Torchlight II is not threatened by Diablo III at all

I was about to make a post of how Torchlight II is different than Diablo III, but it's a long, pointless discussion. Despite the lore and ambient differences, the design and such, Torchlight II draws a thick line with it's offline play. Yes, there will be a LAN play as an option in Torchlight II, but Diablo III is online-only, requiring an Internet connection, all the time.
Anyway, Runic Games has a answered few question about the whole TII/DIII thing in their updated FAQ. See for yourself. They're not trying to run with Blizzard. They only want to release a great game which already have a huge fanbase.
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Why don't they release it now before Diablo 3 is released and crushes their company?

Diablo 3 is going to be released in 2012. Torchlight 2 will be released in 2011. There is no overlap here.

They should release it now because everyone will forget about the game once Diablo 3 is out.

You may be surprised to hear about this, but Runic Games isn't worried about Diablo 3. The games don't particularly overlap. Diablo 3 is online-only, on secure servers, with absolutely no modding and will likely cost 50-60 dollars US. Torchlight 2 will be playable offline, over LAN, or over Runic's Peer-to-Peer online service, with or without mods, and will cost ONLY 20 dollars US.

Is this the team that made Diablo 1 and 2?

Ooooh, fancy question, let me give you a fancy answer. Max and Erich Schaefer, founders of Blizzard North and the heads of the Diablo 1 and 2 (including LOD expansion)'s development teams, are among the founding members of Runic Games, with Max being the CEO. Matt Uelmen did the music for the original Diablo games and is doing all the music and sounds for the Torchlight series, including using the same orchestra. Peter Hu was the man behind the Diablo 2 1.10 patch, but left Runic Games some time ago. However, the other 30 or so members of Runic Games hail from different places, so it would be inaccurate to say that Runic Games is the original Blizzard North development team. However, to my knowledge the other members of those original Diablo teams are no longer at Blizzard, and are not involved with Diablo 3. Extrapolating, neither team is Blizzard North, and thus each teams' work should be judged on its own merits, not their histories. (My personal opinion)

Torchlight II Classes: The Embermage

"Ember is dangerous to the untrained hand—and deadly in mine."

At the forefront of the Empire’s colonization of Vilderan are the Embermages—highly-trained spellcasters renowned for their skill, dedication, and arcane power. No Imperial army is complete without these fierce warrior-wizards in the vanguard.

It is widely accepted in the Empire that Embermages are a special breed, held in awe and respect for the rigorous training they undergo, and the prowess they display. Selected in early adolescence by the Ember Council, Embermages undergo extensive arcane conditioning and mystical studies, accompanied by hours of physical drills and combat exercises each and every day. They learn to work in tandem with Vanquishers, and crush the Empire’s foes with both subtle grace and overwhelming might, as the situation demands. By the time Embermages are assigned to active duty, they are accomplished wizards, formidable soldiers, and insightful strategists.

As the name suggests, Embermages study the magical mineral known as Ember, through which process they gain a better understanding of thaumaturgic principles. But, unlike the Empire's legion of Alchemists, Embermages do not actually draw energy from Ember itself; instead, they observe its properties, and, through meditation and experimentation, learn to recreate the effects of Ember in a wide range of magical applications. In addition to unleashing blasts of high-energy fire, ice, and electricity, an Embermage develops the means to magically interfere with the laws of time and space, moving themselves—or their enemies—across short distances in the blink of an eye.

This facility with applied magic defines the Embermage's combat role: an offensive spellcaster capable of delivering focused, precise attacks at a considerable distance, or of shifting foes violently away with short-range teleportation—usually with physically wrenching results for the targets! In battle, the Embermage wields each aspect of the Ember like a duelist wielding a blade—switching from fire to ice to lightning and back again in the span of a few heartbeats—all while disappearing from their foe's sight and reappearing in another, more advantageous position!

The Embermages’ combination of physical and magical discipline makes them superb ranged combatants: powerful, mobile, and versatile ... and, most importantly, ingenious!

Source: Torchlight II Official Website

Torchlight II Classes: The Engineer

"If a problem is too big to fix ... one must break it into smaller problems."

The workhorse of the Empire, the modern Engineer’s strength lies in his Ember-fueled, steam-driven armor—a technological marvel devised by top scientists at the Industrium (the Empire’s academy of science and technology), and crafted personally by the Engineer as his journeyman project.

So equipped, Engineers carry out any mission involving technology that the Empire requires, from building mighty Herkonian Embercraft transports to delving into ancient ruins in search of long-forgotten knowledge—sometimes as part of a team of Imperial soldiers, but more often than not as “independent” contractors. As time passed, though, the role of the Engineers evolved. Some strictly pursued research and theory, locked away in factory-labs and paid kingly sums to examine dwarven artifacts and develop new designs from them.

The Engineers find work aplenty on the continent of Vilderan, exploring dwarven ruins for more artifacts, maintaining the Empire's transports, and overseeing work in the Ember mines. But the conditions have forced the Engineers to adapt their methods and equipment. Gone are the leather aprons and tidy toolboxes—replaced by armored plates and massive, two-handed spanners that conveniently also serve as weapons. Now the Engineer is more soldier than scientist—more warrior than workman.

The Engineers' technological expertise lets them imbue their weapons and armor with the power of Ember to deliver blasts of energy through devastating melee strikes, or directly from the armor itself! Their gear might be a bit weightier to accommodate all that technology—but "a good, heavy spanner is just the right tool for stubborn bolts ... and stubborn beasts!"

That combination of brawn and tech makes the Engineer a formidable front-line combatant—a powerhouse of melee attacks and short-range energy bursts.

Source: Torchlight II Official Website

Torchlight II Classes: The Berserker

"Enough talk! Gold and glory await!"

Driven by a lust for adventure and a savage determination to win fame, fortune, and glory, Berserkers wander the wild places of the world in search of formidable foes, fabulous treasures, and the sheer joy of a worthy challenge.

The Valgang tribes of the icy north produce some of the fiercest men and women in all the world, and the Berserkers are the most savage warriors of the lot. Possessed of an animalistic cunning and an unbridled fury, a Berserker is an untamed and unpredictable beast who is a blessing when set upon one's enemies—and a curse when turned against you. The Berserker’s lust for battle cannot be sated even by the endless warring of their tribes; eventually, every Berserker sets their eyes on the exotic lands to the south, where adventure is ever just over the horizon ... and danger lurks around every corner.

Berserkers draw their strength from the worship of the northern lords of battle: Vur, the Wolf; Dralk, the Dragon; and Krax, the Raven. Their totem beasts grant Berserkers extraordinary powers, and only improve the more they embrace their own animalistic natures. From Vur, the Berserker gains a single-minded perseverance; from Dralk, the sheer power of the dragons of old; and from Krax, the vicious cunning to put them all to good use!

Naturally, a Berserker makes an excellent hand-to-hand combatant: a primal force lashing out with fists and claws, the rage building inside like a caged beast. Their onslaught can stun foes and leave them vulnerable to a vicious follow-up ... or finish them all in one quick charge. And, on those rare occasions when a Berserker is overrun, their fearsome totems unleash gouts of fiery dragon breath or packs of spectral wolves to turn the tide of battle.

The Berserker personifies the offensive-minded fighter: strength, speed, ferocity, and the power of the wild, all rolled together into one devastating combination!

Source: Torchlight II Official Website

Torchlight II Classes: The Outlander

"The Empire would like to pretend people like me don't exist - and yet, here I am."

Born to roam, Outlanders are the vagabond adventurers of the world. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and even races - but all share a lust for travel and excitement, an appreciation of eldritch lore, and an appetite for danger.

Outlanders personify the nomadic impulse. They travel the world in search of forgotten artifacts and forbidden knowledge - the more perilous the quest, the better! However, because they often have few qualms about acquiring what they desire by any means necessary, most civilized folk see them as renegades at best, and outlaws at worst. After all, while Outlanders are among the most skilled and daring explorers the world has to offer, they are hardly a formal organization; anyone can become an Outlander. A great many began their adventuring careers as thieves, swindlers, brigands, pirates, and even murderers - and old habits can die hard.

The strength of the Outlanders lies in the vast body of lore they have collected - and which they have passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, and master to apprentice for hundreds of years, in the form of specialized magical training, sophisticated fighting techniques, and the odd ancient relic. They also go to great lengths to study the magical and martial arts of various races - from Estherian thaumaturgy to Zeraphi alchemy - and have even traded with monsters for the secrets of their crafts: learning incantations from goblin chanters and rune magic from the enigmatic Varkolyn.

Even so, all of that knowledge and nifty magical gear is only useful if the Outlander survives long enough to use it, so Outlanders also undergo intense training to be as fast, fit, and nimble as possible. A good Outlander will tumble through scores of opponents, herding them together for an attack with their deadly throwing glaive. A good rifle or a pistol might be handy in a tussle, but, when the odds are against them, every Outlander knows that whirling blade of razor-sharp death is her best friend in the whole wide world.

The Outlander's throwing glaive defines her role in combat: Speed, skill, and long-range accuracy - paired with the arcane knowledge to make every attack as lethal as it gets!

source: Torchlight II Official Website

Torchlight 2 GamesCom 2011 trailer

Check out the Torchlight 2 announcement on this year's GamesCom. There's short footage from the gameplay as well.

Torchlight 2 Features

Torchlight 2 is coming Spring 2011. Runic Games published it's features on the game's official website, while PC Gamer has the exclusive first-look concept art photos. Click here.

CO-OP ACTION

The most exciting new feature of Torchlight II is the multiplayer element. Play with your friends, and use the free peer-to-peer matchmaking service to meet new players of a similar level and interest. Together players will discover expansive randomized outdoor areas and deep ominous caverns; random instanced and persistent dungeons, a huge variety of all new monsters and villains, endless variations of loot to find, and quests to complete. Players journey through the perilous Overworld, enjoying all new weather features, time of day events, and a rich and cunning story to drive gameplay.

BACKSTORY

Beyond the town of Torchlight lies a world shrouded in adventure and mystery. Guardian-warrior Syl appears in a prophetic dream, summoning the player to the Estherian Steppes. There, you meet with the Destroyer and soon venture across the continent of Vilderan, an exotic frontier besieged by forces of evil. A discovery unfolds, that the Alchemist, following his conquest of dark ember, disappeared on his quest to defeat the unknown corrupted force responsible for destroying the mystical race of Estherians. Aided by Syl, the remaining Estherian Guardians, and clues left behind by the missing Alchemist, you will find yourself battling a powerful enemy that threatens to unravel the elements of the entire world.

KEY FEATURES

* Multi-player – Play with your friends over a local area network, or over the Internet. A free matchmaking peer-to-peer service lets you make new friends for exciting co-op play.
* Customizable Characters – Players create and customize a character from one of four classes available and choose an animal companion. Through cosmetic, class, and gender choices, skill path decisions, and the treasures they acquire, each character can be custom-tailored to each player’s needs.
* Moddability – Torchlight II will release with an updated version of TorchEd, the Torchlight editor. Players have the option to create their own mods, adding even more content to the world. You and your friends can download the same mod and play together!
* New User Interface – Torchlight II boasts an entirely new, improved user interface, designed to be easier than ever for new players to pick up and play. Thanks to this intuitive interface, players have immediate access to a rich and varied world, with little experience necessary.
* Overworld Areas – Torchlight II has large randomized overworld areas to explore with weather, time of day cycles, and random events that provide players with even more content to experience.
* Random Dungeons – Delve into randomly generated dungeons within the game at any time for extra experience and rare loot. Dungeons in Torchlight II have even more branching paths to explore with friends filled with random events, rewards and dangers.
* Retirement System – Once characters are sufficiently leveled up, they can “retire” and bestow specific benefits and perks onto new characters.
* Pets – Players choose a pet to accompany them. Pets level up along with the player, and help in battle, learn spells, carry items, and perform a variety of support services.
* Fishing – Fishing returns in the sequel! Players can take a break from the high-energy pace of adventuring to relax by one of the many fishing holes and see what they can catch. Fish have unique benefits for the player and pet, while a number of other rewards can also be discovered.