Planescape: Torment... Why?
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The game isn't perfect as has been said, the interface can be clunky, and the amount of text can be overwhelming even to someone who appreciates good writing.
But PS:T is firmly entrenched on the very top of the list of my favorite games of all time, still waiting for something to dethrone it. It's a timeless masterpiece, really, but as with all masterpieces, it takes a certain frame of mind to appreciate it.
The writing is great, the story is engaging. The main quest is an intimate, personal journey. The Planes offer many secrets and dangers, and I'll say it now, you ARE going to miss stuff on your first playthrough because it's such a huge, sprawling game.
Of course, if you don't like reading a lot of text, if you prefer more action, it's not a game for you. Combat may be clunky, but it's also completely unnecessary, if you play your cards right. Sometimes the less violent way is the most rewarding one.
Alignment works differently; it changes depending what you do. And it lets you be the scheming devious manipulative bastard on the evil route, instead of forcing you into eating babies like most games that have an evil option do.
Death plays a very different role in PS:T. Sure there ARE ways to get a game over, but those are all non-standard game over screens, and it's glaringly obvious what you shouldn't do to avoid them.
The characters are awesomely done, from the nameless, tormented protagonist and a lusty floating skull, to a chaste succubus and a suit of armor only animate through a sheer sense of justice. And some of the dialogues in the game are some of the best written, ever.
And the music? Oh, well. Wonderful, just wonderful.
...it's kinda obvious just how much love and respect I hold for this gem, isn't it?
But PS:T is firmly entrenched on the very top of the list of my favorite games of all time, still waiting for something to dethrone it. It's a timeless masterpiece, really, but as with all masterpieces, it takes a certain frame of mind to appreciate it.
The writing is great, the story is engaging. The main quest is an intimate, personal journey. The Planes offer many secrets and dangers, and I'll say it now, you ARE going to miss stuff on your first playthrough because it's such a huge, sprawling game.
Of course, if you don't like reading a lot of text, if you prefer more action, it's not a game for you. Combat may be clunky, but it's also completely unnecessary, if you play your cards right. Sometimes the less violent way is the most rewarding one.
Alignment works differently; it changes depending what you do. And it lets you be the scheming devious manipulative bastard on the evil route, instead of forcing you into eating babies like most games that have an evil option do.
Death plays a very different role in PS:T. Sure there ARE ways to get a game over, but those are all non-standard game over screens, and it's glaringly obvious what you shouldn't do to avoid them.
The characters are awesomely done, from the nameless, tormented protagonist and a lusty floating skull, to a chaste succubus and a suit of armor only animate through a sheer sense of justice. And some of the dialogues in the game are some of the best written, ever.
And the music? Oh, well. Wonderful, just wonderful.
...it's kinda obvious just how much love and respect I hold for this gem, isn't it?
First, the ugly. Combat in the game is based off the old AD&D ruleset, making it absolutely horrific. It can be manipulated quite a bit, and there are ways to make the enemy AI do things which are borderline insipid. The UI takes a lot of getting used to. Also, there is about a novel's worth of text to read. This isn't an exaggeration; there is actually about three hundred pages worth of words. Lastly, this game takes a big buy-in of time to understand. There's a significant section of the game, especially at the beginning, where you're faced with a vast open world and not too much direction. It can be a bit daunting for a while to pick up the threads of what you want to do. This is not a game to go into without a FAQ!
Don't run.
The pros are: First, the visual aesthetic is one of the best gaming has ever set pushed out. The original source material was visually very striking and they did a great job of capturing it. The music is very solid and fits as well, but does get a bit repetitive due to the length of the game. Second, all that text is amazing. First, it's entertaining. The game has moments of great humor, intricate, beautiful story, surprisingly deep thoughts, and downright crushing emotional impact. This is a contender for one of the few games that might actually make you cry if you explore everything that's happened to the characters. As for depth, well, I showed it to some grad-school friends of mine in divinity and philosophy while I was doing poli-philo, and we would be able to talk about its insanely intelligent treatment of everything from comparative religion to how government and power and war interacted. It does this just by putting dialog in the mouth of NPCs who have to deal with these problems, as does the protagonist. This is a mix of "deep" and "emotional" which I've -never- seen a game come close to touching. Not one, ever. For those who like their "moral choice in RPGs", wow. You've got choices from the crushingly cruel to incredibly noble, and unlike those in, say, Mass Effect, it's not "pull this lever to save the rachni queen, this one to kill them all." You need to see it, but it's conflicts which are much more human in scope. That also helps with the game's open-endedness. Because the NPCs are all so well-written, they have motivations where manipulating or aiding -them- is one of the ways to get things done. You gain more XP for finding resolutions to problems or quests than for stabbing everything in your way, and many players believe maxing out your mental and social skills is the best way to break the game.
The creativity and characterization in the game are stunning. If you care at all for characters if well written, the cast of this game stick with you. They're also one of the most intricate in any game ever written. This game features a chaste succubus priestess, a floating skull pervert, an insane wizard who is on fire, a titanic war machine whose only job is to continue to craft the weapons which end the world, a pillar of skulls made out of damned liars, and a devil warmaster who's stuck at home and is cursed to be extra nice to everybody. It makes you want to play just to see what's next.
The people who worked on this game were the ones who went on to found Obsidian. I'd liken it to KotOR II if KotOR II had been finished properly. It's arguably their best story. It's their smartest, funniest, and most emotional. The design is fantastic. But the flaws I mentioned in the first paragraph are there, and it'll take a bit to get past them. Once you do, you're going to find an incredibly well-planned, artful, and beautiful story that happens to be in the media of video games.
Don't run.
The pros are: First, the visual aesthetic is one of the best gaming has ever set pushed out. The original source material was visually very striking and they did a great job of capturing it. The music is very solid and fits as well, but does get a bit repetitive due to the length of the game. Second, all that text is amazing. First, it's entertaining. The game has moments of great humor, intricate, beautiful story, surprisingly deep thoughts, and downright crushing emotional impact. This is a contender for one of the few games that might actually make you cry if you explore everything that's happened to the characters. As for depth, well, I showed it to some grad-school friends of mine in divinity and philosophy while I was doing poli-philo, and we would be able to talk about its insanely intelligent treatment of everything from comparative religion to how government and power and war interacted. It does this just by putting dialog in the mouth of NPCs who have to deal with these problems, as does the protagonist. This is a mix of "deep" and "emotional" which I've -never- seen a game come close to touching. Not one, ever. For those who like their "moral choice in RPGs", wow. You've got choices from the crushingly cruel to incredibly noble, and unlike those in, say, Mass Effect, it's not "pull this lever to save the rachni queen, this one to kill them all." You need to see it, but it's conflicts which are much more human in scope. That also helps with the game's open-endedness. Because the NPCs are all so well-written, they have motivations where manipulating or aiding -them- is one of the ways to get things done. You gain more XP for finding resolutions to problems or quests than for stabbing everything in your way, and many players believe maxing out your mental and social skills is the best way to break the game.
The creativity and characterization in the game are stunning. If you care at all for characters if well written, the cast of this game stick with you. They're also one of the most intricate in any game ever written. This game features a chaste succubus priestess, a floating skull pervert, an insane wizard who is on fire, a titanic war machine whose only job is to continue to craft the weapons which end the world, a pillar of skulls made out of damned liars, and a devil warmaster who's stuck at home and is cursed to be extra nice to everybody. It makes you want to play just to see what's next.
The people who worked on this game were the ones who went on to found Obsidian. I'd liken it to KotOR II if KotOR II had been finished properly. It's arguably their best story. It's their smartest, funniest, and most emotional. The design is fantastic. But the flaws I mentioned in the first paragraph are there, and it'll take a bit to get past them. Once you do, you're going to find an incredibly well-planned, artful, and beautiful story that happens to be in the media of video games.
Given you have the Rune of Torment for your avatar, yes.Vegosiux said:
Then again, for the OT: people today are using and recognizing an obscure symbol from the game as an avatar. Just in case you were wondering if people were really affected by a game from 12 years back.
The interface is a step behind Baldur's Gate (the game that it was pulled from) mainly due to implementing a radial floating menu that is a bit clunkier than what it replaces.
The combat is not nearly as good as it and is the worst gameplay part of the whole game. But, it's still not *really* bad.
Graphics are undeniably dated, though they are detailed.
The storyline and setting all make up for it and then some. Planescape as interpreted by Black Isle is unlike any other setting out there, and - outside of Arcanum's persuasion dialogues - the story is the best-written in video games today. Just expect to read a great deal.
The combat is not nearly as good as it and is the worst gameplay part of the whole game. But, it's still not *really* bad.
Graphics are undeniably dated, though they are detailed.
The storyline and setting all make up for it and then some. Planescape as interpreted by Black Isle is unlike any other setting out there, and - outside of Arcanum's persuasion dialogues - the story is the best-written in video games today. Just expect to read a great deal.
if you haven't gotten Baldur's gate II yet that's the right choice there. Planescape torment had a good story but BGII I'd still rate as he #1 Western RPG to exist to this very day.
Why get it... well would you say new RPG's have nice story and characters, and a bit of complexity to the gameplay?
Then I can say they haven't got shit on Planescape Torment, it makes new age RPGs look like Call a Doody.
Why it will turn off most people:
- 95% of the dialogue is in text form only, so this game will be like reading a book most of the time
- this is not casual in any sense of the word, they do not hold your hand and they do not show you the way, you find your own way through the world and you figure out how everything is done on your own, it is incredibly rewarding but also a very steep hill to climb
- no pwetty, the game is 12 years old so don't expect a graphics champ
Then I can say they haven't got shit on Planescape Torment, it makes new age RPGs look like Call a Doody.
Why it will turn off most people:
- 95% of the dialogue is in text form only, so this game will be like reading a book most of the time
- this is not casual in any sense of the word, they do not hold your hand and they do not show you the way, you find your own way through the world and you figure out how everything is done on your own, it is incredibly rewarding but also a very steep hill to climb
- no pwetty, the game is 12 years old so don't expect a graphics champ
I've just finished Planescape: Torment for the first time and I sure did like it. My previous games have mostly been shooters and some rather light RPGs, like Fallout 3, New Vegas, Mass Effect 2 and Deus Ex: HR. My first impressions weren't that good: the pace at first is really slow, there are no proper tutorials and your instructions are vague. I recommend having a walkthrough available, because I spent like 3 hours in the first building with no clear idea how to get out because I had missed one NPC. Trust me, you will need the walkthrough.
As the original game was released in 1999, it is technically pathetic. The only resolution is a mere 800x600, which on my 24' inch 1920x1200 monitor is just horrible to look at. If you decide to get the game, for your own sake, install it with THESE [http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html] instructions. It'll give you a proper resolution, bug fixes, fan-made patches & improvements etc. After you've done it, the game looks pretty good: http://www.thepretentiousgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/tormentwidescreen1full.jpg The interface is still fairly bad for high resolution but it's certainly an improvement.
Once you get over the rather slow beginning as you learn to play, I'd say it is worth it. I spent around 30-40 hours on my first walkthrough and totally enjoyed some of the best story and dialogue ever seen in games. It's text-heavy but all the dialogue is top-notch and interesting, and there is lots of it. Sometimes it's philosophical and deep, sometimes it's genuinely hilarious, sometimes it's, err, let's say gory and shocking in a good way. It also turns some old cliches on their heads which makes it feel refreshing and unique even today. Fantasy without dwarves and elves? Hell yeah.
If you're totally new to old-school RPGs like me, I recommend you turn the difficulty to the easiest possible. The combat is rather clunky and your companion AI is kind of awful, with a healer having a tendency to tank unless you want to babysit 6 different characters and taking obscure detours when you just want your team to move a bit. Once you get over the outdated mechanics and technical difficulties you are guaranteed to enjoy venturing in the world of Planescape: Torment.
As the original game was released in 1999, it is technically pathetic. The only resolution is a mere 800x600, which on my 24' inch 1920x1200 monitor is just horrible to look at. If you decide to get the game, for your own sake, install it with THESE [http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html] instructions. It'll give you a proper resolution, bug fixes, fan-made patches & improvements etc. After you've done it, the game looks pretty good: http://www.thepretentiousgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/tormentwidescreen1full.jpg The interface is still fairly bad for high resolution but it's certainly an improvement.
Once you get over the rather slow beginning as you learn to play, I'd say it is worth it. I spent around 30-40 hours on my first walkthrough and totally enjoyed some of the best story and dialogue ever seen in games. It's text-heavy but all the dialogue is top-notch and interesting, and there is lots of it. Sometimes it's philosophical and deep, sometimes it's genuinely hilarious, sometimes it's, err, let's say gory and shocking in a good way. It also turns some old cliches on their heads which makes it feel refreshing and unique even today. Fantasy without dwarves and elves? Hell yeah.
If you're totally new to old-school RPGs like me, I recommend you turn the difficulty to the easiest possible. The combat is rather clunky and your companion AI is kind of awful, with a healer having a tendency to tank unless you want to babysit 6 different characters and taking obscure detours when you just want your team to move a bit. Once you get over the outdated mechanics and technical difficulties you are guaranteed to enjoy venturing in the world of Planescape: Torment.
Or just read the post above, this sir pretty much nailed it.thedoclc said:
THIS^^^^^^^^^^Signa said:
These is probably the best PC Anthology pack to come out for a series next to the Fallout 1, 2, Tactics Collection.
Planescape isn't supposed to be focused on combat. It's about the choices you make with the narrative and the puzzles. Just like a regular D&D 3.0/3.5 game. If you play through enough of the story you'll get completely enthralled in the The Nameless One's story.Sober Thal said:
It would make Shayamalan cry. It really would.
Perhaps the most compelling reason is the way the story begins. A tabula rasa mystery, set in a strange setting (Sigil, city of doors, gateway to the immortal planes and the planes surrounding it). If you were at all an old school AD&D player, this game would have immediately set you off but I'm guessing you're younger and missed out on the days when AD&D was contemporary.LavaLampBamboo said:
Anyway, the game itself is quite expansive for the time it was produced in. Lots of side-quests, tons of lore. NPC's that are colorful and interesting. I would daresay that Bioware's KotOR was a spiritual successor in the NPC backstory category, or at least they had played the hell out of Torment.
But as I say, old games are hard for relatively younger gamers to get into. Nostalgia colors a lot of things, but I would say that Torment isn't a game that fits that description. I believe its still relevant as a game, and still carries with it a perfect mesh of story, gameplay and puzzles. Trust me, get yourself trapped in the Lady of Pain's maze for worshipping a dead god and you'll understand what I mean.
Oh and one more note: Jennifer Fucking Hale and Dan Castellaneta both voice for the game as well as the venerable Keith David, John de Lancie (of Star Trek The Next Generation fame as Q), and Tony Jay, the man who in my opinion made the Soul Reaver cast super-awesome (may he rest in the Manda).
Follow this guys advice, because if you can put up with the dodgey UI and awkward dungeons crawls, then Baldur's Gate II and Icewind Dale should knock your socks off. BGII is overall a better experience with less of the issues that plagues PS:T combat and gameplay mechanics while Icewind Dale 1 and 2 are solid dungeon crawling fun with little story to slow you down.Yosharian said: