Torment: Tides of Numenera Reviews
inXile’s spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment doesn’t quite reach the high notes of that game but it does tell an interesting story and explores themes not really touched on frequently in gaming. If you are after a new RPG with an evocative, if grim, setting then this is for you.
Thanks to a deep narrative, exquisite morality mechanics that make every decision equally weighty and meaningful, and sublime characters, inXile has given the game a genuine shot of living up to the legacy of one of the greatest games of all time.
The most-funded RPG on Kickstarter history debuts with some broken promises, such as the lack of an Italian localization, which was among the goals achieved by the software house. While offering a great adventure set in a huge fantasy world, the Xbox One version of Torment: Tides of Numenera lacks of stability and has several technical issues that can ruin the game experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Planescape: Torment still is the better game. But Tides of Numenera is an RPG that respects it's heritage and follows in its ancestors footsteps with pride. If you are not alergic to long and philosophical conversations, you can feel at home in the Ninth World.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
If you are a new comer to the RPG genre, or if you are not old-school enough, Torment: Tides of Numenera may very well frustrate you. But for a hardcore fan of classic RPGs, one that is patient and enjoys reading, it's the perfect option.
Review in Persian | Read full review
If you can live with the technical hiccups, Torment: Tides of Numenera is one of the more fascinating RPGs for any platform.
TToN is excellent in every artistic department. The captivating writing, climactic music and gorgeous environments work together to create a unique ambience that will keep you captivated for hours on end. The game's shortcomings are structural, which goes to show that most of the effort went into creating fantastic content rather than polishing the more mundane mechanics. With a few polishing patches TToN can truly become an instant classic for the ages, and one that I can certainly recommend to RPG fans. If the names "Black Isle", "Bioware" or "Interplay" mean anything dear to you, you should probably look into inExile's latest game - you won't regret it.
It is a great addition to an RPG fans collection though, if they don’t mind a time eater of a game, challenging battles, and the feel of a classic RPG.
Once you understand that, however, I've not got much bad to say. Time will tell if it hits the market with the impact that Planescape: Torment had. I would guess not, just due to the games industry being a different beast these days. But in quality of writing, and in its ability to make you care about characters and force you kicking and screaming to actually think about things like good and evil, and the value of life, Tides of Numenera is every bit on a par with its illustrious ancestor.
Let's face the elephant in the room: Planescape Torment this is not. Still, we're talking about a very deep and rewarding CRPG that borrows some mechanics and game design choices from its famous ancestor and tries to walk a different path, making the player read and dialogue instead of mindlessly fighting. A good pick for old time D&D players, but the crown is still held by Pillars of Eternity.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Torment is the purest expression of Infinity Engine RPGs we will ever see in the modern age.
The weight of expectation could have proven too much, but inXile has delivered a remarkable narrative experience which deserves to be savoured.
Amazing writing, an interesting yet gritty world to explore and a charming set of characters. All this, united with the unique set of mechanics, make Torment: Tides of Numenera a must play for most RPG fans, whether or not they've played Planescape: Torment.
To sum it all up, Torment: Tides of Numenera is an amazing game set in a unique and easily recognizable setting. It has a very steep learning curve and a lot of complexity to the systems. Adding the sheer amount of information thrown at the Castoff, the game might be overwhelming for a new player. The companions are well written and varied in their behavior and reactions. Many NPCs are memorable and quest text quality is befitting of a book. In short, Numenera is a decent successor to Planescape: Torment and pays respects to the classic games of the genre.
Torment has flaws but none that will stop me from considering it a great RPG.
Torment: Tides of Numenera is well worth the wait. It combines the lore and fantastical setting of the Planescape universe with well-written characters and a tout narrative. For all the reading you'll have to do, there's an enchanting universe in store.
With frustrating tech, unappealing appearance and a lack of quality of life streamlining, Torment: Tides of Numenera might actually be my biggest gaming-related disappointment since I bought an Atari Jaguar. Some of the complaints mentioned here, especially exploration (wrongly as load times weren’t this bad), could be leveled at Planescape: Torment, but many years have gone by with many new ideas to make gaming experiences more engrossing.
Torment: Tides of Numenera is a fantastically written and incredibly deep role-playing game with most of its strengths firmly in the narrative department rather than its turn-based combat gameplay systems.
Be prepared to take a voyage in time and space, not only to the Ninth World countless years into the future, but also 20 years into the past, into your bedroom as a young gamer just finding your way. If you still know how to read the Numenera known as a "book", Torment: Tides of Numenera will take you places no other game has in a decade. Although the game is not overly long (about 30 hours), it is easily justified for the modest price of 44.99$.
Weird and wonderful, this unique rpg is definitely worth your time.