Planescape Torment story vs Baldur's Gate 2 story

Which one has the better story?

No Spoilers Please!

Torment has the better story and writing.

BG2 is the better game.

For me anyway.

PST has the best story, while BG2 is just really REALLY big, and has alot of interresting sidestories.

Planescape by a very large margin.

Planescape Torment has better story.

Not much of a fight really.RK-Mara

[QUOTE="RK-Mara"]Not much of a fight really.rmfd341

[QUOTE="rmfd341"][QUOTE="RK-Mara"]Not much of a fight really.RK-Mara

Torment, obviously. BG2's story is more or less what you usually see in the hundreds of other generic fantasy RPGs about elves and dragons.

Okay, I've had to re-start this reply like 4 times to take out the hyperbole and invective. Here goes:

Among my group of gamer friends (all of whom are PC gamers), this is the concensus: - Planescape Torment is the best CRPG of all time. Bar none. Hands down. Why? Because of a superb story, great characters, and a fascinating environment.It's hilarious, it's disorienting, it's frightening, it's deep, and it's moving.

The only thing that comes close, in this group opinion is SW: Knights of the Old Republic. Not that KotOR comes anywhere near PS:T in quality of story and characters, but it's the closest anyone has come that we could identify. KotORs AK-74, the evil robot is one of the most hilarious and engaging CRPG characters we've, and the ending is pretty good in KotOR as well. That was a theclosest we could think of. PS:T doesn't have many (if any) non-interesting characters and the comic relief is better than the AK-74.

PS:T doesnt' just have the best chacters and storyline we've come across. It is also the most epic-feeling game we've ever played. Other games have tried to feel epic, like NWN2 (especially MotB), and come up a bit short. I liked both of these games a lot and appreciated what they were doing, but they didn't make it. They failed, I think, for two reasons. First, the Plansescape universe is epic and lends itself much more readily to an epic story. Secondly, when PS:T came out, the game engine was solid and tested in BG and BG:ToB. In short, the producers of PS:T had far fewer resources they needed to devote to the game engine and writers knew exactly what it was capable of when they started the project.

Okay, now my opinion on why people don't "get it." I write this because there are many things I'm supposed to "get" and I'm told that I'm an uncultured clod for not loving things as diverse as Citizen Kane, Robert Jordan novels, and South Park. Whatever, people's tastes differ.

Here's what's true of my group of nerds who loved this game:

• We don't mind reading. We read a lot. The Baldur's Gate-era RPGs had a lot of reading, but PS:T really takes the cake. The beginning of the game has way more reading than the rest of the game, so people often burn out before they get to the good parts. My friend who is a game developer now at first couldn't make it through the beginning of the game because he's a bit Adult-ADD. I had a similar reaction when I tried to play The Longest Journey, which is considered one of the best adventure games ever but starts out with what seems like an hour of narration, so I never finished it.
• We are all familiar with D&D tabletop rules. Planescape was like an extraplanar Venice Beach of bizarre, but the rules were enough like stardard D&D that it was easy to adapt.
• We all like weird. The PlaneScape universe is weird.

PS:T is about story, not levelling up. Those who don't like this game as much as BG2 (really?!?!) I'm guessing enjoy the combat-reward/quest-reward gameplay found in BG2 and moreso BG1 (IMHO). PS:T has these things, but it is not the focus. If you're the type who likes a good story to take place while you blow everything up or cut it into stew-sized cubes, then you may find the combat pacing of PS:T a bit slow. I thought there was plenty of combat, but your headlong rush toward victory may beslowed by an intenselycompelling story and setting.

In PS:T, you are immersed into a world where it's not always 100% clear or intuitive what you're supposed to be doing. On the other hand, if you let it, it make you feel like you're living in a bizarre alternate universe. If you sit back, relax, and forget about conquering (which you can't do anyway), you are in for a seriously entertaining ride.

I think I'm trying to hide my bias and as a result have been too kind to BG1 and BG2. I LOVED these games, but personally they are just plain sad when compared to PS:T. Your results may vary. Those are my results and the results of my circle of PC gamer friends. Here's the thing, though. Both games are great and you're probably getting them for far less than the $60 I paid each time for the collector's editions of BG1 and BG2.

As a side note: on ebay, PS:T sells for $50-80 right now and BG1 with expansions is going for $1. That speaks to rarity, I'm sure to some degree but also to the quality.

Have fun.

As a side note: on ebay, PS:T sells for $50-80 right now and BG1 with expansions is going for $1. That speaks to rarity, I'm sure to some degree but also to the quality.

Have fun.

Alpha-Gibbon

Teo classic western RPGS that can stack up very well against any rpg of all time as far asim concerned.

As far as story? They both have a very good story imo, but Torment i would say is stilightly better in the story and dialogue/writing.

Im gonna go with Planescape Torment here, one of the most original story I ever seen in any media. It's so unique, you can't go wrong with it.

The thing that makes Torment stand over BG 2 is the setting. BG 2 happened in Faerun; mostly traditional high fantasy. It was epic in all sense of the word, with you fighting demons and dragons. But Torment took place in Sigil, a "place within the Realms" where demon-dragons existed and bastard children of celestials and demons ran rampant.

Another thing is the difference in the protagonist in both games. Let's just say that while your "kind" was slightly rare in Faerun [BG 2], people "like" you are more common across the planes.

Planescape: Torment definitely has a better story, though I would argue that Baldur's Gate 2 is more epic.

And while Planescape: Torment has the better story, I really have no idea how anyone could argue that Planescape is the better game, especially when the gameplay is less then stellar while Baldur's Gate 2 easily has some of the best gameplay of any RPG, both console and computer.

Planescape: Torment definitely has a better story, though I would argue that Baldur's Gate 2 is more epic.

And while Planescape: Torment has the better story, I really have no idea how anyone could argue that Planescape is the better game, especially when the gameplay is less then stellar while Baldur's Gate 2 easily has some of the best gameplay of any RPG, both console and computer.

captainarg

Hardly similar when you get into details. Planescape was an incredibly easy game without any need for strategy except for maybe two or three strong enemies. Not the case at all with Baldur's Gate 2 were without a strong strategy, you could easily get your ass kicked. You really had to manage all your entire party and use all their abilities and especially spells in BG2. In Planescape you just had to click and attack and your party could handle themselves. And you really didn't need to use many spells and thievingabilities unlike BG2

Okay, I've had to re-start this reply like 4 times to take out the hyperbole and invective. Here goes:

Among my group of gamer friends (all of whom are PC gamers), this is the concensus: - Planescape Torment is the best CRPG of all time. Bar none. Hands down. Why? Because of a superb story, great characters, and a fascinating environment.It's hilarious, it's disorienting, it's frightening, it's deep, and it's moving.

The only thing that comes close, in this group opinion is SW: Knights of the Old Republic. Not that KotOR comes anywhere near PS:T in quality of story and characters, but it's the closest anyone has come that we could identify. KotORs AK-74, the evil robot is one of the most hilarious and engaging CRPG characters we've, and the ending is pretty good in KotOR as well. That was a theclosest we could think of. PS:T doesn't have many (if any) non-interesting characters and the comic relief is better than the AK-74.

PS:T doesnt' just have the best chacters and storyline we've come across. It is also the most epic-feeling game we've ever played. Other games have tried to feel epic, like NWN2 (especially MotB), and come up a bit short. I liked both of these games a lot and appreciated what they were doing, but they didn't make it. They failed, I think, for two reasons. First, the Plansescape universe is epic and lends itself much more readily to an epic story. Secondly, when PS:T came out, the game engine was solid and tested in BG and BG:ToB. In short, the producers of PS:T had far fewer resources they needed to devote to the game engine and writers knew exactly what it was capable of when they started the project.

Okay, now my opinion on why people don't "get it." I write this because there are many things I'm supposed to "get" and I'm told that I'm an uncultured clod for not loving things as diverse as Citizen Kane, Robert Jordan novels, and South Park. Whatever, people's tastes differ.

Here's what's true of my group of nerds who loved this game:

• We don't mind reading. We read a lot. The Baldur's Gate-era RPGs had a lot of reading, but PS:T really takes the cake. The beginning of the game has way more reading than the rest of the game, so people often burn out before they get to the good parts. My friend who is a game developer now at first couldn't make it through the beginning of the game because he's a bit Adult-ADD. I had a similar reaction when I tried to play The Longest Journey, which is considered one of the best adventure games ever but starts out with what seems like an hour of narration, so I never finished it.
• We are all familiar with D&D tabletop rules. Planescape was like an extraplanar Venice Beach of bizarre, but the rules were enough like stardard D&D that it was easy to adapt.
• We all like weird. The PlaneScape universe is weird.

PS:T is about story, not levelling up. Those who don't like this game as much as BG2 (really?!?!) I'm guessing enjoy the combat-reward/quest-reward gameplay found in BG2 and moreso BG1 (IMHO). PS:T has these things, but it is not the focus. If you're the type who likes a good story to take place while you blow everything up or cut it into stew-sized cubes, then you may find the combat pacing of PS:T a bit slow. I thought there was plenty of combat, but your headlong rush toward victory may beslowed by an intenselycompelling story and setting.

In PS:T, you are immersed into a world where it's not always 100% clear or intuitive what you're supposed to be doing. On the other hand, if you let it, it make you feel like you're living in a bizarre alternate universe. If you sit back, relax, and forget about conquering (which you can't do anyway), you are in for a seriously entertaining ride.

I think I'm trying to hide my bias and as a result have been too kind to BG1 and BG2. I LOVED these games, but personally they are just plain sad when compared to PS:T. Your results may vary. Those are my results and the results of my circle of PC gamer friends. Here's the thing, though. Both games are great and you're probably getting them for far less than the $60 I paid each time for the collector's editions of BG1 and BG2.

As a side note: on ebay, PS:T sells for $50-80 right now and BG1 with expansions is going for $1. That speaks to rarity, I'm sure to some degree but also to the quality.

Have fun.

Alpha-Gibbon

Thanks for the wall of text. It's HK 47 by the way; the droid is not a Kalashnikov rifle.

KotOR was a great game, but your friends have some gaming issues if they consider it the next best RPG after Planescape...

Planescape has the best story ever told in a game... Baulders Gate 2 is good but generic.

Torment has the better story and writing.

BG2 is the better game.

For me anyway.

byrofish

Exactly right IMO.

That being said PT is nearly as good as BG2. PT has better story, writing, and non-player characters, and better implementation of the importance of attribute scores. PT is a slightly less stable game, having its share of minor bugs even after the official patch. Perhaps the unofficial patch rectified some of them.

BG2 is much more versatile (more than 3 classes to choose from for instance), much less linear,more choices for possible party members, wider variety of enemies, and a much larger world, and there are dragons :). Story and characters nearly as good as PT but not quite. BG2 has better replayability than PT but its certainly worth playing through PT at least twice.

Both are brilliant, here's the scoop

Planescape: Torment is more your style if you like deep dialogue (especially if Nameless One has high Intelligence and Wisdom), a very involving story, and a little less action.

BG2 is more your style if you like more variety in your role-playing, more action, and encounters with Dragons and Drow Elves, even Greater Demons in the expansion. Also has a great story (not to mention one of PC gaming's greatest villains)but isn't swallowed by it.

Baldurs Gate 2: Shadows of Amn wins this, but not by much. You'd be best served by getting both.