.
Fate is a 2005 single-player action role-playing game originally released for the PC by WildTangent. Fate was released for the PC Steam client on December 12, 2013. Three sequels—titled Fate: Undiscovered Realms, Fate: The Traitor Soul and Fate: The Cursed King—were released in 2008, 2009 and 2011 respectively.
Matt Uelmen is an American video game music composer and sound designer. He is best known for his work in Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series, which was recognized with the inaugural Excellence in Audio award by the IGDA in 2001. He also worked as a sound designer for the real-time strategy game StarCraft, and worked on World of Warcraft's expansion The Burning Crusade in 2007. From 2009 until the studio's closure in 2017, Matt Uelmen worked as a member of the Runic Games team, as a composer and sound designer for the Torchlight games.
Mythos was a multiplayer role-playing video game that was originally under development by Flagship Studios Seattle, a subdivision of Flagship Studios, a video game company composed largely of ex-Blizzard North employees who were lead producers of the Diablo series. Due to financial issues at Flagship Studios, Flagship Seattle was subsequently dissolved, leaving the intellectual property rights in the hands of the Korean game company HanbitSoft. HanbitSoft's corporate partners will continue to develop Mythos for a planned release in South Korea and North America.
ZeniMax Online Studios LLC is an American video game developer and a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, specializing in massively multiplayer online games. The company developed The Elder Scrolls Online and its downloadable content. ZeniMax Online Studios had around 250 employees in 2012. In addition to the main Hunt Valley, Maryland based office, ZeniMax Online also maintains a satellite studio in Budapest, Hungary as well as a customer support center in Galway, Ireland.
Diablo is an action role-playing dungeon crawler video game series developed by Blizzard North and continued by Blizzard Entertainment after the North studio shut down in 2005. The series is made up of four core games: Diablo, Diablo II, Diablo III, and Diablo IV. Expansions include the third-party published Hellfire, which follows the first game; Lord of Destruction, published by Blizzard and released after the second game; and Reaper of Souls, which follows the third game. Additional content is provided through story elements explored in other types of media forms.
Runic Games was an American computer game developer based in Seattle. It was formed by former Flagship Studios developers in August 2008. In 2009, the company released Torchlight, a single-player action role-playing game. It was acquired by Perfect World in May 2010. They released a sequel, Torchlight II, in 2012. It was at this time the developers revealed they were no longer pursuing plans to create an MMO in the Torchlight universe.
Diablo III is a 2012 hack-and-slash action role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment as the third installment in the Diablo franchise. It was released for Microsoft Windows and OS X in May 2012, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2014, and Nintendo Switch in November 2018. Set 20 years after the events of Diablo II, players control one of seven character classes – Barbarian, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Monk, Necromancer, Witch Doctor, or Wizard – and are tasked with defeating Diablo.
TERA, also known as TERA Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Bluehole Studio, a subsidiary of Krafton. The game was released in South Korea on 25 January 2011, in North America on 1 May 2012, and in Europe on 3 May 2012, with closed and open beta tests taking place before the launch dates. Nexon, Krafton, and Gameforge published the game in these regions, respectively. En Masse Entertainment was the North American publisher, until September 2020, while Atari handled physical distribution. In February 2013 the game was renamed to TERA: Rising concurrently with the game's launch to the free-to-play model.
Torchlight II is an action role-playing dungeon crawler video game developed by Runic Games, released for Microsoft Windows on September 20, 2012. It is the sequel to Torchlight, and features peer-to-peer multiplayer support and extended modding capabilities. The game was released for OS X on February 2, 2015, and for Linux on March 4, 2015. Ports for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One were released September 3, 2019 and were developed by Panic Button.
Neverwinter is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Cryptic Studios for Microsoft Windows in 2013, Xbox One in 2015, and PlayStation 4 in 2016. Based on the fictional Forgotten Realms city of Neverwinter from Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter is a standalone game and not part of the previous Neverwinter Nights series.
Western role-playing video games are role-playing video games developed in the Western world, including The Americas and Europe. They originated on mainframe university computer systems in the 1970s, were later popularized by titles such as Ultima and Wizardry in the early- to mid-1980s, and continue to be produced for modern home computer and video game console systems. The genre's "Golden Age" occurred in the mid- to late-1980s, and its popularity suffered a downturn in the mid-1990s as developers struggled to keep up with changing fashion, hardware evolution and increasing development costs. A later series of isometric role-playing games, published by Interplay Productions and Blizzard Entertainment, was developed over a longer time period and set new standards of production quality.
Rebel Galaxy is a space Western-styled space trading and combat simulation single-player video game developed and published by the two-person studio Double Damage Games. It was released on Steam and GOG.com for Microsoft Windows and OS X on October 20, 2015. Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions were released in January 2016.
Torchlight III is an action role-playing game and the third game in the Torchlight series. It is developed by American studio Echtra Games and published by Perfect World Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in October 2020.
Minecraft Dungeons is a 2020 dungeon crawler video game developed by Mojang Studios and Double Eleven and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is a spin-off of the sandbox video game Minecraft and was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in May 2020. It was also adapted into an arcade video game by Raw Thrills. The arcade version released in May 2021. The game would later cease development on September 28, 2023.
We created a new pet for the retail version. The new pet version is a ferret, actually more about the size of an otter, and sporting a cool pair of Alchemist-style goggles.