Holding onto the Torch before Diablo Comes

Starcraft II just came out this past month, but some people might be more hyped for Blizzard's next big title, Diablo III, to hit the PC some time in the future. Unfortunately, that game is sort of far off in the distance. However, veteran developers who were known in the creation of Diablo I and II, along with other games such as Mythic and Fate, have made the wait just a bit shorter.

Those developers happen to be behind Runic Games, the development team behind Torchlight, an action RPG with all the feel that a good Diablo title can have. Today, Runic Games is proud to announce the development of Torchlight II for PC, releasing early 2011.

From the official site...

Beyond the town of Torchlight lies a world shrouded in adventure and mystery. Guardian-warrior Syl appears in a prophetic dream, summoning the player to the Estherian Steppes. There, you meet with the Destroyer and soon venture across the continent of Vilderan, an exotic frontier besieged by forces of evil. A discovery unfolds, that the Alchemist, following his conquest of dark ember, disappeared on his quest to defeat the unknown corrupted force responsible for destroying the mystical race of Estherians. Aided by Syl, the remaining Estherian Guardians, and clues left behind by the missing Alchemist, you will find yourself battling a powerful enemy that threatens to unravel the elements of the entire world.

Sounds like quite an adventure for one warrior to handle, but thankfully Runic is pushing a new Co-Op mode through the sequel, either through LAN or online connections.

Players can customize and build up their warriors as they please, and they can even "retire" characters and bestow their weaponry and such to new characters, so players can keep their awesome loot while starting anew!

The game also touts the ability to mod the title with TorchEd, the game's level-editing system. Looks like Runic is pulling all the stops on this sequel!

PCWorld has exclusive artwork from Runic, so go over there and take a look. Torchlight II will be released initially as a digital download title for PC early 2011, with no console or physical release specified thus far.

Runic Games is also developing an MMO, and it has emphasized that production in that title is still happening, despite this game's announcement.

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