Sucks that no game compares

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I just wanna say that I absolutely love PS:T. Baldurs Gate put me to sleep, NWN was only good for Hordes of the Underdark and a single OC playthrough, and NWN2 is too bland (except for Mask of the Betrayer). Planescape is the only game that can get me to finish it, and instantly want to start over again. Down to the very last generic townsperson, everybody was brimming with believable and enteraining personality. It really felt like an actual world. The companions were diverse, well written (most), and had interesting backgrounds. If I went to the slums in Planescape, I felt like I was actually in the slums. If I went to the slums in NWN or BG, I couldn't really tell the difference.

And the story. Why this game hasn't won every game award for best story is a mystery to me. The memories that you get have novel like quality (most of this game does), not to mention you have tons of philosphies and moral questions that add a depth to the game found nowhere else. What other game could possibly make you reflect upon the nature of love and redemption?

I think this game occupies a genre in itself, and i'm dissapointed to see the entire game industry move far away from anything resembling this type of masterful writing.

 

I find that comparing Planescape Torment to some of the best adventure games is a much better comparison than most RPG:s. If you look at Planescape Torment as a strict RPG it has a LOT of flaws that could turn away players. There are plenty of people who actually do not like the game or think it's overrated. The only games that I really appreciate in the same category as Torment are from the adventure game genre all of them more than ten year old releases though.

 

i tried many times to get into this game but to no avail, for some reason i dont find the intrigue to be catchy, i'm still wondering whats supposed to be so compelling about this game... it reminds me of ultima 8, you just wander around reading boring stuff and thats it, even the fights make me yawn

but someday i'll try and make another atempt to find some interest in this game, this time without using the walkthrough though, as this is probably what killed it for me

 

I too think that nothing compares!

I remember being hooked to no end. After the first convo with Dhall I was sucked into the whole thing and found my self greedy for more. I was familiar with the setting (having read Troy Denning's Pages of Pain) and was welcoming the opportunity to visit it.
Great characters, impressive music, rich writing and all packed into the lovely Infinity Engine!

And it's still the only game, where I sat stunned in utter reverence as the finale unfolded and the end-movie played.

As a book-person for me Torment was the best interactive novel ever.
As a gamer, it is still a fond recent memory.

 

Ha, I agree that if you look at it in pure RPG terms it would pretty much suck in a lot of areas. Being a hard gamer to please myself, I was utterly surprised at how I didn't notice any of the flaws while I was playing.

Morogoroth- what games do you appreciate that are in the same category? I'd love to get my hands on some writing anywhere near the quality of PS:T.

I too turned away the game the first time I played it. I didn't see the appeal. Now that my interests lie more in words rather than sword-stabbing I can't get enough. I guess it depends on what you want in a video game.

 

The thing about Torment; is that its not the actual gameplay that blows peoples minds - its the story. As an rpg, its lacking here and there, deffinatly. As someone said further up on the page: it compares better to Adventure games. I think thats spot on. Its more like an Adventure game, with some rpg elements.

 

Very true. I doubt you could remake the game in the super graphics engines of today without losing some of the narrative feel. The game is like an interactive novel more than anything else, and game companies today seem to forget that it's more than just good graphics and violence that make a great game.

 

PST is a playable novel, the fights are far too easy to appeal to hardcore RPG gamers, its more like an interactive book.

A genre which has only ever been touched by this game.

 

It's a dissapointment that there hasn't been any real steps to revitalize this type of genre. I can see it not working on major consoles nowadays, but with the handheld and computer market so open for buisness I think companies are sticking too much to tried and true formulas instead of branching out and making new and interesting games. There can only be so many Call of Duties!

 

Actually, I think the BG saga story could compare. Maybe not come on top, but at least compare.

From the recent games, unfortunately the two whose plots really piqued my interest were seriously flawed and practically unfinished - Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines and Knights of the Old Republic II.

 

Eh, maybe for some people, but I just couldn't complete the BG series for some reason. While I didn't think it had as much depth of character like PS:T did (after a few lines of dialogue from any BG companions I could pretty much tell exactly what they were like), it did have very good voice acting and I enjoyed the random dialogue. It might have just been my laziness that made me not complete it, I rarely finish a game the first time playing. Maybe i'll give it another chance.

 

@Morgoroth; that's quite true, PST has flaws(especially the combat)

@Shoshino
Yea that is imo very correct assessment it's like a book or work of art.
I played PST first time 6months ago or so and I was completely blown away, it's amazing. Only game with depth like that.


@damedog; I agree I'd rate this game 10/10 despite it shortcomings.
I think that there are some games that compare to PST, they are different but brilliant nonetheless.

BaldursGate I&II
+ superior combat(mechanics/classes/magic)
+ like in PST great music
- worse story, mood
- less meaningful dialogues for most part

Fallout I
+ superior combat
+ also a great story
+ humor
+ like in PST great music and mood

Diablo II
+ superior combat
+ playability; addictive like cocaine
+ like in PST great music and mood
- dumbed down, no dialogues

 

Not sure if it compares to Diablo 2 though. that game is an rpg in name only.

 

mhmm
good point; it's maybe sort of an action game with elements of RPG

 

Its pretty much a golden rule: If the only choices you have in a game, is how to kill stuff, its an action game.

 

I think uninitiated would favor BG2's mood/story/dialogue over PST's. Myself I never liked PST until I was finally able to appreciate all the little quirks and nuances in dialogue, not to mention the story. I guess I found it harder to take the story seriously when I was new to the genre, while BG2 connected with me naturally.

 

Variety of equipment, character/skills development, buying a merc are rpg'ish
hmmm tbh I think what makes it "action rpg" is not that story-line is fixed and you can't make choices that impact the game, but the fact it's not turn-based.

 

Usually, in action games you can`t have your character impact the story at all. You just accept missions, and finish them. One way to do the mission, and thats to kill stuff. The only choices you get is to upgrade ways to improve different attacks.

 

Fallout3 can be played as 100% action and your choices can impact the world. But yea in most cases it is like you say,it's just you can have an action rpg like dungeonsiege/diablo and impact the story- at least theoretically.

 

That's choosing to play it as an action game. That doesn't make it an action game as the rpg elements are obviously still there.

You can play BG permanently hasted with the goal to complete it in as fast a time as possible, doesn't make it a racing game.