Let’s set one thing straight right from the start. There’s no debating that Planescape Torment was one of the greatest video games of all time. This game was created almost exactly 20 years ago and here we are talking about it as a new, $49.99 Nintendo Switch title, released and bundled with Icewind Dale in 2019. You can’t say this about a whole lot, if any other titles. Except maybe the other D&D titles Beamdog releases that I’m sure we’ll see here at Nindie Nexus very soon.

I’ve decided to break up this single release into two separate reviews as I believe they are two totally different experiences and should be judged individually. This also won’t look a lot like my other reviews. I won’t be regurgitating a story that was created in 1999 step by step but rather delving deep into how Planescape Torment compares to 2019 gaming standards. Nostalgia can only get a game so far. Read on my fellow Nindie fans to find out.

Developer: Beamdog

Publisher: Beamdog

15 Hours Played // Review Copy Provided //$49.99

Unparalleled Storytelling

Whether it is the individual characters, main story, the world, or all the little lore pieces found in between it’s all done with tremendous detail. Planescape torment tells an epically crafted story of an immortal being called The Nameless One as he adventures across magical lands seeking out his lost memories. Planescape Torment’s story is not only told in the usual fashion by conversing with other NPC characters. The story is all around you, sewn into nearly every fabric of the world. Those books on the shelves, the seemingly useless hobo on the street, and that crack in the wall are all used to tell a story and craft a world that feels truly alive. Planescape Torment is primarily a story-driven affair. I hope you have updated your reading glasses prescriptions and are ready to read through all the details the game is going to provide.

Combat Takes a Backseat

Since Planescape Torment is primarily a story-driven affair those seeking a deep thought out and detailed combat experience are going to be sorely disappointed. The most detailed Planescape Torment combat gets is casting magic spells or using Morte’s Litany of Curse’s ability. You can get fancy and adjust the game pausing options to add a bit of pseudo-tactical flair but there’s not much else here. Even the leveling up of your characters feels a bit anticlimactic where you’re presented with a screen stating what’s being increased and told to accept it and resume your quest. When leveling up your primary character you get to choose stats to increase but the underlying point remains. Planescape Torment’s combat is shallow and leaves a tremendous amount to be desired. If this is a requirement for you, turn away and move on

The Problem with Old

One of the main problems with Planescape Torment is that it’s missing the past 21 years worth of hard-earned quality of life advancements. Developers have worked really hard year over year to advance all genres of gaming. This game has little to none of these. Need to turn in all those rat tails? You’ll be doing it one at a time. Do you like quest markers? You’ll find none of them here. You’ll have to remember locations and utilize the map every time. Hotbars? Nope. Old and new comparisons when buying new gear? Nope.

Planescape Torment does have radial menus but they start to feel extremely cumbersome the more you use them. Much of this is to be expected from a title created in 1999 but that doesn’t make it a more fun game to play today in 2019. Most people seeking out these games for the nostalgia factor will feel right at home but any new gamers for the genre will likely be appalled and put the game down long before it rolls the credits.

Torment: Severe Physical or Mental Suffering.

Few may suffer from Torment while playing Planescape Torment. It’s not really a title suited for the majority of audiences in 2019. While it has been magnificently ported by Beamdog for the Nintendo Switch the game demands a large amount of perseverance and patience. It often feels like a slog where you play with the actual mechanics of the game more than the game itself. Planescape Torment’s quest lines and characters are memorable for a lifetime and are superbly well done. I’d even bet they could be thrown up against any modern-day video game and hold up extremely well. Unless you are really, and I mean really interested in either Planescape Torment or Icewind Dale I’d recommend caution when it comes to purchasing this bundle. The price isn’t exactly bottom of the barrel and you’re getting games which haven’t seen the past few generation’s quality of life improvements. You may just end up pulling your hair out.

Thank you so much for reading! It means a lot to us here at Nindie Nexus. Please comment to tell me what you think, and if you are looking for another great racing experience on Switch, check out our review on The Touryst which seems to have flown underneath everyones radar. If you like what you’ve read, and want more ad-free content, then please consider donating via Ko-Fi and Patreon. Want to keep the conversation going? Follow us on Twitter and join our Discord. We also have our YouTube channel and even Twitch for streams so check them out too. We all really appreciate your support!