Torchlight II Preview

GamesRadar's preview piece on Torchlight II is most likely going to be one of the last to be released for the title, since its release date is set for next Thursday, and if I had to make a prediction based on the tone of it, I'd say the hack'n'slash is going to be well-received.

Here's a snip:
Torchlight II offers plenty of content to keep you busy--monsters to kill, side quests to complete, and random events to undertake. Explore a map and you'll occasionally encounter an NPC that needs help fending off attackers or finding a magical item; assist them, and they'll provide tangible rewards in the form of new equipment and gold. Because these events are completely randomized, you'll encounter some that many others may never see.

All of these things provide experience points for further developing your character's stats and abilities, which now provide tiered bonuses for every five points you invest in them. For instance, slotting a fourth point into the Outlander's Rapid Fire skill provides a marginal damage increase but drop a fifth point into the skill, and you get more damage and the first tier upgrade: an increase in the ability's attack range. Three tiers exist for each skill, and choosing which to pump points into adds an extra layer of strategy to building the ultimate monster murderer.

The pet system has seen improvements, too. Before, your pet would assist in battle, as well as store and sell loot while you continued exploring dungeons. Now, you can equip your pet (of which there are eight adorable animals to choose from, including a Bulldog, Panther, and helmet-wearing Ferret) with stat-increasing collars and tags, as well as attack abilities. You can even use your pet to buy consumables, such as Identify Scrolls or Healing Potions, so you can stay in the thick of the action without having to portal back to a town to restock your supply.