Zero Punctuation: Torchlight

[Ophenix]

This review is really halfassed. You should try and check the backround of the games you review, even if they are from a steam sale.

- Torchlight has a modding tool and was constructed to enable people to add and remove mods easly. There are endless mods with extra levels, characters and monsters online. It's a part of the game that people are encouraged to explore. There is a free mod editing software that you can download and alter pretty much any aspect of the game.
- The controls are fine if you know how to use them... Just tab two main skills, the rest are for rare occasions so using the number pad is ok. There are a few mods you can download to customize any button usage...
- This is a game that borrows from Diablo because it was done by the D/D2 team. They were trying to make a name for themselves outside of the monster Blizzard has become and reviews on other sites prove they managed pretty well. Saying it takes everying thing from Diablo is like saying Wolfenstein is a copy of Doom...

The review was funny and all, but come one, at least wiki the games you are trying to review...

 

[MadeinHell]

I found Torchlight very fun and entertaining.
And god damn it! It was just 3 euro that's like the best deal I could ever do! Well... unless I bought a pack of condoms that one time... *sigh*...

 

[PopcornAvenger]

It goes to show that perhaps the reason why Blizzard is so hesitant to release Diablo III is because we've moved past the entire genre.

Mayhaps YOU have, but many of us have not . . . and given Diablo2 is STILL on the shelves should have told the industry something. Namely, we want more games like Diablo2! I bought Borderlands at full price, and Torchlight for $5 USD, and the amount of money compared to how much I'm enjoying the game is an inverse ratio between the two. Random loot system, randomized wandering bosses, mobs, bloodletting galore . . what's not to like?

Yahtzee is obviously not a Diablo2 fan . . . which is probably the demarcation line between whether or not most people will like Torchlight. Diablo2 love = Torchlight love. Even if one didn't, or never played it, Torchlight is still cheep cheep (get it from Steam or Runic, not retail).

 

[Ell Jay]

Hrm... first time I've seriously disagreed with Mr. Croshaw's opinion and for me, it's putting a significant dent in his cachet as someone who knows the the hell they're talking about. Consider my approval rating decreased.

 

[The Random One]

Well, comparing anything to an ice cream sandwich is pretty mean. It's both an ice cream and a sandwich, man. How do you top that?

 

[ArmoredCavalry]

Torchlight is pretty fun if you like the genre.

I only noticed the npc pathfiding messing up once, at which point I just instantly re-summoned the stuck npc.

Also at the beginning, was he saying the game was Steampunk or Steam service? Because it is not Steam exclusive.

 

[daxterx2005]

Yahtzee wins again, and I notice he liked to randomly throw Dolphins into his videos

 

[the1ultimate]

Not a terribly strong finishing joke, even with the ice-cream sandwich. You might have been better off going with a pun like:
"Torchlight - It's worth lighting on fire with a torch."

 

[zeratul123]

you should have eaten the ice cream sandwich

 

[ilion]

back to icewind dale 2 and Torment. bye.

 

[Exodus666]

Damn near piss'd myself laughing.
What he says about the NPCs in RPGs is so true.

 

[Credge]

Yahtzee doesn't like Diablo.

Odd.

 

[Dont Fear The Reaper]

I was an enormous Diablo 2 fan. I played that game for over four years. So when Torchlight comes out everybody I know recommends it to me knowing I'm going to love it.

Let me just point out then for those of you who are unaware: Torchlight sucks. Hard. It's repetitive and boring and not even worth the three dollars. I played it for one hour before tossing it. Please don't tell me that if you love Diablo2 you're going to love Torchlight, because Torchlight is absolutely nothing but a carbon copy of Diablo 2 with all the fun taken out.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Lol, that bit about the towns being built on top of Satan gave me a mental image of a sleazy looking real estate agent with a nasally voice trying to sell the land to a group of settlers.

Real Estate agent: "Yes this is the perfect spot for your new town. We hardly have any problems with demonic hoards or evil death cults."
Settler: Umm... isn't that the Hellmouth over there?
Real Estate agent: "NO! Umm... uh no, in fact that's the perfect spot to build your church. Yes..."

 

[oppp7]

I actually preferred Diablo's combat style to Guild War's "click and let the game play itself" combat style.
The lack of customization was irritating though...

 

[inpachi]

I must say this game was awesome.. Albeit i lost interest as soon as i beat it.. It Diablo done right! The game is simply there to hold you off til Diablo 3..

 

[JoshuaMadoc]

Couple of things, guys:

- Torchlight is extremely similar to Diablo BECAUSE it was made by another group of ex-Diablo developers that also made FATE.

- Those not satisfied with the vanilla game can try to brew their own flavors with its very own company-provided modding tool, TorchED, so you can get rid of everything that made the vanilla game's shortcomings and design your own with complete reckless abandon, and some other third-party developed modding tools.

The modding community is picking up rather well in spite of the game being a few months old. Just go check out the game's official forums about it if it interests you.

- I take it Yahtzee didn't bother commenting on the modding community, either because he doesn't give a rat's arse about it, or he doesn't have the permission to extend the review to touch upon that.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm just surprised he reviewed it now considering it came out back in NOVEMBER.

If you read "Extra Punctuation", he tells you why.

 

[Dont Fear The Reaper]

Couple of things, guys:


- Those not satisfied with the vanilla game can try to brew their own flavors with its very own company-provided modding tool, TorchED, so you can get rid of everything that made the vanilla game's shortcomings and design your own with complete reckless abandon, and some other third-party developed modding tools.

Modding shouldn't be an excuse for companies to deliver a mediocre game. If I buy a bike from someone, I don't want them to just give me a pair of handlebars and say: "Don't worry, there are tons of bike-building communities out there if you aren't satisfied with your handlebars." How about instead of relying on fans to finish your game for you, you actually spend some time into making it yourself?

 

[McNinja]

Torchlight is a pretty fun game, and I agree with Yahtzee as well. Pathfinding is generall poor, although the pet teleports to you if you go to far away from it. And the Face-metly-death-beam is just that. It kills nearly everything in at least one hit.

Although, for $20 it was pretty fun, and the modding tools, once you figure out how to not screw up, are pretty fun. Also, there are already dozens upon dozens of mods for new character classes, new potions like more xp, more gold, always identified mods (which are a big help), more levels, etc.

The game is made for modding, and it is fun. The game, that is.