Developed by Black Isle Studios, a subsidiary of Interplay, and released in 1999, Planescape: Torment was one of the most bold and ambitious games ever made. The goal was obviously to combine the best of role-playing, using the AD&D 2nd edition ruleset and Planescape setting, with high caliber writing and thematic richness. It is also one of the very first 'dark fantasy' video games ever made. So ambitious was this classic, that only two games have tried to match or even surpass it. Those games are Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, and the unreleased Torment: Tides of Numenera. The writing quality of Planescape: Torment still reigns supreme over the former, although the gameplay does not, and ultimately I rank both of them closely. Planescape: Torment is truly original. Beyond those two games, there isn't a remotely similar story in this industry. Everyone you can have a conversation with is an actual character, carefully written to be both unique and believable. This is evident in their speech and their mannerisms described in the game's dialogue box. It is a very dialogue heavy, text heavy game. You play as The Nameless One, one of the best protagonists ever written for a game. You are immortal, can speak with the dead, and amnesiac. But how will you use your unique powers? Much of the game's role-playing design revolves around this. Character interaction is key, you are given so many dialogue options including ones unique to so many aspects of your character build, while others stem from your progression. Planescape: Torment makes the best use of alignment of any RPG. It shifts dynamically but strongly and plausibly, and has a multitude of impact on the game. Gameplay is pause-and-play, fast paced and with a much better UI than other Infinity Engine games. You start off as a Fighter, but can learn to become a Mage or Rogue. RPGs this great are a thing of the past unfortunately. The widescreen patch causes crashes in later indoor locations.
