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Planescape: Torment

aka: Last Rites
Moby ID: 648
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

Waking up on a stone slab in a morgue, which the zombie workers just pushed into the room, a big man with a face deformed by scars, his back marked by strange tattoos, looks at the dead bodies scattered around the room through the dim light, unable to understand who he is. He is sure that he is dead, yet he is also sure that he moves, thinks, and feels. Memories of love, a woman's face, good and bad deeds of his life - all his past appears in a flash, only to be replaced by the dreadful reality of the mortuary.

His journey begins with only one goal: he must learn his name, find out what had happened to him, and which forces prevent him from dying in peace, like all other human beings. The Nameless One opens the doors of the mortuary, only to dive into a world full of fateful encounters, strange characters, broken hopes, despair, and hatred. Piece by piece he shall solve the puzzle and re-discover his own past.

Planescape: Torment is a role-playing game that uses a heavily altered variation of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition rules. It is set in the Planescape, the exotic AD&D setting which is composed out of various "planes" of existence, with unique characteristics to each. The game features the party-based, "real-time-with-pause" combat system which was previously employed in Baldur's Gate.

Character growth is handled via the standard AD&D attributes, which can be raised and modified in the game. Abilities that are not exclusive to combat, such as Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, play a special role in the development and outcome of many of the game's conversations and quests. Dialogue options may become available only if the corresponding character parameter is sufficiently high. The outcome of the final quest and thus the ending of the entire game also depend on the way the player has been shaping The Nameless One during the journey.

Various fairly exotic characters - including a talking floating skull and a winged succubus who runs a "spiritual" brothel - will join the hero on his quest. These characters belong to the traditional AD&D classes of fighter, mage, thief, and cleric. The Nameless One himself starts as a fighter but is able to become a mage or a thief if he meets certain requirements and completes certain quests. The hero is unable to wear armor but can enhance his defenses with special tattoos.

Though combat occupies a significant portion of the game, much of it is dedicated to acquiring experience through exploration of the Sigil, the game's main "hub" town, and performing quests for its inhabitants. The game is notable for containing a very large amount of in-game text and conversation.

Spellings

  • 异域镇魂曲 - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 異域鎮魂曲 - Traditional Chinese spelling
  • 플레인 스케이프 토먼트 - Korean spelling

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Credits (Windows version)

143 People (137 developers, 6 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 89% (based on 61 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.2 out of 5 (based on 376 ratings with 20 reviews)

I don't think it will ever get better than this game...

The Good
The story was great. I've never had a pulp novel and video game ever seem to be so seamlessly integrated. The characters that you had in your party interacted with you in ways that promoted the story. Perhaps time has dulled my memories but really I can't remember it getting better than this.

The Bad
There were some glitches in the game that kept it from running smoothly on my computer. Other than that though I don't remember it being very dull. I would say that the ending made me feel good but I really thought they should have done a sequel to this.

The Bottom Line
The ultimate story based RPG. Something for people that aren't into hack and slash as much as story.

Windows · by Danaher Dempsey (2) · 2005

The darkest, most innovative and best CRPG experience ever available, a true classic! while a bit lacking in the combat side...

The Good
Extremely dark macabre theme and atmosphere (which may be offending to others ;) and great plot. The most innovative gameplay provided ever in a CRPG game, great graphics, special effects, sounds, music and everything! Lots of dialogs instead of combat, a true RPG (Role-Playing!) experience rather than mindless level ups. A lot of depth, variety in gameplay and thus replayability. Good cutscene and decent ending, some beautiful high level spell animations.

The Bad
A lot of dialogs instead of combat, the variety in monster and combat style is a bit lacking, some high level spell animation is NOT really well-done, and copies a lot from asian RPGs. Some slow down (even after patch, caused by memory leak?) and bugs which will stop/crash the game. Cause loss of sleep (which great game do not? ;)

The Bottom Line
The best CRPG in recent times, great fun to play if you can accept the deeply dark and macabre settings and some dark humors. The experience is unlike any other games of its kind, and the end result is a true piece of art, an instant classic in the CRPG genre. Everyone, CRPG fans or not, who do not feel offended by the frequent reference to death and darkness, or do not feel the only fun in computer games is endless hack-n-slah and bashing monsters, should immedately go out and grab one (if has not already done so) and you will be hooked in front of your computer for hours to come!

Windows · by DarkTalon (156) · 2000

Too few like it, unfortunately

The Good
Has there ever been a game in which you were so immersed that you actually felt you were the character? A game you didn't want to finish because you wouldn't know what to do with yourself once it ended? One that made you feel that playing any other game would be cheating on it? Would you like to play one like that? Well, Planescape: Torment is one of those rare games.

Much like the player, the character, The Nameless One, has no inclination as to what is happening. This is something beneficial to you, the player. While playing, and learning as The Nameless One learns, you come to be absorbed in, and perhaps feel for, this man-thing. You and he experience, literally and figuratively, everything for the first time, or so it seems, together.

Along your path to knowledge of self, you will come across those who would be companions. Companions doesn't necessarily mean friends and you will find this out along the way. There will also come a time when you will have to decide between these companions -- who will continue on with you and who will be left behind. A decision that will not come easily.

Planescape is a game, no, an experience, where Charisma, Knowledge, and Wisdom come into effect more than the usual Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. The latter three are not without there uses, of course, but the gameplay is much more rich with the former three.

Generally speaking, the graphics were very detailed. Sometimes it is hard to play such detailed games for fear of missing something. The music was suitable, if not minimal. Some tunes were heartfelt, while others were ominous. Battles, while not a great percentage of gameplay, were there to be had. Sometimes you are able to choose whether to battle or not. It is not thrust upon you. Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue. Plenty of interaction is waiting for you in Planescape. There is the feeling that one IS getting to know the surroundings, the people, the creatures.

The Bad
Nothing, really, and all of it is bearable. The graphics got to be too dark sometimes. It would have been a welcome relief to see bright colors sometimes, just sometimes. The lagginess of the game is, well, I do not wish to say constant, but it's there. As I write this, I strain to think of something more to add. Dialogues may get to be too much sometimes, especially after much playing. TAKE A BREAK!

The Bottom Line
You might love it or hate it, but do NOT miss it.

Windows · by SlapHappy (10) · 2004

[ View all 20 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
Advise Indra was here (20746) Nov 6, 2010
Some new revelations. The Fabulous King (1332) Sep 29, 2007
For you Tormented souls DJP Mom (11333) Aug 13, 2007

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Planetscape: Torment appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Add-ons

For both St. Patrick's Day and Easter of 2000 the developers released a pair of character add-ons: Leprechaun Annah and Eastern Egg Morte. These change all the graphics and animations for said characters and, in Morte's case, add new sound samples that were left in the cutting room.

Cover

So who is the guy that appears in the box covers and ads as the Nameless One? Game director Guido Henkel himself (with some heavy makeup and after some digital post-production of course).

Cut content

One feature that didn't make it into the game from the vision document was the ability to change the character's smell.

Cutscenes

In the initial concept for the game the title screen menu was to have an additional tab for viewing the cinematics. Though it was removed for reasons unknown it still made its way into some manuals which state the title screen should have a "Visions" tab for movies.

Development

The creator of the Planescape campaign universe and former TSR creative guru himself Zeb Cook, contributed to the creation of the game along Colin McComb, (who took the Planescape banner at TSR when Cook left), and Guido Henkel, designer of the Realms of Arkania series.

Language

Morte If one is to believe a certain motion-picture-like print ad that ran in late 1998 (you know, the ones that go "so and so present a so and so production starring...") you'll find that Morte's last name is "Rictusgrin".

Music

The music that plays in the Civic Festhall is from the 2nd movement of Vivaldi's concerto for two oboes in D minor.

Novel

There is a novel based on the game written by regular Planescape suplement writters Ray Vallese and Val Vallese. The novel was later included for free with copies of Planescape: Torment when bought from the Interplay Store. A soundtrack CD is also available.

Trailer

There is a promotional trailer for the game featured on earlier Interplay titles like Baldur's Gate (NOT the one featured in the game's page and which includes gameplay shots), that includes completely unseen CGI footage that doesn't appear in any of the game's cutscenes. The trailer shows, among other things: the Lady of Pain floating around, Nordom in the Modron Cube, the Iron Golem roaming a forest, the Nameless One at his tomb, Hargrimm casting a spell, Ignus being consumed (probably his origin?) and several other creatures plus many POV sequences which show places and scenery (you know, the ones that get triggered when you first travel to some location). Rumor has it that this is actually a mix of sequences made solely for promotional purposes and stuff that was cut out of the game for space considerations. In any event, save for a part of the shadow world intro, this is all unseen stuff.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • March 2000 (Issue #188) – Role-Playing Game of the Year
    • March 2000 (Issue #188) – Best Character of the Year (for Morte)
    • March 2000 (Issue #188) – Best Art Direction of the Year (for Morte)
    • October 2004 (Issue #243) – Introduced into the Hall of Fame
  • GameSpy
    • 2001 – #45 Top Game of All Time
  • PC Powerplay (Germany)
    • Issue 06/2005 - #2 Likeable Secondary Character (for Morte)
    • Issue 11/2005 - #3 Game Which Absolutely Needs A Sequel
    • Issue 12/2006 - #8 Hype Disappointment (the number of sales was disappointing in relation the quality of the game)

Information also contributed by Adam Baratz and SDfish

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Related Sites +

  • Alphabetti Spaghetti: Planescape Torment - Fully Modded!
    A complete, step by step guide to installing, patching and modding the game for WinXP systems.
  • Bootstrike.com - Planescape Torment
    Has walkthroughs, downloads, cheats and lots of cool stuff, including the story of Planescape Torment.
  • Hints for Planescape: Torment
    Excellent question and answer type hints to help you solve the game without spoiling the whole thing for you.
  • Matt Chat 63
    Video interview with Chris Avellone about the development of Planescape: Torment
  • Planescape: Torment Fix Pack
    An unofficial Fix Pack that fixes many bugs in Planescape: Torment that were not fixed by the official 1.1 patch.
  • Planescape: Torment Walkthrough
    A walkthrough of the game
  • Planescape: Torment website
    Official Planescape: Torment website, archived at planescape.outshine.com
  • Planet Baldur's Gate
    Another Planet, this one covers Planescape: Torment, Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast, Baldur's Gate II and the Throne of Bhaal, and Icewind Dale. Files, forums, articles, help, walkthroughs, news, and links populate it. A typical Planet site.
  • Torment Wiki
    A wiki-based encyclopedia about Planescape: Torment, with walkthroughs and descriptions of locations, characters, items, creatures and more.
  • What's in a face?
    Guido Henkel's blog post about the Planescape: Torment cover shoot.

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 648
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by DarkTalon.

Linux added by Cavalary. Macintosh added by Foxhack.

Additional contributors: xroox, Dr. Elementary, Kalirion, Zovni, G. Ganesh, Unicorn Lynx, Jeanne, Jack Lightbeard, Paulus18950, Patrick Bregger, Lain Crowley, FatherJack, Sith Wist, trembyle.

Game added January 2, 2000. Last modified July 17, 2024.