A standard by which all RPGs can be judged
User Rating: 9.8 | Planescape: Torment PC
This game is at the very top of my all-time favorite games list although I realize that it's a bit dated by now. Perhaps the best part of this game is the writing that went into not just the story, but every conversation, every book, every artifact you find in this game. Many games these days are filled with extra book and stories that you really don't have to read -- and usually don't because they're actually boring -- but Torment is different; everything is a pleasure to read because it's all written well and is very entertaining. The story itself is awesome as it very intriguing. You wake up in a morgue one day with no memories of your past. The name of a person is tatooed to your back and you set out to find this person who may know something about your past. Oh, and you find out that you have a friend who's nothing but a humorous floating skull. The gameplay is also awesome. For anyone who loves the Baldur's Gate style of play, they will find a very similar style in Torment and it is one that I enjoy. You can combine different characters with different abilities. I particularly love the detail put into the spells, especially some of the very high level spells that almost turn into mini-movies in the game. The interaction with the characters is great. Often, the characters will engage in conversations with you or with each other and this adds a great depth of character to them instead of just being a set of random people that you happen to be playing a game with. This game has a great balance between action and adventure. The level of combat in this game is definitely lower than in most RPGs but is still very significant and very satisfying. To compliment it is also a great deal of investigation as you try to solve or complete the various quests that you are on, many of which have nothing to do with combat. This to me is the sweetest part of the game. You get to play through a story and not simply hack-and-slash your way to the next level. The music is very eerie and evocative and adds a great atmosphere to this game. Despite the age of this game and what are now dated graphics, I would highly recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of the RPG genre.
