GameBanshee Forums

First I'm going to make it a point to say that the only games that I play are RPGs. My favorite games are: BG (1 and 2), Fallout (1 and 2), Arcanum, Knights of the Old Republic (1 and 2), and Morrowind. I had always heard about PS:T, but owing to the fact that it wasn't available in any stores, I never got a chance to play it. I finally decided to order on ebay a short time ago and finally played it.

I very much enjoyed the storyline, which was quite obviously the main focus of this game (kinda like Kotor 2). The dialog options which extended beyond single sentences was awesome. The whole philosophical indulgence was great. Exploring Planescape was pretty tremendous as well, since anyone that has played a D&D game (whether PnP or CRPG) has had to fight or encounter demons, planeswalkers, or illithids and this game really helped to put the flesh on their figurative bones.

On the other hand, the fact that your protagonist was incapable of dying was just rather irritating, especially since at times you couldn't avoid it, or were actually SUPPOSED to die. I know it was central to the story, but I still found it irritating. Maybe it was because your companions would SOMEHOW manage to find you, even if you dropped dead in a large battle. Also, I don't know if I just failed to pay proper attention, but aren't you supposed to forget things when you die? So how do you get killed and not have to just start over?

Also, I thought it was pretty ridiculous how limited the available equipment was. What type of RPG WON'T ALLOW YOU to have access to weapons and armor??? Axes, daggers, clubs, or fists. No swords (even though Dakkon has one) or spears or maces or halberds or ranged weapons (even though Nordom uses a crossbow)!! No armor, despite the fact that Mercy Killers, Harmonium, Godsmen, thugs, and all sorts of other people are running around wearing it, and you can kill them!! I found these two things to be incredibly irritating. I don't play RPGs to collect stuff (like in Diablo), but if I were running around placing myself in dangerous situations, you'd better believe that I would try to be as well armed and armored as possible! Instead, I'm stuck by default running around like an idiot with no armor of any sort, and with the crappiest selection of weapons possible. I don't care if I could come back from the dead, I still wouldn't strive to get myself killed! There was something else that really frustrated me, but I can't remember what it was....

Well it’s good that you liked *some* parts of it, but there are others you’re just not understanding.

Your character is VERY capable of dying permanently. Piss off the lady of Pain, or commit a number of boneheaded moves and it’s “revert to saved.” You also have to remember that your companions aren’t the only ones looking for you. EVERYONE is looking for a (your) dead body. That’s why the Dusties have such a prominent role in the game. Someone will find you and sell your badly mutilated corpse. For those seemingly extraordinary times you die and somehow you find your way back to the mortuary (without being eaten), well, that’s why it’s a game (just say to yourself: “Is this where I suspend disbelief?”). If you play through the game you’ll see where it states that you only loose your memories if you die from severe trauma.

The limited equipment thing was annoying but the economy was run on copper currency! In this game, the brass ring is more than a metaphor, it’s a meal ticket. Sigil is the slum of slums. Although it doesn’t make economic sense (it’s the hub of the plains, the economy should be BOOMING!) just remember that most of the areas you’re in are dirt poor. As for the occasional traveler or order having armor…So what? There are real, historical reasons for that and when you add magic to the equation, armor isn’t all that important. Not being able to pillage armor sucks but how much good to you is armor that you had to repeatedly bash and was custom fitted to the bashee? There could have been more allowances for cheap, low-tech weapons but remember the artificially depressed economy. Dakkon didn’t have a sword; he had a piece of Limbo that he could control with his thoughts. That’s a bit more complicated than pounding a piece of Iron and therefore very *rare*. Nordrom’s crossbows can also be thought of as being exceptional due to his, construction. I’ve never used the blind archer so I don’t know how he fits in.

Just keep your expectations in the proper context and you’ll enjoy the game more. I’m glad you found it on-line, this “cult” game needs as many people to play it as possible.

On the other hand, the fact that your protagonist was incapable of dying was just rather irritating, especially since at times you couldn't avoid it, or were actually SUPPOSED to die. I know it was central to the story, but I still found it irritating. Maybe it was because your companions would SOMEHOW manage to find you, even if you dropped dead in a large battle. Also, I don't know if I just failed to pay proper attention, but aren't you supposed to forget things when you die? So how do you get killed and not have to just start over?

Well, thing is when you get into a fight and end up in the mortuary you don't die permanently. It's like to get teleported there (and you party members with you). So it's not permanent and you wake up starting a new life like the ones you read about later on int he game. Hope this makes sense to you.

I totally agree with you, save that I find it nifty that the main character can't die. The gameplay is worthless anyway, all the joy lies in the characters and storyline. That's why I've only played it three times but still find it to be one of the absolutely best games ever.

Vladimir has it right. Nameless One could die permanently under certain conditions, but then he would have to start the identity search all over again. The fact that he can't die is plot related; he is condemned to live eternally, one life after another, till he "knows" (as Dakkon would say) his past, acknowledges his crimes, asks for forgiveness or just accepts he is what he is.

There have been years since I played the game, but even now I can tell Planescape, Torment is one of a kind.

I rather enjoyed the fact that the Nameless One relied on knives, rings, and tattoos (and his own invulnerable, scarred-up body) to survive instead of using conventional armor and a sword. The reason why a ring or a tattoo could be so powerful was part of the game: namely, beliefs are what make anything powerful or even possible. The mechanism which made the Nameless One immortal (SPOILER: Ravel's clever way of making other souls die in his place so he could live) was remarkable and certainly not conventional, and it was all part of the same landscape. The other characters walking around Sigil were also pretty unusual. The Planes are strange to begin with, so I was glad to see strange things.

VonDondu! So glad you popped in! I was looking for our old discussion on the subject yesterday, to link my answer there, but I suppose it is too much to ask from a forum with a flood of thousand of messages.

I had nearly forgotten the fact you mention on the spoiler part of your post. Thank you so much for reminding me. I think I should play the game again. And again I will feel sad for his fate.

It's good to see you too, Aubrey.

Which discussion in particular are you referring to?

Good point! So many of them...
I'm referring to the one we were analysing the whole story, Nameless One's fate and that of people around him (containing major spoilers); particularly you and Fable had had some very good arguments. Good old days!