Torchlight II

Lore & Background

Years after the end of the original Torchlight, The Alchemist becomes corrupted by the Ember Blight coming from the Heart of Ordrak and destroys the town of Torchlight. The player character takes on a quest to stop this villain, who is using Ordrak's power to disturb the balance between the world's six elements. The game progresses across three acts and an epilogue: Act I in the Estherian Steppes, Act II in the Mana Wastes, and Act III in Grunnheim.

In Their Own Story

Rain hammered the thatched roof of the waystation as you pulled your cloak tighter. The Engineer's workshop glowed through the window—amber light spilling across wet cobblestones, the soft tick of a half-finished automaton on the bench. Your pet, a scruffy little fox with one torn ear, curled at your feet and sighed.

"You're not going out in this weather," said Maren, the station-keeper, without looking up from the ledger. But she was already sliding a fresh ration across the counter and a map of the Cragwood's eastern passes. Everyone in Torchlight knew the old rule: you don't turn away a traveler, not even one who smells like gunpowder and ozone.

You tucked the map into your coat. Outside, the rain thinned to mist, and somewhere far off, a forge bell rang three times. The world was still turning. It always was.

Reader's Guide

The game features four playable character classes, each with 3 skill trees. Unlike the first game, some weapons and armor can only be used by certain classes. Players can customize character appearance with choice of sex, face, hair style and hair color. Pets return with expanded options and basic customization. Fishing also returns. A New Game Plus mode replaced the originally planned retirement system. Multiplayer supports up to 6 players via internet or LAN, with separate loot drops and optional PVP. A Runic Games account is required for online multiplayer.

Did You Know?

• Torchlight II features cinematic sequences produced by Klei Entertainment, the developer of Don't Starve.
• The GUTS editor, added in April 2013, allows users to alter game content and create modifications, with Steam Workshop support.
• The game received an overall score of 88 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 67 professional reviews.
• A sequel, Torchlight III, was released in 2020.