Titan Quest 2 is set to “reference what the original built and double down on it”

Fans of hack’n’slash ARPGs are certainly not starved for content: Diablo 4, Path of Exile, Last Epoch and many other titles offer players slightly different variations on the gameplay formula. Is there room for another contender? THQ Nordic and Grimlore Games think so – and Titan’s Quest 2which was announced last year, has all the makings of a great game that will fill its niche in this competitive category, especially for those looking for a title that isn’t a live service.

At Gamescom 2024, the developers stated that they wanted to “lean back to what the original built and double down on it.” One of the standout aspects of the 2006 ARPG classic is the freedom it gives players when it comes to crafting their builds: in Titan Quest, players could essentially gain skills from two classes at once, freely mixing things up.

Titan Quest 2 retains this iconic Mastery system, giving players active and passive Masteries to learn. The goal is to have as few restrictions as possible when it comes to the skills players can unlock. Passive skills have a greater weighting compared to the original, making them just as powerful a choice as active skills. Global item mechanics and the like come into play to create additional synergy between the fairly different Mastery trees. The higher the skill level, the more modifier slots they offer, giving you more flexibility over time.

Skill changes will be available on the fly when it comes to skills, and attributes can be reset in town. Grimlore invites players to experiment and get creative, mentioning a combination of Martial Mastery and Arcane Mastery as a possible build that combines polar opposite concepts.

Even within weapon classes, such as two-handed axes, you’ll find different weight classes, each with its own characteristics that suit different playstyles.

“You can’t just remove everything that has a different flavor,” the creators commented.

Speaking of flavor: while most ARPGs lean toward dark and bold, the world of Titan Quest 2 is vibrant and colorful—it looks like an advert for an Aegean vacation with its azure waters, picturesque cliffs, and sandy beaches. The 24-minute day/night cycle further enhances the immersion without affecting the gameplay.

It only gets darker in places like caves and dungeons, where that kind of atmosphere is more appropriate. And even there, the game’s lighting engine creates some cool visuals with simulated sun and moon rays shining through cracks in the roof.

The story seems to have a bit more of the typical ARPG focus, featuring an amnesiac protagonist being pursued by Nemesis, the Goddess of Vengeance. Titan Quest 2’s story will be a linear experience with intentionally short dialogue, according to the developers, but the areas players visit will be a bit more open to allow for exploration. Grimlore doesn’t follow the path of Diablo 4 with its world, which is inhabited by enemies such as wild animals, mythical creatures, and some of Grimlore’s beasts.

Players should be able to recognize the type of loot dropped by enemies at a glance, as the developers have opted for a “what you see is what you get” approach: an item lying on the ground will look identical (or at least nearly identical) to the one your characters will be displaying.

All of Titan Quest 2’s enemies have their own behaviors and tactics. The developers have shown how some enemies will switch between ranged and melee attacks depending on how the player attacks them. Overall, Grimlore hopes to provide slower, more drawn-out combat than many others in the genre, especially in boss fights, which they describe as “complex” like a Dark Souls battle – though they emphasized that players shouldn’t expect Dark Souls difficulty.

Titan Quest 2 is expected to enter Early Access in late 2024 with a total playtime of around twelve hours. More Masteries, systems like crafting, bosses, and story elements will be added to the game during Early Access. It is planned to release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.