Growing up in Manchester in the UK, to me the phrase 'the northern beaches' conjures memories of being soaked through by rain wandering along the Blackpool seafront during weekend trips and childhood holidays. If you've ever wanted to eat greasy fish and chips with frozen hands while looking at a whole lotta lights, Blackpool is the place to be.
But I doubt you'll need a cagoule and a thermos when exploring The Northern Beaches of Titan Quest 2. This windswept coastline serves as the primary setting for the mythological ARPG's second chapter, bringing you one step closer in your showdown to face the goddess of retribution, Nemesis.
The Northern Beaches brings a host of new quests for you to embark upon, as well as nine new dungeons, three titanic boss fights, and absolutely shedloads of rock (of the mineral kind, not the Blackpool kind). Alongside the bosses, the stony shores are prowled by new Ichthian creatures to fight, such as the Ketos Spawn and "shark-like Bruisers" led by powerful commanders.
The second chapter also unlocks the fourth tier of the ARPG's masteries (Titan Quest 2's word for skill-trees). These will let you experiment with seven extra active skills—such as a fiery volcanic eruption attack or the defensive stone form skill—plus four new passive abilities.
Finally, developer Grimlore Games says the update proceeds with ongoing improvements being made to loot, in this instance changing affix tiers so they're available to all affixes. According to Grimlore, this means that "when you find a new upgrade, it isn't just a small increase of a few percent—it's a much more noticeable improvement."
Hopefully Chapter 2 kicks into a higher gear quicker than its introductory area. This was Fraser Brown's main gripe with Titan Quest 2 when he checked out its early access launch. "Titan Quest 2's first impression isn't helped by the fact that the entire first region is almost entirely populated by angry crabs, which I don't exactly associate with Greek mythology," he wrote back in August. That said, he warmed to it eventually, praising its "pleasing variety of quests" and "maps full of hidden treasures".
Hopefully chapter two will hold back on the crustaceans, though the Ichthians are still the primary antagonists for this chapter, so armoured arthropods may still appear on your journey. Either way, Grimlore says that the chapter "concludes your fight against the Itchthian threat", with future chapters introducing different biomes and an "entirely new faction to fight."
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