Record of Lodoss War Online vs Torchlight
Record of Lodoss War Online
Record of Lodoss War Online is a somewhat old-school, anime-themed MMORPG that has a unique top-down-like view (much like in Drakensang Online), a straightforward hack-and-slash combat, and a storyline that’s intriguing enough to make you stick around. Set in a world on the verge of being plunged into yet again another war, you play a promising adventurer who has uncovered a plot by the evil sorcerer, Bagnard - he is hellbent on bringing back the evil gods and their armies of doom. Naturally, you can't let his plans come to fruition.In addition to its unique Reaction skills that works in a combo-like manner, this dungeon-crawling game also features a myriad of dungeons to challenge with friends, a merc system where you can recruit NPCs to aid you in your adventures, and also a dual-leveling system where you level up both your character and your character’s ranking in the Adventurer’s Association. There are plenty of other features in this game as well, including the mercenary system where you can recruit up to 2 other NPCs to join you in your adventures; fun stat-boosting titles to earn, free teleports to town, and an account-wide vault where you can use to transfer gear or other items between characters. Players can also set up their own stalls, a.k.a. “Sales Agency”, to sell items they don’t need.
Record of Lodoss War Online may be grindy, like most MMORPGs are, but it's a pretty decent dungeon-crawling game overall. The beautiful and adorable anime graphics, the incredible title theme as well as its simple-to-grasp gameplay made it a fun game to play even in this day and age.
Torchlight
Torchlight is a fun dungeon crawling game that features an epic storyline, thrilling action and a loyal pet companion, which you can customize, to boot! Assemble a team of three heroes and descend into the monsters-filled caverns below the town in search of the valuable and rare ore, Ember, as well as plenty of riches and glory. You can even take a breather in between all the monster slaying to head off to a fishing pool and go fishing. The fishes you get are surprisingly powerful though - they can be fed to your loyal companion and turn it into powerful battle allies rather than just being a pack mule.Like most dungeon crawlers, randomization is key to the gameplay, giving players a fresh new experience everytime they replay the game, but of course, mod support also gives the game an even longer lifespan. To faciliate this replayability, the game even has a retirement system in place which allow you to pass down prized equipment to your new heroes as you "retire" the old one.
Torchlight may not have enjoyed a following that's large as Diablo, but the game has its own group of loyal fans and hardcore players who still play the game. The game itself feels so much more lighthearted than the dark demonic tones of the latter and is perfect for players who enjoy dungeon crawlers but dislike being scared silly by grotesque creatures of hell.