Planescape: Torment is set in the D&D universe in the "planes". The planes are like the sci-fi idea of dimensions and Sigil, the city the player spends most of the game in, is like the central city of all the planes, having portals to pretty much anywhere. Excellent and Verbose Writing. Planescape has some of the best and most interesting dialogue I have ever seen in an RPG; probably the best. The game waxes philosophical at points and deals with issues of death, the soul, humanity and man's interest in truth. These don't go particularly deep, but the writing is very good and there are developed character relationships throughout (you can talk to your party members at any time and unlock 'hidden' dialogue with them, while learning more about them or improving their abilities). At times, dialogue can literally fill pages of text in the dialogue bar, so if you have the patience you will be able to enjoy the story. This is not a casual game. Modified Infinity Engine and Character System. Planescape uses the same Infinity engine as Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, but it adds some 3D graphics which look quite good. The combat system and character development of those rpgs are basically the same in Planescape, though there is some streamlining and twists to make it much more interesting. For instance, every level the character may raise one stat point, leading up to a maximum of 25. The stat points have a large effect on the dialogue and outcome of many different encounters during the game. Personally, I recommend a high charisma and wisdom (18 or 19) to unlock some interesting dialogue. Though it certainly is fun to bash your way through everything playing a fighter with 25 strength. Developed and Mysterious Setting. Being set in Sigil, a city with every kind of creature from everywhere, really gave the writers a lot to write about. Sigil's portal keys could be anything or anywhere so you never know when you might find yourself skipping to some strange place in a seemingly unlikely location. In addition, the main character himself is the focus of the story and you know almost nothing about yourself. This adds to the mystery and its exciting to find out more about you, through items and people you have met before, as the game goes on. To conclude, Planescape: Torment is an excellent and interesting rpg that nearly stands alone in the genre for providing uniquely excellent writing, an innovative plot and interesting characters. The gameplay is also fun; but that, alone, wouldn't be worth writing home about. I highly recommend this rpg.
