Planescape: Torment vs. BG/BG2

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wats u peoples opinions about planescape vs. bg/bg2? better, worse, the same?

 

I prefer planescape story wise, just awesome. But Bg 2 is just more interesting with items, character building and the likes. And Bg 2 gets a sequel, so I'm playing it now to get further with that.

 

Planescape is better, much better.
It has peronality.
It is more balanced and deper.

 

...interesting....

 

Dudette;

I was in the same dilema last week. Based on advice from the board, I ordered Plantscape.

BTW- if you order it through this site (linked to Amazon) Sorcerer's will get a kick-back.

Just a little way of paying for our cool avantars.

 

As you all know I finished BG2 twice. Also finished other Black Isle RPGs. But no RPG I respect more than PT. U'll c when you finish it. It isn't so rich in classes and items as BG (1 and 2). But I'm still playing it god knows why. Simply it has a soul.

OK, Fallout 2 was my idol before.

 

I think it's very difficult to compare as, to me, they seem very different types of games. Apart from the obvious difference of being in a different setting they change the emphasis on things like strength of story, lineararity, character development, NPC range, NPC development, puzzle type, etc.

To me, Planescape had a much more involving and stronger story than any of the other games. Equally, the NPCs were much more rounded and believable (it even pioneered the romances that BG2 seems so proud of). Consequently, while playing it I found it a richer experience and I always wanted to find out what would happen next. Finally, I thought it was by far the best game for a newbie to the genre. The idea that you had lost your memory and gradually had to learn about this new world (just as your character is doing) is inspired. I think that they did it so well it removes any need for a tutorial. Funnily enough BG2 tries to copy the 'lost memory' a bit too, but to less affect (and they needed a tutorial for newbies).

The downside in comparions to the BG games is that it was more restrictive in terms of character development, choice of NPC and path through the game. The thing that I enjoy most about these games is being able to explore and feel a sense of freedom, prefarably with a plot slowing developing around this. And for that, BG1 was the best of the bunch for that and hence my personal favourite.

I think it is the linear nature of Planscape that has also (so far) stooped me from replaying it. With both BG games I have played through 3 times (well I'm on my 3rd BG2 haven't finished yet). I might play Torment again I suppose and go for a Fighter rather than a mage and maybe explore the evil side of the game......

So in summary - all very good very enjoyable, fantastic value for money and BG1 is (just) my favourite.

 

too much urge to buy it... ran out of allowance... need money.....

 

Slappy sort of said that you can't compare them as they're so different.

You can't. But you can know what your preferences are.

For me, I guess that despite BG2's "flashiness", Planescape Torment is still better.

There isn't much meaningful dialogue in BG2 or BG1, nor Icewind Dale for that matter. Most of it seems very mundane. But in Torment, whoa....the quality is astounding. The feel, the mood...can you imagine that half of this is conveyed through the dialogue and plotline, the rest through the artwork and music?

If you were to compare, even BG2 at its best moments seem very ordinary against Black Isle's Sigil.

 

Lets do this review-style:

I've played through Torment five times, once with a warrior and four times with a wizard The game actually changes depending on which alignment you play.

Also, not being aple to use full plate (or anything else), swords and bows really is refreshing. And no NPC:s are normal! Being immortal also makes the game more enjoyable, removing most of the save/load part...

+ Spell effects, large character animations, mood, dialogue, alignment system, Trancendent one
- A bit too linear, several irritating bugs.

BG is more hack and slash orientated and has those truly irritating dungeons (firewine bridge ruins or maze before Sarevok, anyone?) But it has a nice character creation and magic items. A bit limited though. (Tales of the Sword Coast is a must-have!)

+ Excellent expansion disk, hack and slash.
- The plotline just seems to be a necessary evil, dungeons, NPC:s lack personality.

BG 2 has some elements drawn from Torment and those irritating cramped dungeons have thankfully been removed.

+ Mood, spells, not having to get your characters killed by a group of kobolds all the time, dungeons, Edwin
- Linear main plot, irritating starting dungeon.

 

In BGI/II you are constanltly picking up new, better equipment. Missed a +2 long sword? Who cares, you can pick +3 long sword in next chapter. But in P:T when you find a good weapon you fell like if you have done somethnig epic, becuse they are few.
Other adventages of Torment:
Your enlighment is changing throught game.
Your inteligence has mayor efects on conversation.
You can never have enough money to buy everything you want.
Charachters that join you are so difrent from each other and yet you can spend hours just thinking who to take in your party.

[This message has been edited by Hrast (edited April 10, 2001).]

 

the only way i can think to describe this excellent game is...focused...the game focuses more on the character, his feelings, his needs, his failings, his friendships, his compainons than any othe rgame i have ever come across.
in torment u actually CARED the about thsi nameless amnesiac male bugger more than you cared for your male/female, druis/fighter/ranger/paladin/mage/cleric, elf/dwarf/human/halfling/???????/
see what i mean about torment being more focused?
in torment you had the chance of upgrading your character and your companions, in bg you didnt!
bg was good, torment is better!

 

Torment is very good, but it won't be getting an sequels. That is either good or bad, depending on your view point.

I liked both PS:T and BG2 equally well and spent close to the same amount of time replaying them.

 

When compared, I think bg2 was more a game, while palnescape was an experience. Nothing beats the first time you play through the game, but after that, you have seen about everything. Bg2 has more replayability in its many npc and different quests.

The same comparison goes to the two fallouts. Fallout 2 is technically better, but after a few years, we will most fondly think of Fallout and Planescape because of the impressions the left.

 

Started playing Torment on Friday after several months of playing BG and the more i play it the more i like it, but i still prefer BG 'cause it's more.......*searching for words*....human.

 

A sequel to Planescape would possibly ruin the whole story i mean where would it start you die at the end of the first one. i personally thought that Planescape itself was pretty short lived which was slightly dissapointing after the gigantic proportions of BG & BG2 but nevertheless i still found PT to be a beutiful and engrossing game although it does not quite claim the best game title from BG2.

PS did you know that in BG2 during one of his seemingly endless ranting sessions Haredelis (i never good remember how to spell that name!) mentions that he had been to Sigil and seen the Lady of Pain clever link!

 

torment is way better than BG and BG2, its actually funny (BG/2, tries and fails with its overly tedious slapstick qualities, some moments, like the autograph signing kobolds, are good) the conversation is way better, it has actions as well as words, interaction between PCs is also better, as you can have large conversations with them, most stats actually make a difference no matter what class, the plot is better and so is the setting, the planescape multiverse is much darker and grittier than the squeaky clean Forgotten Realms.
All in all, torment is much better than BG2 IMHO, and for the price I paid, it was well worth it.

 

did anyone notice in icewind the reference to PS:T? Dorn's? Potion???

PS can be very intimidating to people who are used to BG and think its going to be BG3, in the mortuary you are slightly overwhelmed and confused.

This put me off it for...*sob*...3 months! what a wonderful game i was missing!

 

O.K. Let me see.

Baldur's Gate2:
_____________________
Cons:
1. Not that original story line
2. Worse graphics than PST,
3. Not that realistic (i don't find realistic sleeping for 8 howers every ten minutes)

Pros:
1. 3 times as much charactars
2. More quests
2. More NPC interaction
3. More battles.

Torment:
______________
Cons:
1. Only 8 (?) NPCs which can join your party
2. 80% of the quests are solved just by talking (not that I really like to hack & slach, but Black Isle overdid themselvs)
3. No NPC scripts (my finger strted huting after clicking so many times on a group of baddies)
4. Probably won't get a sequel

Pros:
1. Very original story line
2. More realism
3. All stats matter (including wisdom, intelligance and charisma, even if you're a fighter)
4. Changing Allangiment (you can't be Chaotic Evil and help ppl, and you can't be Lawful Good and massacar ppl in the streets)
5. Big Difference between the NPCs - They have personalliy


[This message has been edited by Vicsun (edited May 24, 2001).]