I’ve long championed for the return of numerous intellectual properties from the 2000’s, a major highlight of gaming’s golden era—someone finally listened. Developer Grimlore and publisher THQ Nordic have resurrected the mid-aughts’ Titan Quest, a Greek mythology-flavored action-RPG. Far more than the console port of the 2006 original we received several years ago, the valorous team at Grimlore have taken on the daunting task of crafting a sequel to the beloved classic that maintains its identity while injecting modern genre advancements. I’m happy to report that despite the high expectations that are often affixed to a 19-year wait, Titan Quest 2 has made a strong first impression with its (somewhat limited) Early Access launch.
Titan Quest 2, like its predecessor, whisks player-created heroes to ancient Greece for an all-new ARPG outing. This time around the big bad is Nemesis, Goddess of Retribution. The deity is hell-bent on corrupting the Threads of Fate, and she’s unleashing her wrath on all who oppose her. Fortunately, our hero is not one to be deterred by something as trivial as eternal damnation. While this sets up a compelling clash in a world of gods and monsters, the initial Early Access release only contains what is essentially Act 1; further story developments will come at a later date as we head towards a not-yet-fixed late 2026 launch for the full game. The first ~15 hours have done well in showcasing Titan Quest 2‘s strengths, such as its adherence to its origins.
For those who played the original, the Mastery system likely remains a standout component from that ARPG experience. Titan Quest 2 brings back the same class combo system, allowing players to experiment with different skill synergies. The Early Access debut only planned on including three masteries—Warfare, Earth and Storm—but Rogue snuck in as a last-minute addition to round out the starting total at a slightly more impressive count of four. To catch up the uninitiated, any two masteries can be activated at once, in effect fusing both specializations into a new class. Mixing Warfare and Earth gives birth to the Battlemage, a fearsome tank that can cause the ground itself to tremble and produce searing flames. Alternatively, Rogue and Storm become one under the Stormblade, a deadly expert in poison and ice.
A Masterful Return
Playing around with different masteries is what makes up a solid chunk of the Titan Quest 2 identity. Although combination options are currently limited, they will start expanding in regularly scheduled updates. For reference, Titan Quest housed eleven masteries by the end. It’s safe to assume the sequel will receive the same, if not more, support in this regard. Even with the handful of options in-game right now, the dual specialization mechanic is engaging and creates engaging instances of action as different skills are executed in unison. The class implementation is part of the positive impression left by the introductory hours on offer at the moment.
The gameplay itself is more methodical and slower paced than other modern games in the genre, like Diablo IV and Path of Exile 2. There was never a point where the screen was enveloped in hostile mobs that nearly swallowed the on-screen protagonist as I triggered all manner of screen-wiping abilities. Titan Quest 2 isn’t looking to mimic the speedy madness of the high-level gameplay associated with its dompamine-chasing competitors. And it’s all the better for it. Engagements feel more meaningful and intimate, with even a handful of enemies posing notable threats. It adds more weight to how Divinity Points are distributed, which come in active and passive flavors. On that point, the separation of points in active and passive buckets alleviates the decision paralysis of spending points on critical but less appealing background boosts compared to flashy, new skills. Toss in the new modifier system, a way to augment skills to elevate a desired playstyle, and the depth begins to reveal itself. Turn Storm’s teleporting Blink into more than just a dodge maneuver by adding a chilly explosion to its starting and ending locations; or boost the ailment chance on a basic attack to make a Rogue’s poison more effective.
All of this has yet to touch on the gear system, which is where many ARPGs live or die. Thankfully, Titan Quest 2 once again succeeds here. Even with its starting loot pool, there’s plenty of bonuses and sets to tie to your character. For example, an icy mace makes for a synergistic choice if the Storm is one of the two chosen masteries because of its increase in cold spell potency. Sifting through weapon and armor effects to refine the hero’s build feeds into that constant power fantasy pursuit in RPGs, and it’s terribly addicting in the Early Access kickoff.
Leaning Toward Lean
While there’s much to love about Titan Quest 2, it hasn’t escaped Early Access launch unscathed. The in-progress label comes with a giant disclaimer that we’re playing an unfinished product, meaning that rough edges are far from uncommon. On the lesser side, the current form of the game lacks a full character creation system; only premade characters can be selected, barring players from injecting their own personality into their champion. Grimlore has made it known that this feature is coming in one of the earlier post-launch updates, but a firm date has yet to be set. In terms of more pressing issues, optimization is in a rough place and all but demands enthusiast-tier components for decent performance. Again, this is an unsurprising deficiency when it comes to Early Access, but Titan Quest 2 struggles at higher resolutions and framerates on mid-tier configurations.
Still, it’s not easy to achieve such high marks with nearly two decades of mounting anticipation, and Titan Quest 2 has largely done that. The dual-class mastery system, added modifiers, gorgeous visuals and methodical combat make for an engrossing experience that’s begging for more. Optimization aside, the worst I can say about the game is it’s a bit lean right now, even compared to other Early Access ARPGs. But if my biggest gripe is that the game makes me want more of it, Grimlore must be doing something right.
