Posted on: July 30, 2023

Louard_le_Barbare

Games: 295 Reviews: 126

Derivative, but a great RPG nonetheless

I understand why Tides of Numenéra got a mixed public reception. The game is almost entirely marketed around it being a spiritual sequel to Planescape: Torment, which I think raised expectations too high and incited negative comparisons – it doesn’t help that it feels too similar at times, especially in its first few hours. But in the end, while T:ToN shares the premise, isometric perspective and esoteric writing of PS:T, it manages to find an identity of its own and is fully successful as a text-heavy, story-based RPG. The writing is consistently good and goes to great lengths to immerse players in the strange universe of Numenéra. Each time you take a step in the game, you’ll be exposed to a different aspect of its fantastically weird sci-fi worldbuilding and unique aesthetics, while each quest you undertake is a tangled of web of unique characters, unexpected twists, irreversible choices, and chances to build the personality of the protagonist. The roleplaying isn’t the strongest I’ve seen, but it does a good job of making you feel like your decisions are shaping the hero's fate and the world around them – notably through a very interesting alignment system. Gameplay-wise, the combat system has interesting mechanics but is a slow mess – thankfully, hostiles encounters are rare and can often be solved through lateral thinking or even avoided entirely. Some game design issues are hard to forgive: for instance, allies only gain XP when they’re in your party, and it’s not always clear when you’re about to reach a point of no-return in the story. Despite their jankiness, I enjoyed a lot of the mechanics - like how points can be spent for each skillcheck. In the end, I can only recommend T:ToN. It’s derivative, yes, and those who want an experience truly reminiscent of PS:T should probably play Disco Elysium or Tyranny instead... but it’s nevertheless a unique, high-quality RPG with good writing, many memorable moments and characters, and a lot of replayability.

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Posted on: March 11, 2017

nolongerdemure

Games: Reviews: 5

Such a disappointment...

This game has been such a disappointment.... There are such limited options for character development - this is NOT an RPG. The fighting system is sooooo slow and clunky. It is so limited too. The characters graphics look terrible, but the surroundings look pretty good. This game falls so far short of my expectations for an RPG. It doesn't hold a candle to the first game. The companions are shallow and uninteresting. There is a lot of details added into just about everything, which is nice for those who care enough to read it all. After awhile I stopped caring about all the fluff because it just wasn't very interesting. I only managed to play about 10hrs before I gave up and starting playing Tormented to wash away the horrible taste of this game from my mouth...

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Posted on: July 20, 2017

farralon

Games: 192 Reviews: 1

Wanted to like this, but could not.

Purchased during a sale, returned for refund. I remain surprised at my own reaction to this game. It *should* have been a hit, the critical reviews support that. I have extensive history with the genre and a deep love for the works of the teams involved. But there was nothing enjoyable about this game for me. The mechanics and systems were not enjoyable. I had zero interest or investment into my character and not much more for the NPCs thrown at me from the beginning. The graphics, engine, and audio experience are top notch. I just wish I had cared at all for what was going on enough to enjoy the game on even a base level. It felt flat and uninviting, yet over-complicated and unwieldy.

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Posted on: June 27, 2017

Anthony_Xue

Verified owner

Games: 153 Reviews: 1

Take it for what it is, not what it might have been

[Note: I played this on version 1.1.0, which supposedly makes a notable difference to 1.0.0.] In short: Unique and fantastic scenario, great writing, an experience like no other. For that alone you should consider a purchase instead of the next elves-and-orcs story in line. Just keep an open mind. In detail: So I didn't back this, which is probably fortunate - a lot of the bad reviews here seem to come from disappointed backers who measure the final game according to campaign promises. I can judge it for what it is, and it is a masterwork of storytelling. The presentation relies on a lot of text, even and especially for dramatic flashbacks; the upside is that this allows for truly wild imagery that would have needed ten times the budget to realize in modern graphics. As for the much-maligned combat system - I don't get it. Divinity's system is much better, sure, but things work, and once you stop hoarding your ciphers battles are not much of a problem. One review mentions there is no "takeback" - well, in 1.1.0 at least, a simple right-click helps much in that regard. But honestly, combat is not the focus of this game, so if they had made every encounter a brain-burning, complex strategic exercise this would in my mind actually have been detrimental. If you like the Numenera scenario, you simply have to buy T:ToN. It does an excellent job of displaying the setting's vast- and weirdness and its possibilities for creating stories you won't hear anywhere else, down to details like the various oddities that *might* have uses you won't think of at first. There's nothing out there that comes even remotely close. If I have one gripe with the game, it's that an additional location, preferably outdoors, really would have been of benefit. On the other hand, there's not a minute where the game feels stretched or bloated with filler content (please say hello to DA:I). I got it for 32,- € and don't regret a single cent. Any successor would be an instant buy.

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Posted on: April 25, 2023

Vinciv

Verified owner

Games: 358 Reviews: 5

Promising Chaching God's Daughter

I was really surprised hot much satisfaction this game brought. While playing in that, I was hoping to achieve the same experience while playing the true one and only Planescape: Torment. Numenera gives something different, yet mentally stimulating. Endigs are interesting, our companion group can be filled with many interesting characters. It is not definetly the Torment "2", but the effort put in this game is vissible. Not the best, but absolutely worth to play and enjoy.

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