Planescape: Torment is an online role-playing computer game developed by Black Isle Studios, and published by Interplay Entertainment. It was released for Microsoft Windows under the name Planescape: Torment. As one of the first massively multiplayer online RPG games (MMORPG), it is considered to be one of the best and most popular among its contemporaries. The game is set in locations influenced by Planescape: Torment, a multiverse containing many different realms.
The player controls his character in this Planescape: Torment computer game through a series of text messages and typed commands. The major action in the game occurs during various exploration sequences, where the player searches for items, shops, monasteries, and temples to learn more about the background of the main character. Throughout the course of the game, the character can also find companions, who will assist him in battle and other endeavors. Through a variety of quests, the player also earns experience points, which he can use to purchase armor, weapons, wisdom, skill points, and spell slots.
Planescape: Torments, like other classic RPGs such as Legend of Zelda and Super Mario RPG, follows a turn-based structure. This means that action is performed by moving the mouse cursor over an object, and the action is resolved when a character skillful enough defeats an enemy. The action is viewed from a third person perspective, with the player being given non-interactive visual guides such as inventory lists, monster descriptions, and maps. Unlike other RPGs which have a wide range of possible enemies, this computer game only has a few basic enemy types. In addition, most monsters are limited to a single attack, although there are some exceptions.
Planescape: Torment belongs to the third generation of RPGs. Unlike the first two generation titles, Planescape: Torment featured a modern day story, set hundreds of years after the events of the previous Planescape: Tower of Eternity games. This third installment focuses on the main character, also known as the Sage. In the beginning, his homeland has been devastated by a mysterious thief. His friends, the Mages, are forced to flee from their homeland. While aiding them in their quest to find a cure for a powerful wizard, the Sage learns that he has some unfinished business to attend to.
As with most classic and well-known fantasy plots, Planescape: Torment features a complex plot, full of twists and turns, many of which the player must solve on his own. Despite its sophisticated storyline, however, Planescape: Torment does not have the quality of graphics and sound that could make or break an enjoyable role-playing experience. Although it is possible to see some improvements in these departments with the release of the recently released Ultimate Edition, they are just not substantial enough to make a big difference. For the most part, players will simply be happy with the quality of the story and the visual aspects of the graphics.
A good point about Planescape: Torment is that despite its mature theme, it manages to retain much of the casual appeal it had when it was first released. The character generation system, which allows players to create a new character following one’s previous choices, is still functional and easy to learn. Although it may lack the quality of modern RPGs, it can still be considered a classic if only because it offers something different than the typical RPG, at least in its presentation. For example, instead of using a map to tell you where the next destination is, you get a list of locations that you need to travel to in order to reach the objective of the game.
The major problem with Planescape: Torment, as with many other similar RPGs, is its rather clunky and boring combat system. Its “casting” system is an unreliable approach to character creation, as you simply select a random character and press a button to have them attack the enemies for you. When fighting a boss, on the other hand, you generally have to take into consideration what kind of attacks your main character is adept at doing. In the case of this game, your main character is primarily a thief. He has very few moves, so it is necessary to learn to combine these skills with your partner’s to maximize damage taken. Despite the fact that the ps setting is all over the place, it is still difficult to follow, as the game often uses a lot of visual cues that don’t make much sense.
Overall, Planescape: Torment suffers from poor design decisions, but the novel concept and story it offers are well worth the few shortcomings. Despite some stiff fighting, it is not a highly engaging RPG, and often gets boring due to its often randomly generated maps and characters. But if you like fantasy with a lot of darkness, then this could be a good choice for you. I recommend giving it a try if you like narrative games with a dark magic theme. You won’t find any great reviews for the computer game version, but I have been able to get through the early portions quite easily, so if you don’t mind linearity, then you should go for Planescape: Torment.