Torchlight Frontiers PAX West Experience

I had the pleasure of getting into Torchlight Frontiers during my time at PAX West 2018. Let me start off with how impressed I was with the team in keeping the same feel from previous Torchlight installments but also making it feel fresh and new. Torchlight Frontiers is set in the same universe as Torchlight I and II. Torchlight Frontiers will many of the signature features we are used to in the franchise and mechanics that have kept us coming back. The team will be lead by former Runic Games co-founder Max Schaefer. 

The thing that caught my eye with torchlight was just how natural the controls felt. From using light to heavy attacks and using abilities it all felt extremely natural and smooth. The color in the game is light and vibrant when needed and dark and gloomy in all the right ways. The attention to detail in the game and how camps of creatures spawn feels great. There wasn’t a time while exploring in the land that I felt like I couldn’t handle the challenge. The nice and interesting thing about Torchlight Frontiers is that there will be cities where all players can come to hang out, show off gear and interact. Upon leaving town you’ll be loaded into a area where I believe there will be roughly 10 or so other players adding a feel of loneliness but enough opportunity to actually run into someone without it feeling elbow to elbow. Within these lands though are dungeons that you may ask to group with the other members in the land with you or try and go solo.

Some of the awesome features I can speak to after talking with them is that your pets that fight along side you like in previous installments is the ability to load them with unwanted items and send them back to the town to sell for you. This not only is extremely nice so you’re not burdened with returning but also because sometimes you just don’t want to stop what you’re doing or tasked with dropping items. Another cool feature I personally liked hearing was that their isn’t a leveling component but rather a weapon and armor upgrade component making sure all players are on the same field upon starting. Other cool features was how you may have the most badass armor and weapons in the poison environment but after moving to a heat environment or maybe an icey one you need to start back over and building and upgrading your armor set for that terrain and creatures. I really love this idea as it gives a vast replay ability along with a new way of playing the game each time you enter a new terrain.

The last thing I want to mention is that while playing I found the upgrading of weapons, armor intuitive and easy to navigate unlike other online games I’ve previously played. I must say Torchlight Frontiers was easily in my top 5 appointments at PAX West 2018 and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it finally releases on PC, Xbox One and PS4. Of course you’ll find me rocking it on PC Friday nights for our channel once it’s available!

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