<s>
Torchlight	B-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
dungeon	O
crawler	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Runic	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Perfect	O
World	O
,	O
released	O
for	O
Windows	B-Application
in	O
October	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
fantasy-themed	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
fictional	O
town	O
of	O
Torchlight	B-Application
and	O
the	O
expansive	O
caverns	O
and	O
dungeons	O
nearby	O
,	O
which	O
adventurers	O
explore	O
to	O
collect	O
valuable	O
loot	O
and	O
battle	O
hordes	O
of	O
monsters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
October	O
2009	O
digital	O
distribution	O
release	O
,	O
a	O
Windows	B-Application
retail	O
box	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
in	O
January	O
2010	O
by	O
Encore	O
,	O
Inc	O
,	O
and	O
JoWooD	O
Entertainment	O
published	O
a	O
retail	O
box	O
in	O
Europe	O
in	O
April	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
for	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
was	O
developed	O
by	O
World	O
Domination	O
Industries	O
and	O
released	O
through	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
May	O
12	O
,	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Runic	O
Games	O
and	O
World	O
Domination	O
Industries	O
developed	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
which	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
9	O
,	O
2011	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Linux	B-Application
port	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
inclusion	O
in	O
the	O
Humble	O
Indie	O
Bundle	O
6	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
led	O
by	O
Travis	O
Baldree	O
,	O
designer	O
of	O
Fate	B-Application
,	O
joined	O
by	O
Max	O
Schaefer	O
and	O
Erich	O
Schaefer	O
(	O
co-designers	O
of	O
Diablo	B-Application
and	O
Diablo	B-Application
II	I-Application
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
team	O
that	O
worked	O
with	O
Baldree	O
on	O
the	O
original	O
incarnation	O
of	O
Mythos	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2012	O
,	O
Runic	O
Games	O
released	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Torchlight	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
for	O
Windows	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
the	O
long-planned	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
was	O
announced	O
as	O
Torchlight	B-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
graphics	O
are	O
three	O
dimensional	O
and	O
viewed	O
from	O
an	O
overhead	O
perspective	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
isometric	O
perspective	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
Diablo	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
personal	O
computers	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
controlled	O
using	O
a	O
point-and-click	O
mouse	O
interface	O
and	O
keyboard	O
hotkeys	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
version	O
uses	O
a	O
controller	O
and	O
has	O
a	O
completely	O
redesigned	O
user	O
interface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
in	O
Fate	B-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
has	O
a	O
permanent	O
pet	O
which	O
fights	O
alongside	O
and	O
can	O
carry	O
and	O
sell	O
loot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
initial	O
pet	O
can	O
be	O
a	O
wolf	O
dog	O
,	O
a	O
lynx	B-Language
or	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
retail	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
a	O
ferret	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
feed	O
fish	O
to	O
their	O
pet	O
to	O
transform	O
it	O
into	O
different	O
creatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Torchlight	B-Application
features	O
three	O
character	O
classes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Destroyer	O
is	O
a	O
wandering	O
warrior	O
skilled	O
in	O
melee	B-Application
combat	O
,	O
although	O
he	O
also	O
has	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
call	O
upon	O
ancestral	O
spirits	O
to	O
produce	O
magical	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Vanquisher	O
is	O
an	O
elite	O
city	O
guard	O
,	O
sent	O
undercover	O
to	O
investigate	O
the	O
town	O
of	O
Torchlight	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
fantasy	B-Application
world	O
that	O
serves	O
as	O
the	O
setting	O
of	O
Torchlight	B-Application
,	O
Ember	O
is	O
a	O
mysterious	O
ore	O
which	O
has	O
the	O
power	O
to	O
imbue	O
people	O
and	O
items	O
with	O
magical	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mining	O
boomtown	O
called	O
Torchlight	B-Application
is	O
built	O
above	O
a	O
rich	O
vein	O
of	O
Ember	O
,	O
and	O
adventurers	O
are	O
drawn	O
there	O
seeking	O
the	O
magical	O
substance	O
and	O
the	O
enchanted	O
items	O
it	O
creates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
explores	O
the	O
dungeons	O
below	O
Torchlight	B-Application
,	O
they	O
discover	O
that	O
Ember	O
has	O
a	O
corrupting	O
influence	O
which	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
fall	O
of	O
past	O
civilizations	O
and	O
endangers	O
those	O
who	O
use	O
it	O
in	O
the	O
present	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pre-production	O
on	O
Torchlight	B-Application
began	O
in	O
August	O
2008	O
,	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
dissolution	O
of	O
Flagship	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Runic	O
Games	O
was	O
founded	O
by	O
Travis	O
Baldree	O
(	O
lead	O
developer	O
of	O
Fate	B-Application
and	O
Mythos	B-Protocol
)	O
and	O
veterans	O
of	O
Blizzard	O
North	O
and	O
Flagship	O
:	O
Max	O
Schaefer	O
,	O
Erich	O
Schaefer	O
and	O
Peter	O
Hu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
entire	O
Flagship	O
Seattle	O
team	O
"	O
consisting	O
of	O
14	O
people	O
(	O
the	O
branch	O
of	O
Flagship	O
which	O
created	O
the	O
original	O
Mythos	B-Protocol
)	O
signed	O
on	O
to	O
Runic	O
Games	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
its	O
formation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Having	O
lost	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
Mythos	B-Protocol
,	O
the	O
Runic	O
team	O
saw	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
way	O
to	O
"	O
finish	O
what	O
 [ they ] 	O
started	O
,	O
"	O
although	O
they	O
would	O
have	O
to	O
start	O
over	O
with	O
none	O
of	O
the	O
code	O
or	O
art	O
assets	O
from	O
Mythos	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
start	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
ultimate	O
goal	O
was	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
a	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
with	O
gameplay	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Mythos	B-Protocol
or	O
Diablo	B-Application
,	O
but	O
before	O
tackling	O
the	O
MMO	O
,	O
Runic	O
's	O
founders	O
decided	O
to	O
"	O
go	O
back	O
to	O
 [ their ] 	O
roots	O
"	O
with	O
a	O
smaller	O
game	O
that	O
they	O
could	O
refine	O
and	O
polish	O
within	O
a	O
relatively	O
short	O
production	O
cycle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
single	O
player	O
game	O
was	O
intended	O
to	O
introduce	O
the	O
Torchlight	B-Application
game	O
world	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
ahead	O
of	O
the	O
MMO	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
feature	O
article	O
on	O
Gamasutra	O
,	O
art	O
director	O
Jason	O
Beck	O
explained	O
that	O
Torchlight	B-Application
's	O
art	O
style	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
comic	O
books	O
and	O
classic	O
film	O
animation	O
,	O
using	O
stylized	O
character	O
designs	O
combined	O
with	O
painterly	O
background	O
textures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
have	O
described	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
look	O
as	O
inspired	O
by	O
"	O
Dragon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Lair	I-Application
meets	O
The	O
Incredibles.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
chose	O
to	O
give	O
the	O
game	O
world	O
a	O
lighter	O
fantasy	B-Application
tone	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
more	O
inviting	O
,	O
rather	O
than	O
utilizing	O
a	O
"	O
dark	O
and	O
gritty	O
"	O
style	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
the	O
OGRE	B-Application
open-source	B-Application
3D	O
graphics	O
engine	O
and	O
CEGUI	B-Language
system	O
for	O
GUI	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
engine	O
was	O
built	O
by	O
Runic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Diablo	B-Application
composer	O
and	O
sound	O
designer	O
Matt	O
Uelmen	O
also	O
joined	O
the	O
team	O
,	O
creating	O
original	O
music	O
and	O
sound	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
the	O
"	O
Torchlight	B-Application
"	O
town	O
theme	O
,	O
Uelmen	O
incorporated	O
some	O
elements	O
reminiscent	O
of	O
his	O
"	O
Tristram	O
"	O
theme	O
from	O
Diablo	B-Application
,	O
but	O
also	O
tried	O
to	O
give	O
it	O
a	O
distinctly	O
different	O
sound	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
2010	O
,	O
Runic	O
CEO	O
Max	O
Schaefer	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
in	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	O
3	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
,	O
aiming	O
for	O
release	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2011	O
,	O
Runic	O
announced	O
that	O
Torchlight	B-Application
would	O
be	O
released	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
(	O
XBLA	B-Device
)	O
in	O
early	O
2011	O
,	O
but	O
a	O
release	O
for	O
PlayStation	O
3	O
was	O
no	O
longer	O
planned	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
Microsoft	O
is	O
acting	O
as	O
publisher	O
of	O
the	O
XBLA	B-Device
release	O
,	O
Torchlight	B-Application
will	O
likely	O
remain	O
exclusive	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
on	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
port	O
was	O
developed	O
as	O
a	O
collaboration	O
between	O
Runic	O
Games	O
and	O
World	O
Domination	O
Industries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
includes	O
some	O
new	O
content	O
such	O
as	O
additional	O
armor	O
sets	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
pet	O
,	O
and	O
incorporates	O
technology	O
developed	O
for	O
Torchlight	B-Application
II	I-Application
including	O
character	O
animation	O
blending	O
and	O
an	O
improved	O
automap	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
Torchlight	B-Application
is	O
designed	O
to	O
allow	O
extensive	O
modding	O
by	O
players	O
,	O
and	O
Runic	O
Games	O
has	O
released	O
the	O
game	O
editing	O
tools	O
they	O
used	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
download	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Torchlight	B-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
;	O
the	O
PC	O
release	O
currently	O
holds	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
83	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
while	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
release	O
holds	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
81	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
RPGamer	O
,	O
staff	O
reviewer	O
Anna	O
Marie	O
Neufeld	O
praised	O
Torchlight	B-Application
's	O
"	O
phenomenal	O
music	O
and	O
great	O
art	O
direction	O
"	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
addictive	O
combat	O
but	O
criticized	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
storyline	O
as	O
shallow	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
his	O
review	O
in	O
Game	O
Informer	O
,	O
Adam	O
Biessener	O
listed	O
responsive	O
controls	O
,	O
attractive	O
animations	O
and	O
effects	O
,	O
and	O
clever	O
enemy	O
designs	O
as	O
some	O
qualities	O
that	O
set	O
Torchlight	B-Application
above	O
most	O
other	O
action	B-Application
RPGs	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
reviewers	O
compared	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
Diablo	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
some	O
describing	O
it	O
as	O
the	O
best	O
Diablo-like	O
game	O
since	O
Diablo	B-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
"	O
the	O
best	O
Diablo	B-Application
clone	I-Application
in	O
years.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Adam	O
Biessener	O
of	O
Game	O
Informer	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
soul	O
of	O
Diablo	B-Application
has	O
n't	O
been	O
so	O
ably	O
captured	O
in	O
years	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
The	O
Escapist	O
John	O
Funk	O
wrote	O
"	O
Torchlight	B-Application
absolutely	O
nails	O
the	O
formula	O
that	O
made	O
Diablo	B-Application
so	O
addictive.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
RPGamer	O
stated	O
that	O
Torchlight	B-Application
"	O
manages	O
to	O
overcome	O
the	O
Diablo	B-Application
expectations	O
by	O
being	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
can	O
stand	O
on	O
its	O
own	O
merits.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Satchmo	O
on	O
the	O
blog	O
Press	O
X	O
to	O
Continue	O
gave	O
an	O
overall	O
score	O
of	O
9/10	O
saying	O
that	O
"	O
It	O
is	O
a	O
fine	O
entry	O
into	O
a	O
genre	O
that	O
does	O
n't	O
have	O
much	O
representation	O
on	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2011	O
,	O
Torchlight	B-Application
sales	O
surpassed	O
1	O
million	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Torchlight	B-Application
won	O
the	O
Best	O
Debut	O
Game	O
Award	O
at	O
the	O
2010	O
Game	O
Developers	O
Choice	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
August	O
4	O
,	O
2010	O
Runic	O
Games	O
announced	O
Torchlight	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
a	O
continuation	O
of	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
featuring	O
a	O
co-op	O
mode	O
,	O
new	O
player	O
characters	O
,	O
an	O
"	O
overworld	O
"	O
with	O
multiple	O
outdoor	O
areas	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
user	O
interface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Runic	O
Games	O
had	O
originally	O
planned	O
to	O
begin	O
work	O
on	O
an	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
set	O
in	O
the	O
Torchlight	B-Application
game	O
world	O
immediately	O
following	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
some	O
point	O
after	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
,	O
Runic	O
Games	O
decided	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Torchlight	B-Application
with	O
co-op	O
multiplayer	O
capabilities	O
,	O
temporarily	O
putting	O
the	O
MMO	O
on	O
the	O
back	O
burner	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
20	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
the	O
developers	O
revealed	O
they	O
were	O
no	O
longer	O
pursuing	O
plans	O
to	O
create	O
an	O
MMO	O
in	O
the	O
Torchlight	B-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Runic	O
Games	O
had	O
been	O
shuttered	O
by	O
Perfect	O
World	O
in	O
2017	O
,	O
Perfect	O
World	O
held	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
the	O
Torchlight	B-Application
IP	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
mid-2018	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
announced	O
Torchlight	B-Application
Frontiers	I-Application
,	O
a	O
shared	O
world	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Echtra	O
Games	O
,	O
a	O
studio	O
within	O
Perfect	O
World	O
founded	O
by	O
Runic	O
's	O
Max	O
Schaefer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Frontiers	O
was	O
renamed	O
Torchlight	B-Application
III	I-Application
in	O
January	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
later	O
that	O
year	O
on	O
Windows	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
