Question on Planescape: Torment setting

So, finally made it out of the morgue (third time trying this game). Been doing some of the little quests at the beginning and making my way around The Hive.

So, I get that Planescape is its own setting, much like Faerun is its own thing. Is the entire setting like The Hive? Because frankly, I find the whole place completely depressing. Its enough to make me not want to play anymore. When I played BG2, while I absolutely love that game, I always found the setting a bit dreary (especially compared to BG), but the content more than made up for it. So far, I'm not finding the same with PsT.

Does the setting get less depressing, or is this pretty much it through the game?

Hmm, I didn't find the setting depressing. What are you looking for? Rainbows and unicorns?

Hi, personally i thought the mortuari was the worst part of the game. I almost quit the first time i played it. My only advise, keep going!

The game will get better and better, it is my all time favorite, and i played them all…


Btw you will do a lot of reading in this game, i hear some people jusy skip dialog, in this game dialog is more important than the fights so don't skip them.

Ps don't trust the skull, nudge nudge wink wink

I never got very far myself, for similar reasons.

While I don't find the setting particularly depressing, I do find it dreary and dull. Endless brown and I don't enjoy too much machinery in my fantasy settings.

To me, Planescape always seemed like someone had grown sick of fantasy and desperately wanted to create something as different from it as possible.

Since I'm a huge fan of fantasy, and I'm a sucker for the traditional settings - I'm obviously not the audience they're going for.

I admit, it's not high fantasy, but its got demons, gods, burning scorcerers, and a lot more,

This game is about the only game where the writing had some real meaning and not just thin layer to disguise the fact its all just a repetition of meaningless fights ( looking at you original sin!)


Play it!

Play it!

Allright i am a bit of a fanboy, but still play it!

What is the nature of a true CRPG player?

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Hmm, I didn't find the setting depressing. What are you looking for? Rainbows and unicorns?

IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!?!

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
I never got very far myself, for similar reasons.

While I don't find the setting particularly depressing, I do find it dreary and dull. Endless brown and I don't enjoy too much machinery in my fantasy settings.

To me, Planescape always seemed like someone had grown sick of fantasy and desperately wanted to create something as different from it as possible.

Since I'm a huge fan of fantasy, and I'm a sucker for the traditional settings - I'm obviously not the audience they're going for.

Me neither apparantly. Dreary is definitely a good word for it. I feel like I'm just walking around a 3rd world slum right now.

It does get a fair bit more varied after a while. There are parts of Sigil that look nothing like the Hive. Plus there are your (not so) usual dungeons and even other, albeit very short, planes.
As Ursusdraconis said the beginning is fairly slow so it's no wonder it hasn't grabbed you quite yet.

Originally Posted by blatantninja
So, I get that Planescape is its own setting, much like Faerun is its own thing.

Fwiw, it's a different plane in the same setting. The different planes are connected by portals which is why you can find a few Planescape references and items in BG2.

I get what you're saying though. It definitely has a weirdness about it. Sigil does have some interesting places, but I prefer the Sword Coast.

There's a reason I still favor Baldur's Gate 1-2 over PST, despite PST having vastly superior story and overall writing. I find Sigil quite interesting, but the whole thing seems a bit grey. I'm not a big fan of that, and I'm not a big fan of "dark and gritty". I like variety, and PST does offer some of that (as others have pointed out, you do visit different planes, dungeons etc), but not enough.

And yes, as JDR pointed out: It is part of the same setting. Fearun is just one plane, whereas Sigil is a nexus of sorts. It's connected to many planes, and there are portals all over the place. Go through a random doorway and you could potentially find yourself in Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter or somewhere in the Nine Hells or on the top of a mountain and so on and so forth. It doesn't happen much in the game, of course, but it is part of Sigil's theme and story.

Sigil in the Forgotten Realms Wiki. Should explain everything.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
To me, Planescape always seemed like someone had grown sick of fantasy and desperately wanted to create something as different from it as possible.

You say it like that is a bad thing.

Personally, I am a sucker for "different" and "weird".

Originally Posted by Asdraguuhl
You say it like that is a bad thing.

Personally, I am a sucker for "different" and "weird".

It's a bad thing for me, not for people who're into different and weird

Originally Posted by blatantninja
So, finally made it out of the morgue (third time trying this game). Been doing some of the little quests at the beginning and making my way around The Hive.

So, I get that Planescape is its own setting, much like Faerun is its own thing. Is the entire setting like The Hive? Because frankly, I find the whole place completely depressing. Its enough to make me not want to play anymore. When I played BG2, while I absolutely love that game, I always found the setting a bit dreary (especially compared to BG), but the content more than made up for it. So far, I'm not finding the same with PsT.

Does the setting get less depressing, or is this pretty much it through the game?

Sorry couldn't tell you as I never made it out of the first area. It just isn't my type of game and I love all the other IE games.

Dreary, wise cracking skull, poor combat, no dying re spawning thing,endless text to read. Ugh.

I've finished Torment once and I heavily relied on walkthrough so I don't remember much of it. I really had to force myself through the game because I didn't enjoy it. I opted out for reading it as a novel instead… but I keep telling myself I should give it another try… I feel that this game deserves another chance, but the problem is I can't even bring myself to re-install it! (not sure whether its out of laziness or I try to shut out the memories of me forcing through this game which was painful).