Beta Kickstarter backers will get access to an early version of Torment: Tides of Numenera today. The rest of you will have to wait until January 26th.

The 16-year wait for a followup (albeit it a spiritual one) to Planescape: Torment ends today. At least it does for those who backed the game's kickstarter to at least the $55 level back in 2013 (disclosure: which I did, but not the beta tier) and don't mind playing an early, and likely buggy, version of the game. Considering the Kickstarter campaign for the highly anticipated RPG listed an estimated delivery date of December, 2014, the game is a mere 13 months behind schedule. Huzzah.

The Beta (or "Early Access version," if you're an insufferable youngin') offers about ten hours of gameplay and starts at the beginning of the game. You'll be able to complete the prologue and explore a sizable chunk of the game's first location, the Sagus Cliffs.

Tales isn't a sequel to Torment for nefarious "licensing reasons." Namely that developers inXile don't have the rights to the Planescape campaign setting, which is why Tales is set in the similar Numenera campaign setting instead.

While my anticipation for this game is actually burning a hole in soul, I think I'll personally hold off until the finished version is released. These gargantuan, Infinity Engine-esque RPGs tend to be bug riddled at the best of times, never mind when they're in beta. You can only play a game for the first time once.

Source: Brian Fargo