Planescape: Torment is an iconic RPG from Black Isle Studios. It was first released in 1999. Many years have passed since that time, and the game’s graphics and mechanics are long and hopelessly outdated, but fans continue to consider it the best game of all time.
Now in the world of computer games, there is a fashion for remakes to breathe new life into old universes and introduce wonderful game worlds to modern players. Nearly 20 years after its release date, in 2017, the revival of another legendary game was done. Beamdog Studios released Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition.
What the game is about
The setting is the crazy world of Planescape, a part of the Dungeons&Dragons tabletop RPG universe. It consists of various planes connected to each other but with different magical properties. Devils and divine beings inhabit the world.
The central character has no name. Everyone calls him The Nameless One. Waking up on a table in the morgue, the hero tries to understand why he is covered in terrible scars and remembers nothing of his past. The talking skull Morte advises The Nameless One to flee immediately.
The hero travels through the large city of Sigil, where power is concentrated in the hands of the powerful Lady of Pain. From Sigil, it is possible to travel to other cities through portals. The Nameless One realizes that he is immortal but does not know who gave him such properties. In the course of the story, he solves various philosophical questions and tries to become mortal again.
The game does not urge you to become a hero and improve yourself in everything. It is like an interactive book in which the player lives his character’s life and turns the main events in the desired direction by making choices. Here you can avoid battles and serious bloodshed by simply talking to the enemy.
Gameplay
Planescape is an isometric RPG with a two-dimensional projection of the game world. The hero can move by mouse click to the desired area of the map and, in the same way, interact with the characters and objects.
There are hotkeys and a radial menu for quick access to items. At the beginning of the game, you can choose characteristic points. By default, The Nameless One is a warrior, but you can change the class in the course of the game. While traveling, the hero meets several characters that can become his faithful companions and helpers.
What was added
First of all, loyal fans shouldn’t worry that there are revolutionary changes in the world. If you compare the mechanics and characters with the original, there are almost no differences. There are no new dialogues, quests, or locations.
The fixes added by Beamdog are mostly cosmetic in nature, namely:
- Raising the FPS level to the values familiar to modern users.
- High-resolution support.
- Optimization and ability to run the game on current versions of operating systems.
- Clean sound and more appropriate sound effects.
- New menu backgrounds.
- Visual improvement of pixel graphics by zooming out the camera and changing the viewing angle.
- Highlighting of active game elements – characters, objects, or zones.
The locations and characters were left practically untouched. However, the characters became prettier and faster in motion, and the game became more stable and crash-proof.
The old games are so good not because of the graphics and other visual effects. Sometimes they are deeper and more atmospheric than the modern ones because they raise difficult and philosophical questions. Planescape: Torment emphasizes the development of the storyline through communication with different characters rather than battles.
The Enhanced Edition is not only for old-school gamers who would like to feel nostalgia but also for new players who are ready to dive into the crazy and incredibly attractive world of the Planescape universe.
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