Rockhurst Sentinel

As a reviewer of speculative fiction, I have to accept the fact that I am an inveterate nerd.

So, diving straight in, I’ve discovered one of the few video games that can actually be considered "art"--Black Isle Studio’s Planescape: Torment.

Released back in the 90’s, the game shows its age compared to some more modern releases, using the same isometric engine as that same studio’s prior release, "Fallout." When compared to such games as "Grand Theft Auto" or "Katamari Damacy," it certainly doesn’t look like much.

The game, however, is something of a diamond in the rough, having an engaging plot, with multiple paths that a player can pursue, and well-written dialogue that actually immerses the gamer in the fictitious world that it is set in.

Set in TSR’s "Planescape" setting, Torment is a fascinating exploration of a strange, pseudo-Victorian world (complete with Cockney slang at certain points) high in magic and low in technology. It takes place in Sigil, a city at the center of reality, ruled by an enigmatic being known as The Lady of Pain, and populated by a wide variety of creatures and entities. Literally anything that can be conceived can be found there, which makes it the perfect site for an epic adventure that easily puts the plot of many novels I’ve read to shame.

The game starts in the morgue, where the main character awakens on a slab, being prepared for embalming, having lost his memory and all of his possessions. Immediately, a talking skull floats to his side and convinces him that it would be a good idea to escape.

The game gets stranger from there.

While many games seem to focus on combat, Torment does its best to tell an engaging story, with only four required fights in the entire game, and the nameless one’s strange inability to die working in the player’s favor (don’t worry, though, it is entirely possible to fight just about anything you come into contact with, should you so desire.)

Moreover, there are several

Though the controls aren’t terribly intuitive, it is possible to pick up the more advanced functions as you go along, and a help file is included in it, as it is with every game.

Set in a fully realized world, with an engaging and philosophical plot, and possessing multiple endings to and paths through the aforementioned plot, Planescape: Torment is a fun game that can be enjoyed many, many times over.

Next Issue: Charles Stross’ The Atrocity Archives.