Truly a masterpiece of its time

Posted on 2010-09-28 09:33:21 by lowyhong:

Planescape Torment. O' Planescape. How shalt I describe thee, O' Exalted One?
Hark then, heathen, and listen. For thou hath heard of ye revered Planescape Torment through websites long after it's demise, but mayhaps afore thou hath not played it.
Planescape has gathered much media attention over the years, despite its poor sales. Such a shame, for Planescape's writing and storyread more is yet to be surpassed by anything on the market. It does not stun its audience with flashy gimmicks, but it boasts superior background art and a storyline that stirs the very abysses of your soul.
But hey, why does the story matter, you ask? Sure, there are plenty of good novels out there, but Planescape allows you to *act out* the story. There is freedom and choice within the game's context that lets you be the actor and see what happens next. This game doesn't slip a veil over your eyes, letting you pick choice (A) and then deceive you into thinking that your choice makes a difference just because you have opened up a new line of quests.
Because in this game, there's no such thing as a "quest" per se. It has transgressed the gamer's need to gain XP as a carrot-on-a-stick. It keeps you going on and on because you want to see more of the game's world, and unravel the story. While plot lines are fixed, you determine how the game plays out. Your choices affect the very story you are "writing".
But let's just say that, for the sake of comparison, you are not satisfied with just playing an interactive storybook. What else can I say, you ask, that will sell this game to you?
I say this: the diversity of characters you meet, as well as the fragility and imperfections of their personalities, will confound everything you ever learnt about social institutions. Again, without spoiling anything (and also because the last time I played this was in 2001), there is no "good" or "bad" in a cardinal sense, as any sociologist would tell you. It is how you, the writer - The Nameless One - perceives them. As it did with Fallout 1 and 2, Black Isle has clearly nailed the head on this one with its multi-layered complexities.
Although, despite this being *the* defining RPG for me, it's not without its flaws. Combat, as I remember, was a weak point of the game, as compared to other RPGs of its era, and previous ones. Then there's also......actually, there really isn't anything else I can think of to criticize the game. Music and sound effects capture the game's mood perfectly; the background art is nothing less than what you'd expect from Black Isle. I don't think I need to elaborate further on the story and settings.
Basically, there is no reason why you should not get this game. This certainly isn't a game for quick fixes, and if you're looking for flashy shiny graphics, please, look elsewhere (I recommend Modern Warfare 2 or the upcoming Medal of Honor). Otherwise, you will play this to the end, watch the finale movie, and rave on the forums on the unsurpassed greatness of the experience that was once upon a time lacking in your life, but which you finally found.