Torchlight 3, the latest installment in the renowned hack and slash franchise, made its debut on Steam Early Access as devs seek player feedback before the full launch.
The loot-based RPG Torchlight 3 made its surprise Steam Early Access release on June 14, following a big announcement at PC Gamer’s live PC Gaming Show event.
Developer Echtra Games didn’t mention a set length of time as to how long the game will remain in Early Access, though they did say that it would last for “at least a few months,” according to Torchlight 3’s Steam store page.
🎉 Torchlight III has entered Steam Early Access! 🔥#Torchlight #EarlyAccess 🎥#Trailer
This fast-paced dungeon crawler brings fans back to the beloved Torchlight universe to hack and slash through a brand new world, earn loot, and party with friends!https://t.co/ET4Psx3EPn pic.twitter.com/Tfm3mCUU1w
— Play Torchlight (@PlayTorchlight) June 13, 2020
Echtra Games’ PC Gaming showcase
Torchlight 3’s gameplay trailer showed several clips of the game in action, along with glimpses of some of the intriguing classes players can choose from.
The one-minute trailer was followed by a three and a half minute-long interview with Echtra Games founder and CEO Max Schaefer, who spoke at length about some of the game’s new features.
The Torchlight 3 fort system
According to the veteran video game maker, Torchlight 3 will take place a century after the events of its predecessor, and will further expand upon the world of Torchlight while remaining familiar to fans of the series
The action-RPG will feature a new fort system that gives each player a home base that they can upgrade and freely customize.
Gamers will also encounter other players’ forts in the game world and will be able to use their facilities as they would their own, including all enchantments and recipes that the fort owner has unlocked.
🏰 This week we're sharing some of the Fort frills, features, and facilities that will help grow characters as you progress through Torchlight III!https://t.co/fobxXdPodB pic.twitter.com/J03KCKjnme
— Play Torchlight (@PlayTorchlight) April 24, 2020
Schaefer talks character classes and pets
Character classes have also been revamped, with the developers including some interesting oddball choices like the “Railmaster,” who conjures up trains in the heat of battle, and a steam-powered robot who looks more like one of the game’s enemies rather than a protagonist.
For fans of more traditional classes, Torchlight 3 will still feature some of those, such as the gun-toting “Sharpshooter” and the magic-inclined “Dusk Mage.”
Meet the Sharpshooter. These proud marksmen brave trap-laden tombs to procure artifacts housing powerful spirits.
With deadly accuracy and an array of ancient spirits at their command, the Sharpshooter is ready for adventure.
🏹Read more #Torchlight3🏹https://t.co/6UhaetXkvy pic.twitter.com/d6qi4rNfJk
— Play Torchlight (@PlayTorchlight) March 25, 2020
Finally, the Echtra founder discussed the Pet system, which has been greatly expanded. In addition to all the functions from the previous games, pets can now be found in the wild and players will be able to keep a variety of them to choose from when leaving their fort.
Schaefer ended the Torchlight 3 presentation by excitedly breaking news of the game’s release on Steam’s Early Access program, and is currently available for a reduced price-tag of US$30 [AU$44].
Torchlight II on consoles got another big update today – Including new pets! Read on to see what's improved:https://t.co/35595Go9gM pic.twitter.com/Z6l4fW8FRk
— Play Torchlight (@PlayTorchlight) February 21, 2020
There’s still no word about how long the game will remain in Early Access, and whether or not Torchlight 3 will find its way to other platforms. In the meantime, fans are free to pick up the game on Steam at a lower price, while helping out the game’s development by providing feedback.
Featured image courtesy of PlayTorchlight/Twitter