Torchlight  

They discovered, however, that they were not the first to tap that lode: deep below the surface they came across ruined civilizations full of corpses that bore evidence of unspeakable evil. Someone, or something, had corrupted the Ember, spelling certain doom for those who dared disturb the underworld, unless someone can find the source of that evil and defeat it.

That’s your cue. When you arrive in Torchlight and head toward the mine, you come across a pair of adventurers locked in a battle against several gruesome monsters. One of them, too injured to continue, sends you after her companion, who has plunged alone into the depths. Thus your first quest begins.

You enter the mine, your faithful pet (a wolf or a lynx) at your side. The Orden Mines are your first destination. You come across Rat People, slimy round Gels, and other simple monsters who don’t pose much difficulty. Don’t be fooled, however: they’re but a warm-up for the challenges to come.

Victory in combat gives you experience points as well as all kinds of loot, including gold, better armor and weapons, and a variety of magical items, such as rings. When necessary, return to Torchlight and sell unwanted stuff so you can buy better weapons, armor, and magical items. Earn enough experience points and your character gains another level, allowing him to increase his skills in various areas and enhance his abilities.

The citizens of Torchlight also offer quests that reward you with not only experience but fame points too. Each new level of fame brings with it a title appended to your character’s name — such as The Unremarkable or The Memorable — as well as extra skill points.

Skills are key because they allow your character to specialize in different areas, depending on the class chosen at the beginning of the game: the Alchemist is a spellcaster who can summon minions, such as imps, and unleash powerful pyrotechnic spells; the Destroyer is a fighter who can become adept with ranged weapons or elemental spells, in addition to traditional melee weapons; and the Vanquisher mixes melee and ranged weapon skills with the ability to set traps. All three can use magic to some degree.

Each dungeon level is randomly generated and features secret rooms, moving bridges, traps, more powerful boss monsters, and other obstacles that will keep you on your toes. The Orden Mines were dug by the miners who came to Torchlight, but they soon give way to a labyrinthine crypt, a former prison overrun by goblins, the ruins of a Dwarven city, and more. Eventually you’ll discover the Black Palace, where the villain behind the Ember corruption lurks.

Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to access small side dungeons by stepping through the phase portals left behind when you kill Phase Beasts. Those areas are a treasure trove of gold and special items, but the monsters you’ll encounter are of the much-tougher champion variety. However, you’ll score extra fame points if you survive those encounters. Other dungeons can be accessed by talking to Torchlight’s citizens, and when you complete the main story, an endless dungeon will open in the town graveyard.

Once your character has reached the heights of glory, you can have her retire and pass one item to a new character, enhancing its powers in the process. Now you can master a different character class or explore an area of the dungeon you missed last time. Or perhaps you’ll be ready to tackle the endless dungeon. After all, that’s where all of Torchlight’s discerning heroes spend their time.