I finally carved out some more quality time for Torchlight this week.  My one-line take:  this game is nearly everything that any Diablo fan could have wanted.

Still, let us first tackle the oliphaunt in the room – we would have liked multiplayer functionality.  That said, it must be noted that Torchlight was developed from scratch in only 11 months, which in itself seems amazing.

Moreover, Runic Games has a plan.  The single-player Torchlight release constitutes Step One – namely, introducing the Torchlight license to the gaming world, and thereby paving the way for their free-to-play Torchlight MMO (slated for release in 18 to 24 months).

Enough about Runic’s future, though – we’ve got a game to discuss, and what a game it is.  Hold on to your mouse, kids – Torchlight is gorgeous, charming, and most importantly, buckets of fun.

Runic has crafted an extremely-approachable dungeon crawler.  Whether you are an old hat or new to the action RPG genre, this game will likely draw you in.  The premise is familiar:  meet new and interesting monsters, and slay them (grabbing their treasure in the process, of course).  Upgrades to your gear are frequent, and the decision between your own trusty helmet and one recently looted from a slain skeleton is half the fun.  About the time you’re in danger of becoming bored with your current configuration, your character levels up or finds some new equipment, offering new options in combat.

Each character class is thoroughly playable;  well-varied talent trees give ranged classes viable melee options, and vice-versa.  All classes are given the choice of a pet dog or cat to fight alongside you, help to carry loot, and even run back to town on their own to hock said booty, saving you a Town Portal scroll and freeing you up for uninterrupted delving!  Moreover, a fun little fishing minigame offers up a variety of weird fishies that, when fed to your pet, transform them into number of powerful monster alter-egos.

From a visual standpoint, Torchlight may be the newest touchstone for action RPG art.  Sure, the basic theme is a tried-and-true fantasy setting, but Runic has woven some cool steampunk elements into their particular tapestry, and it very much works.  The engaging player characters and numerous, varied foes are also crafted in an edgy, cartoonish style with heavy-lined art and vibrant shading, setting the actors apart from the sublime, slightly painted-looking backdrop of the dungeon settings.

Further setting it apart from its predecessors, Torchlight’s environments possess a distinct sense of verticality.  As your character navigates the mines, crypts, and dungeons below torchlight, the view from balconies and suspended walkways reveals glimpses of levels below, complete with their resident brand of creepies crawling about in the gloom, unaware of your impending intrusion.

Torchlight’s sound design is likewise masterful.   From the crisp jingle of your dog’s collar during an idle moment, to the protests of startled dungeon dwellers, the audio is perfectly timed and crafted.  Weapons possess a visceral impact, and the combination of a perfectly-timed audio cue with a subtle screen shake lends a sense of real power to your attacks.  The Vanquisher’s Ricochet shot crashes palpably around corners, scattering hapless Ratlins, and the close melee attack from the Alchemist’s wand connects with a very satisfying bang.

Likewise, Matt Uelmen’s soundtrack will likely give you nostalgic shivers.  His signature here is unmistakable – atmospheric tracks heavily-laden with echoing guitar work – but the mood is light and upbeat enough to set it apart thematically from his Diablo tracks.  Here’s to hoping Runic deigns to release an official soundtrack!  [clink]

In closing, go play the game!  This is $20 US very gladly spent – the lure of exploring just one more dungeon section in search of ever-improving loot is a siren song.  It may lose you a few hours of sleep, but you will be glad for the experience.  I’m actually looking forward to my business trip next week, as evenings in the hotel will be spent playing Torchlight (with a microbrew or three close at hand, gods willing).  The game is truly a perfect choice for gaming on a less-than-stellar business laptop.

One last comment:  while I had no problem installing and validating the game on my iMac (running Windows 7 RC via BootCamp), I did have some trouble on my Dell Latitude work laptop.  At home, I was unable to connect to the key authenticator either by wifi or wired ethernet, but I reached the authentication server on my first time on my connection at work.  Runic is aware of this problem, and I’m sure they are hard at work to eliminate the issue.

For those interested in Torchlight’s art development, check out this well-written article over at Gamasutra – a very interesting read.