Titan Quest gets major update, but did it get enough?

I started Titan Quest just like always and proceeded to load up the multiplayer screen in order to invite my brother Scott for another multi-hour romp through the game, when I noticed the menu screen had changed. They had updated!

Well it wasn't long before I saw the next, and second most welcome change that could have been made: the difficulty slider. Up til now, on XBox anyways, you'd have to move the difficulty bar to the next level of difficulty every time you re-entered the game. If you forgot, you'd end up wherever the last save was in the previous difficulty level - which meant exiting out and entering again. Now the slider is permanently moved to the current level of difficulty that you are on. Seems like a silly change, but it was irritating for the other player to have to wait longer because you missed the dang slider and had to back out again.

There dozens of other changes and for the most part they are good. The lettering for the inventory screen is bigger... much bigger. The inventory screen is a bit more condensed and better laid out. THQ has also thwarted tradition and added another loot bag - although the caravan storage and the transfer box are both unchanged. There are also area-sensitive outfit potions for sale. In Greece? Buy a tunic. In Chang'an? Buy an Asian outfit. Some of the stats have changed a bit as well, but I cannot find where this has changed gameplay to any great degree - either way. Lastly, there are a bunch of new weaponry that is new to the game and all of it... is unusable. Why? One word... RAGNAROCK.

Yes, the expansion that original Titan Quest owners had to wait a decade for is coming to XBox One in a mere matter of months. Now to be honest, I have never played the expansion. My copy of TQ was well toward unplayable by the time Ragnarock came out so I didn't bother with it. As the XBox game is playing fantastically, I am psyched to be able to indulge. Problem is.. there is no news anywhere as to when this is happening. All of the weapons say "requires Ragnarock content" but there is nothing at THQ or in-game to show when this is being released.

There is one place, however, that THQ forgot to update and to this date it's Titan Quest's biggest ported flaw. After you purchase an item.. a shield, weapon, amulet, etc.. there is no way to try it on to see if the benefits are worth the purchase. The only way to check if a weapon is better is to buy it at some 5 million credits, exit the store, switch weapons, and then receive about 130k back after you figure out it is 80 damage points less than the previous weapon. This is a waste of money, and a waste of the store in general. With numerous percentage bonuses, elemental bonuses, and speed ratings, it is almost impossible to know if some weapons are better than others without putting them on to check. THIS NEEDS FIXED in the worst way.

I will be back with more Ragnarock news as soon as it becomes available. Keep your eyes out for it!

Note: Switch users can finally get Titan Quest on July 31st.