Titan Quest is a title that has been near and dear to my heart since its release in June 2006. As a huge fan of ARPG’s it was a unique take on the genre with its dual class system and mythological Greek setting. When Titan Quest II was announced two years ago, I was more than a little excited over the news. Having already previewed the title back in March, I’ve been anticipating my time to jump in and give it a go. Spoilers: I was not disappointed.
Set in the same mythological Greek setting as the original, Titan Quest II follows a new story arc. While I’ll avoid narrative spoilers, the story delivery, handled through a series of well-constructed cut-scenes and in-game voice acting, has been solid. Story beats never slow down game pacing and feel well placed and well delivered. In-game voice work is consistent, with dialogue befitting the setting, all working together to create a fun, immersive narrative and world.
Character creation, on the other hand, is a bit limiting at this point in development. However, based on several articles, it seems that a fully customizable character creator is coming in one of the first major early access patches and will provide a much more robust character creator than the current iteration. With that being said, the available presets do look great with some excellent detail. One small but appreciated detail in Titan Quest II is the visible potions hanging from the character’s belt, something that, in all my years, I’ve never experienced in an ARPG.
The world of Titan Quest II is absolutely beautiful to explore, and the invitation to explore is most certainly present in Grimlore Games’ sequel. There are plenty of out-of-the-way paths to venture down, many rewarding players with additional chests and the occasional side quest. Of particular note are the beautiful vistas present throughout the world.
“The world of Titan Quest II is absolutely beautiful to explore…”
Oftentimes, while exploring and discovering such a vista, the camera automatically pulls back slightly to give the player a wider field of view to take in the beautiful world around them. Like the potions on the belt, it’s a subtle and appreciated attention to detail that helps make Titan Quest II feel special.
Combat and navigation are also quite polished at this point. While basic attacks feel slightly slower (at least initially) than ARPGs like Diablo 4, smooth animations and enemy density help make the whole experience feel great. Grimlore has also implemented an impressive ability levelling mechanic, not too different than Last Epoch’s ability levelling system, that can fundamentally change how abilities work. It provides players with a true sense of customization to their playstyle.
On that note, the Dual Mastery system, first introduced in Titan Quest, is back and further bolsters the player’s freedom to choose how they want to build a character. While there are currently four masteries available, Warfare, Earth, Rogue and Storm, more are planned before full release. For my playthrough, I chose Warfare and Earth and have managed to build a fire-wielding tank focused on forcing everything to attack me while everything is on fire. It’s chaotic and so much fun.
“One small but appreciated detail in Titan Quest II is the visible potions hanging from the character’s belt, something that, in all my years, I’ve never experienced in an ARPG.”
While my experience with the loot systems in Titan Quest II has been limited to the first act, I have experienced a variety of rarities, set pieces and some nice stat boosts on drops. I’m curious to see how Grimlore Games handles later game loot, but as of this preview, everything feels functional, albeit a bit generic.
While there is only about 5-10 hours of gameplay to experience at present, what I have played makes me excited for what is to come. I’ve experienced epic boss fights, tense story beats and a sense of mystery and discovery throughout my gameplay experience. While elements like endgame and high-level builds have yet to be discussed and tested, what Titan Quest II offers even in these early hours of gameplay makes me hopeful for what is to come.
I have to confess that I was a bit concerned seeing that a new developer, Grimlore Games, was taking on responsibility for the development of the sequel. However, after several hours of gameplay, I am thankful to report that those concerns were ill-placed. Grimlore Games has done a great job, thus far, of capturing the heart, rhythm and feel of Titan Quest while also sprinkling in many modern mechanics that create a smooth, enjoyable ARPG experience. If early access is a promise of what’s to come, Titan Quest II might just be the next big ARPG to release.
