Torchlight III

Overall, the gameplay design of Torchlight III is fun and motivating, but it has some deeper flaws that need to be addressed. Players must have a balance of difficulty and challenge. Giving players too much advantage at the beginning and overpowering them will not benefit the longevity of the game. If you need proof, go look at Bungie’s Destiny 2, which is struggling to maintain challenging content, while believing that making players ‘grind’ for shoddy rewards is the right solution for the issue. Finding that balance of building up a character properly and delivering difficulty and challenging enemies along the way is what other action RPGs, like Diablo, classics. Echtra Games did a great job with the initial groundwork of Torchlight III’s gameplay design, but it needs a bit more balance in some backend areas.

The freedom of how to play and how to progress allows you to just sit back and enjoy the game.

Though it has fun gameplay and unique character classes, Torchlight III doesn't do much to progress the franchise to attract a new audience.

Torchlight III doesn’t bring anything new to the looter dungeon crawler and that’s okay. It’s rather simplified and accessible, but most importantly fun and hard to stop playing. Hardcore fans of this style may be critical of the fact that it might be too simplistic and accessible, and that’s understandable since I have fond memories of working out complex character builds in other games of this nature and feeling pride when they worked out well. Comparing Torchlight III to other dungeon crawlers may come up lacking in those areas, but it’s an enjoyable game just taking it in as its own entity, making the return trip to Novastraia worthwhile.

This third entry works, but after so many years there are better options out there.

Torchlight 3 offers a solid foundation of ARPG goodness, but the balance of loot drops and progression feel off to the point where long sections of the game feel interminable. When everything is clicking, players can destroy waves of bad guys with the best of them – but expect an ebb and flow to the good times.

Everything Torchlight III does, it does worse than one of its contemporaries. Primarily Diablo. While what is here looks good and plays fine, it's repetitive and lacks the magic of games it shares a genre with. But all of that could've been forgiven if it had at least allowed me to suffer through it with a friend in local multiplayer, but it couldn't even do that. If you get the urge to play Torchlight III, just play Diablo III instead.

Ultimately, Torchlight III is a game of simple pleasures. Simple gatherings with friends to take out enemies for greater loot. A simple, easy-going story that helps the game flow along faster. Simply going through just one more dungeon to have fun in and use the hero created to rain destruction down for better gear, and do it all over again. If something simple and fun that can be taken in small doses is what players are looking for then Torchlight III fits the bill. However, many may wish to wait for some big patches to fix the issues with multiplayer before getting too invested, or just take a favorite hero through the single-player campaign or a Dun’Djinn until the game lives up to its full potential.

Torchlight III is an RPG that leaves a lot to be desired, especially for those who know the genre very well with games like Diablo. It is obvious that its development is not 100% finished, and it lacks several months of polishing. However, Torchlight III can be fun, but you have to be able to ignore its constant problems.

Torchlight III is an imperfect but endearing action RPG whose great boss fights and enjoyable special skills clash with the noticeable relics of a freemium experience.

As a long-time fan, I was excited about Torchlight III. I hoped for a hidden gem that would scratch my co-op itching, offering moments of laughter and fun all around. After giving the game several chances, just to have my hopes go unfulfilled with each new patch, I have to admit defeat: this game should have not been released, at least not now, and not like this. The bugs can be corrected, even though the patches seem to not really deal with them. But the main problem is the peculiar concept choices, the serious lack of variety, and the feeling that you are investing time and effort in a free-to-play game still in development. As such, I cannot recommend Torchlight III, not even to long-time fans of the series.

Torchlight III continues the series' cheap and cheerful take on the action RPG stylings of the Diablo series but comes up short on its combat, looting and storytelling. There's fun to be had here, especially in co-op, but nothing about the game stands out apart from some pretty, but messy, visuals.

A colourful, loot-orientated action role-player let down by over-simplified systems and levelling up that often feels inconsequential.

Deep down, Torchlight III could be a great game. If the developers revamp the map and UI issues I pointed out I’d be over the moon. But in its current state I can’t in good conscious tell you to pay full asking price. Hold off until this is either patched or on sale.

Torchlight III is by no means a bad game. It is obvious that the team at Echtra Games put a lot of time and work into it, but there are a lot of problems that need fixing before Torchlight III meets or exceeds its current potential. The largest offender is the lack of interesting loot and the lack of places to upgrade weapons and armor, but bland class differentiation and puzzling map layouts contribute to an experience that will likely leave fans wondering what could have been in Torchlight III.

This is the same old Torchlight, but somewhat diminished. Classes are full of character and lots of fun to play, while Relic abilities encourage experimentation and significantly change combat. However, there's nothing especially new or exciting about this third instalment.

For all intents and purposes, Torchlight 3 seems like it’s an action RPG struggling to find its identity. It feels generic, repetitive and boring, and comparing it to earlier, superior Torchlight titles does it no favors. Pretty colors aren’t enough to save this one from oblivion, especially with so much quality competition out there.

Torchlight III is a disappointment. It has good production values and gives a good first impression, but it just lacks depth in so many areas. The loot and skill systems are boring, and there's not enough variety as you're pushed into crowds of enemies with shallow explanations for why you have to go through. There's very little really to recommend here when its biggest competitor is now so old and cheap.