When it was announced, Torment: Tides of Numenera promised a great many things. As a game that was Kickstarted, and with the kindred titles that never lived up to their words, I must admit that I was skeptical of it meeting the potential of being the “spiritual successor” to the 1999 release Planescape: Torment, widely considered by many to be the epitome of the CRPG genre. Imagine my great surprise, however, at finding that not only did Torment: Tides of Numenera live up to its marketing, but also blew away all my expectations with great aplomb. Story Torment (for short) is set on Earth one billion years into the future. Numenera, or the technology left behind from the previous generations, litter the world, a mystery as to their true purpose and a pastime of many to scavenge what they can to use in their daily lives. As for you, the player, you are a cast-off from the Changing God, a body that he used up until recently. The game begins with you plummeting toward the ground, and you soon enter a world where you must find a way to escape The Sorrow, an ancient guardian, who is hunting both you, your castoff brethren, and the Changing God himself. After you answer a few questions, you are thrust into a tutorial stage to choose what type of archetype you will play, and off you go into the world of Torment: Tides of Numenera. Graphics & Sound Torment has an isometric viewpoint with a lush world that has many oddities, whether technological, magical, or monstrosities that look like something from H. R. Giger. Everything has a crisp look to it, and the game simply oozes atmosphere. Characters all look distinctive, and monsters are as horrific as they are gorgeously detailed. In short, Torment exemplifies a future Earth dystopia with gorgeous graphics and an attention to every detail of the world that the story describes. The music is haunting and gorgeous to listen to; I found myself enjoying it immensely as it set both the tone of the current plot and the world of the game. Whether in combat, a new section of the world, or just exploring, I found it a great accompaniment, and it suited the game perfectly. Controls Outside of some minor issues early on in my gameplay that were patched and corrected, I never had problems playing Torment on the PC. I could move about and execute commands as intended, and navigating menus was easily accomplished. In terms of figuring out what to do, the UI is laid out logically for the most part, and the in-game tutorials clearly explain how to find the menus that you need. That aside, there are no major criticisms with the control scheme, and both newcomers and seasoned veterans alike to the CRPG genre should be able to pick up the game quickly. Oh, and the Tab button is your friend: it highlights everything in a zone with which you can interact, making it much easier to find treasure caches. Gameplay Before I delve into the gameplay, I am going to break down a few terms to make this a bit easier to follow. As with most RPGs, Torment has its own terminology for stats, archetypes, and skills. As such, knowing what they are will make it a bit easier for this review to make sense. To wit: Might/Speed/Intellect: Primary stats; these are used to determine your success rate when performing an action. Each action uses a specific stat; you have a base chance to succeed, and you can spend additional point to improve your chances. Secondary abilities such as Edge increases your base chance. When you spend these points, you must rest or use an item to regain them; not doing so will make future actions much more difficult, if downright impossible. Fettles: Buffs/Debuffs, for short. Fettles can range from negative effects from equipping too many things, to inflicting/receiving a flanked debuff on/from a mob. Tides: A magical force mixed with both emotion and karma, kind of. Hard to explain without giving away the plot, but your Tides are dictated by your choices, and range from being Selfish to Selfless, with a couple others in between. While your Tidal shift doesn’t prohibit you from being able to select certain actions, it does sometimes influence conversations and how people react toward you. Exploration Skills: Knowledge that improves your healing, for instance, or enables you to perform certain actions, such as attempting to repair a machine. Okay, with that out of the way, I can continue. Going back to what I stated about the story; when you fall to the earth, you go through dialogue options that dictate what type of character archetype you will be, as well as bonuses that will follow you throughout the game. You can change these, but once selected, that will be it for the duration. In my case, I opted for an “Observant Nano with a Silver Tongue”, which basically means that I was a wizard that could read minds, giving me an extra bit of dialogue when I spoke with someone. The silver tongue just gave me a bonus toward persuasion actions. As for the game, once you have determined the character, you will then select your first follower and proceed to the nearby city to find out information. Along the way, you will be able to participate in several side quests, which may result in you having to perform actions that you would otherwise find unsavory. I opted for the “goody two shoes” playthrough with my actions, and the world of Torment doesn’t always give you quests that would meet that criteria. In addition, quests can be affected by time. Early on there is one involving a murderer; I ended up resolving a different quest first and having to rest a few times to do that. Thus, more people were murdered due to my choices, and it negatively affected my playthrough. Torment also has a very smart set of NPCs. If you ask too many questions, you may not be able to deceive them. Likewise, if you commit to a dialogue option and then fail the skill check, it is possible that you will not be able to attempt that pathway again. The game does have story options that unfold should you fail, however, so this is not always a bad thing. It is merely frustrating when you find an interesting character and you wanted to see if there was a quest, only to be barred from it because you didn’t have enough points left in the requisite stat and needed to rest beforehand. Combat, meanwhile, is your standard turn-based affair. Characters may need to move to their opponent, and actions are executed based upon movement/item usage. Recruiting followers with different skills here helps tremendously, and managing fettles can be the difference between victory or loss. As with dialogue options/choices, attacks also use your stat points to increase your success, so it is important to balance out how many boosts that you want for your success rate, versus both dialogue options outside of combat and having access to an inn for rest. When you factor this in with the possibility of a quest advancing while you sleep, you have a lot to think about for your playthrough. By the same token, however, once you have sufficiently leveled, you may even be able to avoid some combat scenarios entirely, so choosing your Exploration Skills, Abilities, and spending your experience gains on your Stat Points is important. Finally, exploring the world of Torment is important. Side quests aren’t marked on the map, and you will have to speak with anyone that you can in order to find them. In addition, it is entirely possible to move through an area on the story quest and miss side quests entirely. Talking to your followers routinely can also open even more options, with the result being an immense game with so many branching pathways that you will end up spending hours upon hours if you want to find them all (and help/hinder all the potential side quest-givers or your own followers). Torment is deceptively deep, and while it is possible to complete the game in about twenty hours (I clocked in at 23), you will miss a ton of content if you do. In short, take your time, talk to everyone, and enjoy the massively fleshed-out world crafted for Torment: Tides of Numenera. Conclusion If you love CRPGs, get this game. Heck, if you love deep games with tons of lore and options that are not always black and white, Torment: Tides of Numenera is a must-have. There are so many ways to play through the story, with so many possibilities and results, that you are selling this game short by playing through it once. This game is truly a spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment, with a rich story and a huge tapestry of choices that bring Torment: Tides of Numenera to life. So, whether you want to be a “goody two shoes” like me, or maybe play a more maniacal bent, you have that option. Either way will result in a challengingly fun time. Pros A plethora of choices to make each playthrough truly unique Very deep character system that gives you a ton of flexibility for your preferred playstyle Deep story with very rich lore Great, atmospheric graphics and beautiful soundtrack Want to avoid combat? It is possible if you search hard enough or make the right dialogue options Tons of content resulting in high replayability value Combat requires strategy and good planning Failure can result in advancing a quest, only in a different way Cons While you are immortal, your followers are not, and once they die, that’s it Sometimes trying to figure out where to go with a quest isn’t straightforward Really easy to miss content since side quests aren’t marked Nebulous dialogue options sometimes are confusing, especially if you didn’t pay attention to previous conversations/data points mentioned; you may want to take notes
When it was announced, Torment: Tides of Numenera promised a great many things. As a game that was Kickstarted, and with the kindred titles that never lived up to their words, I must admit that I was skeptical of it meeting the potential of being the “spiritual successor” to the 1999 release Planescape: Torment, widely considered by many to be the epitome of the CRPG genre. Imagine my great surprise, however, at finding that not only did Torment: Tides of Numenera live up to its marketing, but also blew away all my expectations with great aplomb. Story Torment (for short) is set on Earth one billion years into the future. Numenera, or the technology left behind from the previous generations, litter the world, a mystery as to their true purpose and a pastime of many to scavenge what they can to use in their daily lives. As for you, the player, you are a cast-off from the Changing God, a body that he used up until recently. The game begins with you plummeting toward the ground, and you soon enter a world where you must find a way to escape The Sorrow, an ancient guardian, who is hunting both you, your castoff brethren, and the Changing God himself. After you answer a few questions, you are thrust into a tutorial stage to choose what type of archetype you will play, and off you go into the world of Torment: Tides of Numenera. Graphics & Sound Torment has an isometric viewpoint with a lush world that has many oddities, whether technological, magical, or monstrosities that look like something from H. R. Giger. Everything has a crisp look to it, and the game simply oozes atmosphere. Characters all look distinctive, and monsters are as horrific as they are gorgeously detailed. In short, Torment exemplifies a future Earth dystopia with gorgeous graphics and an attention to every detail of the world that the story describes. The music is haunting and gorgeous to listen to; I found myself enjoying it immensely as it set both the tone of the current plot and the world of the game. Whether in combat, a new section of the world, or just exploring, I found it a great accompaniment, and it suited the game perfectly. Controls Outside of some minor issues early on in my gameplay that were patched and corrected, I never had problems playing Torment on the PC. I could move about and execute commands as intended, and navigating menus was easily accomplished. In terms of figuring out what to do, the UI is laid out logically for the most part, and the in-game tutorials clearly explain how to find the menus that you need. That aside, there are no major criticisms with the control scheme, and both newcomers and seasoned veterans alike to the CRPG genre should be able to pick up the game quickly. Oh, and the Tab button is your friend: it highlights everything in a zone with which you can interact, making it much easier to find treasure caches. Gameplay Before I delve into the gameplay, I am going to break down a few terms to make this a bit easier to follow. As with most RPGs, Torment has its own terminology for stats, archetypes, and skills. As such, knowing what they are will make it a bit easier for this review to make sense. To wit: Might/Speed/Intellect: Primary stats; these are used to determine your success rate when performing an action. Each action uses a specific stat; you have a base chance to succeed, and you can spend additional point to improve your chances. Secondary abilities such as Edge increases your base chance. When you spend these points, you must rest or use an item to regain them; not doing so will make future actions much more difficult, if downright impossible. Fettles: Buffs/Debuffs, for short. Fettles can range from negative effects from equipping too many things, to inflicting/receiving a flanked debuff on/from a mob. Tides: A magical force mixed with both emotion and karma, kind of. Hard to explain without giving away the plot, but your Tides are dictated by your choices, and range from being Selfish to Selfless, with a couple others in between. While your Tidal shift doesn’t prohibit you from being able to select certain actions, it does sometimes influence conversations and how people react toward you. Exploration Skills: Knowledge that improves your healing, for instance, or enables you to perform certain actions, such as attempting to repair a machine. Okay, with that out of the way, I can continue. Going back to what I stated about the story; when you fall to the earth, you go through dialogue options that dictate what type of character archetype you will be, as well as bonuses that will follow you throughout the game. You can change these, but once selected, that will be it for the duration. In my case, I opted for an “Observant Nano with a Silver Tongue”, which basically means that I was a wizard that could read minds, giving me an extra bit of dialogue when I spoke with someone. The silver tongue just gave me a bonus toward persuasion actions. As for the game, once you have determined the character, you will then select your first follower and proceed to the nearby city to find out information. Along the way, you will be able to participate in several side quests, which may result in you having to perform actions that you would otherwise find unsavory. I opted for the “goody two shoes” playthrough with my actions, and the world of Torment doesn’t always give you quests that would meet that criteria. In addition, quests can be affected by time. Early on there is one involving a murderer; I ended up resolving a different quest first and having to rest a few times to do that. Thus, more people were murdered due to my choices, and it negatively affected my playthrough. Torment also has a very smart set of NPCs. If you ask too many questions, you may not be able to deceive them. Likewise, if you commit to a dialogue option and then fail the skill check, it is possible that you will not be able to attempt that pathway again. The game does have story options that unfold should you fail, however, so this is not always a bad thing. It is merely frustrating when you find an interesting character and you wanted to see if there was a quest, only to be barred from it because you didn’t have enough points left in the requisite stat and needed to rest beforehand. Combat, meanwhile, is your standard turn-based affair. Characters may need to move to their opponent, and actions are executed based upon movement/item usage. Recruiting followers with different skills here helps tremendously, and managing fettles can be the difference between victory or loss. As with dialogue options/choices, attacks also use your stat points to increase your success, so it is important to balance out how many boosts that you want for your success rate, versus both dialogue options outside of combat and having access to an inn for rest. When you factor this in with the possibility of a quest advancing while you sleep, you have a lot to think about for your playthrough. By the same token, however, once you have sufficiently leveled, you may even be able to avoid some combat scenarios entirely, so choosing your Exploration Skills, Abilities, and spending your experience gains on your Stat Points is important. Finally, exploring the world of Torment is important. Side quests aren’t marked on the map, and you will have to speak with anyone that you can in order to find them. In addition, it is entirely possible to move through an area on the story quest and miss side quests entirely. Talking to your followers routinely can also open even more options, with the result being an immense game with so many branching pathways that you will end up spending hours upon hours if you want to find them all (and help/hinder all the potential side quest-givers or your own followers). Torment is deceptively deep, and while it is possible to complete the game in about twenty hours (I clocked in at 23), you will miss a ton of content if you do. In short, take your time, talk to everyone, and enjoy the massively fleshed-out world crafted for Torment: Tides of Numenera. Conclusion If you love CRPGs, get this game. Heck, if you love deep games with tons of lore and options that are not always black and white, Torment: Tides of Numenera is a must-have. There are so many ways to play through the story, with so many possibilities and results, that you are selling this game short by playing through it once. This game is truly a spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment, with a rich story and a huge tapestry of choices that bring Torment: Tides of Numenera to life. So, whether you want to be a “goody two shoes” like me, or maybe play a more maniacal bent, you have that option. Either way will result in a challengingly fun time. Pros A plethora of choices to make each playthrough truly unique Very deep character system that gives you a ton of flexibility for your preferred playstyle Deep story with very rich lore Great, atmospheric graphics and beautiful soundtrack Want to avoid combat? It is possible if you search hard enough or make the right dialogue options Tons of content resulting in high replayability value Combat requires strategy and good planning Failure can result in advancing a quest, only in a different way Cons While you are immortal, your followers are not, and once they die, that’s it Sometimes trying to figure out where to go with a quest isn’t straightforward Really easy to miss content since side quests aren’t marked Nebulous dialogue options sometimes are confusing, especially if you didn’t pay attention to previous conversations/data points mentioned; you may want to take notes
