Planescape: Torment

I won't comment too long here -- I've already seen enough praise from other posted comments that perfectly mimc what I think of this great game. I will say, though, that I have been an AD&D Planescape fan since it first showed up, and was totally amazed by the incredible ability to create its unique architectual, character, and overall art style into this 3D masterpiece. It was loads of fun, was chock-full of wonderful elements in RPG and story sense, and I can only hope for more and more of the same. My ONLY disappointment was that you don't get to venture out to more planes of reality, but they have to leave SOMETHING for the sequel, eh ^_~?

After playing adventure and computer roleplaying games for almost 2 decades I can clearly say that this was one of the best, if not *the* best experience I had sofar.

The game sets itself appart from other games of the genre that (over-)used classic medieval or tolkien-style fantasy. Instead it introduces us to a completely new fantasy setting originating in the Planescape universe of the AD&D pen & paper roleplaying series. The story is extremly interesting, non-linear and full of surprises until the very end of the game. Characters and quests are very well developed and although the game has countless side quests and interesting choices for the player, I never felt that I got lost in the game or stuck. The game features lots of dialog that truly contributes to the storyline, immersion of the player and presents content and choices that are truly part of the game advancement rather than a tedious cosmetic add-on found in many other hack-and-slash roleplaying games. The combat system is interesting and well balanced. While combat and character development do play vital roles in the game, they are by far not as excessive or repetitive as in most RPG games like e.g. Icewind Dale or even the classic Ultima series. Every dungeon crawl is followed by at least one interesting NPC encounter. Quite often long and complex quests that are not related to combat, such as investigating a crime, create a good balance between combat and dialog/exploration that may be somewhere around 50:50, which I felt very comfortable with.

Although at the very beginning things might look a little bit confusing for newbies, this game is both interesting to the RPG veteran and still suitable for the occasional or less experienced player. The reason are the many new elements of the game, the lack of really fatal mistakes in character development, absence of hardcore puzzles and the length of the game itself. This game can be completed in reasonable time, while still offering many hours of entertainment and an almost unprecedented depth of the story. The trick lies in the removal of almost all redundant and repetitive tasks that you find in many other RPGs. This makes Planescape such a dense experience. Every hour of gameplay is full of interesting content and when playing, unlike in most other RPGs, I never felt forced to "work" towards a goal. Instead, discovery, achievement and story-telling are combined in a very clever way. Even after you complete this game you will not regret the time you have spent on it. The biggest problem will rather be, that you find yourself looking forward to a sequel. A true piece of art!

... it would be Planescape: Torment, bar none. Never has a computer Role Playing Game (RPG) - or from any genre if I may be so bold to argue - surpassed the level of inspiration that can be seen here. Storyline, sights and sounds are all executed to perfection. It is one thing to have a masterpiece in one's mind, but to turn it into reality as well is no small feat. And here's a result of one such success...

The story is quite simple in nature, but the implications complex and thought-provoking: You play the Nameless One, a horribly scarred character who wakes up with no recollection of his past (much less his present and future). Sure, been there done that, typical amnesiac fare. Well it is in a fundamental way. But if you've never experienced actually _playing_ such a character before, making all the decisions, coming to terms with the consequences, then this game will be an eye-opener.

The plotline of PS:Torment unfolds as you dig in further into your past, and as you do so, uncover characters who would either help of hinder you in your journey towards a destiny that slowly but surely becomes clearer and more life-altering (actually, it alters much more, say, several universes? Sheesh, you _did_ expect some world-saving action as well, right? Well then, you won't be disappointed...). And you as the main character is not the only one with any semblance of personality. Many of the characters you'll interact with are so three-dimensional you can't help but truly care about them (care to either hate and/or love, that's up to you); this is a refreshing change from the archetypical cardboard-cutout, "battle-fodder" companions of typical hack-n-slashers. The emotional impact of this process is heads and shoulders above most of its "role-playing" peers (the "smash-hit" Baldur's Gate included).

In terms of audio-visuals, PS:Torment scores equally well. The setting of this game - Planescape - is in a fantastic locale consisting of multiple planes, or universes if you like. In the game's own terms, what we call a "multiverse". Think of it as a collection of worlds, each corresponding to a specific set of beliefs. Heaven and hell and everything between, in short. But this is no old-fashioned quasi-biblical fable - your main character will be dealing with denizens - human, demonic, angelic, robotic (yes, you heard right) - who each will play a crucial role towards the success/failure of your quest. And the game never forgets to help you understand the grand scheme of things in this strange, fascinating land. You'll find that it's not all philosophy either - the artwork, music and sound impresses like no other in creating a totally absorbing world of its own. A memorable soundtrack coupled with superbly rendered alien landscapes are just a fraction of this game's strengths that by themselves would be sufficient for many other games to earn countless plaudits.

Would PS:Torment appease the hopelessly-addicted hack-n-slasher fan as well? Why not? Depending on its difficulty level, this game offers a variety of powerful enemies - in terms of quality as well as quantity - to test one's mettle against. But to be fair to fans of the more cerebral (or charismatic) approach to conflict-resolution, there's no shortage of non-violent solutions either. I'd say both options are equally rewarding. Take it from me as a fact: you can be extreme and kill almost _everyone_ you meet, or practically _no-one_ and still finish the game. Which gives even more credit to how well-thought out this game really is.

Are there gripes? Very little. With a plot so multi-faceted and full of alternate endings (much of it depending on whether you choose to be good or evil, lawful or chaotic - yes, PS:Torments allows the freedom to choose one's moral and ethical compass), it is understandable that not _all_ subplots get resolved in the most satisfying manner. But in the final analysis, they don't figure much at all. Remember the saying that only the journey really matters in the end? The main plotline engages the player enough to ensure that the momentum is carried all the way to its epic final act.

On a more technical note, the gaming interface is well done, though it may take a slight bit of time to get used to especially for newcomers to the computer RPG genre, particularly Bioware's Infinity Engine game series. Even then Infinity is considered by far one of the most user-friendly of interfaces. But once you're accustomed, most likely you'll get sucked right in till the end of at least another chapter. Or two. Or till the end of the game.

Overall, a solid, one-of-a-kind (Bioware has decided there'll be no "franchise" of this title) computer gaming experience not to be missed, especially by those looking for a perfect balance of role-playing action and thought-provoking storylines.

10/10 (mind you, this is the only one title that gets this rating from me, and there are already precious few 9/10's on my list).

The computer role-playing game industry was supposed to be dead. If it wasn't dead, surely it was dying. As advances in CPU speeds and 3D accelerators continued the push for 3D games that would showcase these technologies, seemingly groundbreaking games such as Half-Life, Unreal, and Quake III Arena threatened to become the final nail in the computer role-playing coffin.

Then Interplay and Black Isle Studios brought them back. Fallout and Baldur's Gate were the first twitches of life the CRPG genre had seen in years, and Planescape: Torment signals the full recovery of the breed.

Fittingly, PS:T is centered around The Nameless One, an immortal whose memories decay in each brush with death. You assume the role of The Nameless One just as he pulls himself off a slab in the Mortuary once again. It's up to you to re-discover who you are, or were, and piece together the story that placed you in this situation.

It's quite a story, and a good one at that. Although the game features stunning graphics and incredible audio, it's the detailed and involving text that immerses you in the Planescape multiverse. Book reviewers often describe a title with an excessively compelling story as "a page turner" or "one you won't want to put down." Moreso than any other computer game, PS:T falls into that category. This is as close to an interactive novel as anything produced to date.

You not only play PS:T, you read and write it as you go along. Decisions made at one juncture have a real and concrete effect on the outcome of later events. This game rewards reason and favors experimentation and the thoughtful solution. If your idea of a good time is hacking and slashing your way to glory, you may want to steer clear of this game, unless you're ready to see your style of play undergo a complete transformation.

Technically speaking, PS:T isn't as 'cutting edge' as the latest Quake-clone, but that's not such a bad thing. PS:T is a world unto itself, with incredible artwork, detailed animation, immersive audio, and tons of replayability. Most folks, once they've played through PS:T and witnessed the ADJECTIVES! ending, will immediately start the game again, just to see the outcome of the path not taken.

Personally, I believe that Black Isle should be commended for such an outstanding and original effort, especially in these days of "what can I kill next" mediocrity. The merits of PS:T cannot be overstated, though any attempt to describe the experience is doomed to miss the mark. It's a great game, there should be more like it.

I think that this is a really strong release from Interplay. It`s much more emotional than their other games, that`s why I like Plane Scape Torment so much! I would say that this is the best spent money ever, the game seem to last forever.