Planescape Torment
BackGreat RPG and the best game ever
 Cover art featuring The Nameless One as portrayed by producer Guido Henkel | |
| Developer(s) | Black Isle Studios |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Interplay Entertainment |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Chris Avellone |
| Programmer(s) | Dan Spitzley |
| Artist(s) | Tim Donley |
| Writer(s) | Chris Avellone |
| Composer(s) | Mark Morgan |
| Engine | Infinity Engine |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | show December 12, 1999 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Planescape: Torment is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios, published by Interplay Entertainment, and released for Microsoft Windows on December 12, 1999. The game takes place in locations from the multiverse of Planescape, a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy campaign setting. The game's engine is a modified version of the Infinity Engine, which was used for BioWare's Baldur's Gate, a previous D&D game set in the Forgotten Realms.
Planescape: Torment is primarily story-driven, with combat not being prominently featured. The protagonist, known as The Nameless One, is an immortal man who forgets everything if killed. The game focuses on his journey through the city of Sigil and other planes to reclaim his memories of previous lives, and to discover why he was made immortal in the first place. Several characters in the game may join the Nameless One on his journey; most of these characters have encountered him in the past or have been influenced by his actions in some way.
The game was not a commercial success, but it received critical acclaim and has since become a cult classic, claimed by video game journalists to be the best role-playing video game of 1999. It was lauded for its immersive dialogue, for the dark and relatively obscure Planescape setting, and for the protagonist's unique persona, which shirked many characteristics of traditional role-playing games. It is commonly considered one of the greatest video games of all time,[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] and continues to receive attention long after its release. An enhanced version for modern platforms was made by Beamdog and released for Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS in April 2017, and for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in October 2019.
Gameplay[edit]
Planescape: Torment is built on BioWare's Infinity Engine, which presents the player with a pre-rendered world in an isometric perspective in which player characters are controlled.[10][11] The game's role-playing ruleset is based on that of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition.[12] The player takes the role of "The Nameless One", an immortal man with amnesia on a quest to learn why he was created immortal.[13] Exploration around the painted scenery is accomplished by clicking on the ground to move, or on objects and characters to interact with them.[14] Items and spells may be employed through hotkeys, quick slots, or a radial menu.[15] An alternative to armor is the use of magical tattoos which can be applied to The Nameless One and certain other characters to enhance their abilities.[16]
The game begins with character creation, where the player assigns attribute points such as strength, intelligence, and charisma to The Nameless One.[17][18] The Nameless One starts the game as a fighter class, but the player may later freely change it to a thief or wizard.[14] The player may recruit companions throughout the game to join the party. There are seven potential companions, but only a maximum of five may accompany The Nameless One at any given time. Conversation is frequent among party members, occurring both randomly and during conversations with other non-player characters.[18] The gameplay often focuses on the resolution of quests through dialogue rather than combat, and many of the game's combat encounters can be resolved or avoided through dialogue or stealth.[18][19] The Nameless One carries a journal which helps the player keep track of the game's numerous quests and subplots.[12] The Nameless One is immortal, so running out of health points usually imposes no penalty beyond respawning in a different location.[20]
Planescape: Torment uses the D&D character alignment system, in which a character's ethical and moral perspective and philosophy are determined based on the axes of "good vs. evil" and "law vs. chaos", with neutrality bridging the two opposing sides. The Nameless One begins as "true neutral" but can be incrementally changed based on the character's actions throughout the game, with reactions from the game's non-player characters differing based on his alignment.[10][12][21][22]