Planescape Torment is amazing. It's firmly a CRPG, and yet takes care to avert or subvert every trope in the genre. There are no dashing heroes in your party, just a bunch of twisted, damaged people and monsters. The goal isn't to save the world; it's to find out who you are and why you're there. There are virtually no swords, there are only a few required fights, and most importantly of all, you can't actually get a game over (unless you screw up royally). The gameplay has definitely suffered from Seinfeld Is Unfunny, and there are some very long dead spots, but for the most part it plays awesomely.
But that's no why you fire this puppy up. This is a story more than anything else.
Torment boasts a frankly ridiculous amount of text, far more so than is actually needed. And yet, all of it goes towards drawing the player into the world presented. It actually reads a lot like a novel, with paragraphs of exposition and detailed descriptions on each important NP Cs' appearance and mannerisms. Sigil and the other Planes are all fully-realized, and each add something new and wonderful to your experience. There is also a whole lot to do, several important choices to make, and a whole lot of sidequests to complete in interesting and unorthodox ways, thanks to the way gameplay and story are integrated.
Ultimately, Torment isn't a heroic tale of adventure; it's the journey of a man to discover his identity. Throughout the quest, your immortal protagonist sees the triumphs and crimes of his past selves. Most of his party consists of people he has wronged, for reasons almost fully unknown to him. And even when he learns the truth, he must still undue his greatest sin: he has to finally die. The game is you trying to find a way to die. And it's a story told so well that you'll be compelled to keep playing just to see what happens next. Even the ending, which bugged me to hell at first, is downright perfect in retrospect, as it sums up the hero's journey wonderfully.
For those worried about the price (and too honest to pirate), it's now on Good Old Games. If you haven't played this gem yet, do so. Torment is something you have to play once. If gaming is to be represented as an art form, it's titles like this that help pave the way and show what the medium can really do.
One of the greatest stories ever told
Planescape Torment is amazing. It's firmly a CRPG, and yet takes care to avert or subvert every trope in the genre. There are no dashing heroes in your party, just a bunch of twisted, damaged people and monsters. The goal isn't to save the world; it's to find out who you are and why you're there. There are virtually no swords, there are only a few required fights, and most importantly of all, you can't actually get a game over (unless you screw up royally). The gameplay has definitely suffered from Seinfeld Is Unfunny, and there are some very long dead spots, but for the most part it plays awesomely.
But that's no why you fire this puppy up. This is a story more than anything else.
Torment boasts a frankly ridiculous amount of text, far more so than is actually needed. And yet, all of it goes towards drawing the player into the world presented. It actually reads a lot like a novel, with paragraphs of exposition and detailed descriptions on each important NP Cs' appearance and mannerisms. Sigil and the other Planes are all fully-realized, and each add something new and wonderful to your experience. There is also a whole lot to do, several important choices to make, and a whole lot of sidequests to complete in interesting and unorthodox ways, thanks to the way gameplay and story are integrated.
Ultimately, Torment isn't a heroic tale of adventure; it's the journey of a man to discover his identity. Throughout the quest, your immortal protagonist sees the triumphs and crimes of his past selves. Most of his party consists of people he has wronged, for reasons almost fully unknown to him. And even when he learns the truth, he must still undue his greatest sin: he has to finally die. The game is you trying to find a way to die. And it's a story told so well that you'll be compelled to keep playing just to see what happens next. Even the ending, which bugged me to hell at first, is downright perfect in retrospect, as it sums up the hero's journey wonderfully.
For those worried about the price (and too honest to pirate), it's now on Good Old Games. If you haven't played this gem yet, do so. Torment is something you have to play once. If gaming is to be represented as an art form, it's titles like this that help pave the way and show what the medium can really do.