Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition Score: Narrative Classic
Few games in the history of RPGs have achieved the narrative depth and philosophical richness of Planescape: Torment. Originally released in 1999 by Black Isle Studios, the game was a critical darling but a commercial underdog, overshadowed by more mainstream titles of its time. Yet, its legacy endured, and with the release of Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition in 2017, a new generation of players was introduced to its unparalleled storytelling. This remaster not only preserved the original’s brilliance but also refined its technical edges, ensuring that its narrative power remained undiminished.
A Story Like No Other
At its core, Planescape: Torment is a game about identity, mortality, and the weight of choices. You play as the Nameless One, an immortal amnesiac covered in scars and tattoos, each marking a past life lost to time. The game begins in a mortuary—a fitting metaphor for a protagonist who cannot die but is haunted by the specter of his forgotten selves. Unlike traditional RPGs, where the narrative often serves as a backdrop for combat and exploration, Torment flips the formula: combat is secondary, while dialogue, introspection, and moral dilemmas take center stage.
The writing is dense, poetic, and unafraid to tackle existential questions. Conversations with companions—like the wisecracking floating skull Morte or the tortured succubus Fall-From-Grace—are not mere exposition dumps but philosophical exchanges. The game’s setting, the city of Sigil and the Outer Planes, is a surreal melting pot of gods, demons, and philosophies, where belief literally shapes reality. This metaphysical playground allows the narrative to explore themes of redemption, guilt, and the nature of the self in ways few games have dared.
Enhanced, Not Remade
The Enhanced Edition wisely avoids tampering with the game’s narrative or artistic vision. Instead, it focuses on modernizing the experience. The resolution has been upscaled, making the hand-painted backgrounds and grotesquely beautiful character designs crisper than ever. The interface has been streamlined, with improved inventory management and a more intuitive journal system—a welcome change for newcomers.
One of the most significant improvements is the inclusion of zoom functionality, allowing players to appreciate the intricate details of Tony DiTerlizzi’s original artwork. The soundtrack, already haunting and atmospheric, has been remastered, enhancing the game’s dreamlike ambiance. For purists, the original version is still accessible, ensuring that the Enhanced Edition serves as a tribute rather than a replacement.
Combat: The Weakest Link
If Planescape: Torment has a flaw, it’s the combat. The game uses an adapted version of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition ruleset, which feels clunky by modern standards. Battles are often slow, unbalanced, and—frankly—unnecessary. The Enhanced Edition attempts to mitigate this with quality-of-life tweaks, such as improved pathfinding and faster enemy animations, but the core issues remain.
Yet, even this weakness reinforces the game’s narrative focus. Combat is rarely mandatory, and many conflicts can be resolved through dialogue or stealth. The game rewards creativity, allowing players to talk their way out of fights or even die intentionally to progress the story—a mechanic that feels uniquely fitting for an immortal protagonist.
Legacy and Influence
Planescape: Torment was ahead of its time, and its influence can be seen in modern narrative-driven RPGs like Disco Elysium and Torment: Tides of Numenera. Its emphasis on choice and consequence, its refusal to shy away from complex themes, and its richly textured world-building set a benchmark that few games have matched.
The Enhanced Edition ensures that this masterpiece remains accessible. It doesn’t revolutionize the original, nor does it need to. Instead, it polishes the edges of a diamond that was already brilliant. For players who value storytelling over spectacle, philosophy over power fantasies, Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition is not just a game—it’s an experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
Final Verdict
Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition is a rare gem: a remaster that respects its source material while making it more approachable. Its narrative remains unmatched, its characters unforgettable, and its themes timeless. If you’ve never experienced the journey of the Nameless One, there’s no better time to dive into Sigil’s labyrinthine streets. And if you’re a returning player, the Enhanced Edition offers a fresh way to rediscover a classic.
In a medium often obsessed with graphical fidelity and mechanical complexity, Planescape: Torment stands as a reminder that the most powerful tool in gaming is still the written word. It’s not just a game—it’s literature. And literature, like the Nameless One, is immortal.
