Objective comparison between gameplay of D3, T2 and PoE

So, full disclaimer: I have not had the opportunity to play any of these games. But I am pretty sure someone in this forum has played all of them. What are the main differences between the three?

Err...is T2 even available to play yet? Can't really be objective there. I guess someone who has access to both PoE and D3 betas could give you a run-down on how they compare, but I doubt you could get a clear picture.

Why not search youtube for videos of each? I know there are plenty on PoE, and I bet D3 has quite a few too. Watch some people playing and see how they look to you.

I think the only people who could have played Torchlight 2 are people who were at PAX or other such shows, or the recent Nuremburg Journalsts plus a couple fans thing.(which was the PAX build of the game)

Are you referring to Torchlight 2? If so it's only doing internal testing. It won't release until late this year.

Videos are about the only comparisons you are going to be able to get. You are comparing 3 games of the same genre, but no where near the same amout of funding. It's not fair to compare this game, or Torchlight 2, to D3. Blizzard has an enormous amount of backing to create their games. They make millions a month off of just one of their games subscriptions.

Don't forget this game is free...

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Altnaharra wrote:

Global Agenda is better.

Better than what... Super Mario Sunshine?

Come to think of it I think I beat SMS. Phayl.

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Sledgeer wrote:

It's not fair to compare this game, or Torchlight 2, to D3. Blizzard has an enormous amount of backing to create their games.

Fair has nothing to do with it. Those numbers affect the different companies bottom line but not necessarily our enjoyment of the games. Gamers shouldn't chose games based on the game's budget.

Anyways, I can't be of much help, I've only played D3 beta. The obvious listed difference is skills. TL2 appears to have a fairly traditional skill system. D3 has a similar base skill system (i.e. a number of skills, unlockable at different levels) but they can be modified by skill runes. PoE has skills based purely on skill gems, that can also be modified by other gems.

Unfortunately, at least in the D3 case, the beta doesn't include skill runes so its tough to compare that significant mechanic with the other games.

Feel-wise, D3 actually felt quite similar to TL 1 to me, which was kind of surprising, although the more open explorable areas were nice.

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jjscud wrote:

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Sledgeer wrote:

It's not fair to compare this game, or Torchlight 2, to D3. Blizzard has an enormous amount of backing to create their games.

Fair has nothing to do with it. Those numbers affect the different companies bottom line but not necessarily our enjoyment of the games. Gamers shouldn't chose games based on the game's budget.

Anyways, I can't be of much help, I've only played D3 beta. The obvious listed difference is skills. TL2 appears to have a fairly traditional skill system. D3 has a similar base skill system (i.e. a number of skills, unlockable at different levels) but they can be modified by skill runes. PoE has skills based purely on skill gems, that can also be modified by other gems.

Unfortunately, at least in the D3 case, the beta doesn't include skill runes so its tough to compare that significant mechanic with the other games.

Feel-wise, D3 actually felt quite similar to TL 1 to me, which was kind of surprising, although the more open explorable areas were nice.

Are you actually in the d3 beta? or have you just played the demo at a show, cus they are two different builds

The current beta build.

torchlight 2 looks better than T1

Looks wise, you can watch vids of each to see. I've never felt like the cartooniness of TL1 took much away from the game, and TL2 and D3 appear similar made. However, when playing PoE, the realism of the environment is very cool. I mentioned shortly after arriving here that in PoE I was looking for a game that I could turn out the light and get lost in. Its looking that way so far.

Currently, D3 and PoE take a very different approach to the beginning of the game. D3 is like a tutorial, Go here, do this, with multiple steps constantly written on screen. PoE has the opposite, you've washed up on shore with no clue what's going on and you just got to fend for yourself. As an arpg veteran, I like the PoE style, I may go nuts if D3 has arrows pointing the way throughout the whole game. TL1 was in-between with guidance given at the beginning of each new dungeon but no pointers hints all over the place, however, it was very linear, which is a significant change in TL2 so not much I would assume there.

Also, the onscreen messages in D3 feel very arcade-ish, loud and in your face (obnoxious imho) while PoE only pops up occasional messages, like level ups, that are noticeable but not obnoxiously so. I've found this to be a problem in D3 as it actually blocks the action for a couple seconds, without a option to turn it off, it may be a problem. TL1 was similar to PoE and hopefuly TL2 follows that also.

The two problems I have with PoE are both being looked at, the map overlay is difficult to use while playing but they've already said they're going to add a corner style mini-map. Really, PoE's map isn't all that difficult to use, its just that the environment is soo cool that I really dislike hiding it. D3's mini-map is great, no complaints there. The other issue is targeting. targeting small moving monsters is difficult. This is the case in TL1, D3, and PoE. Its something that D2 did really well.

Opps, almost forgot. Another difference is aggro range. In D3, like D2, you've got to walk up to most monsters or attack them before they'll attack you, Otherwise they tend to just wander. In PoE, it feels more like everything is out to get you. I saw a monster on the edge of the screen, ran back a ways, and opened my inventory to check out something I had just picked up, only to find that the monster had chased me down and was attacking. I think both of these fit their story, In D3, you're the hero going after the baddies. In PoE, you're lunch.