Torment: Tides of Numenera Preview

It is hard to believe that there is still such a large devoted audience in the gaming world for a game like Torment: Tides of Numenera. In this game, there is no shooting, cinematic drama or high-octane action. In the current gaming panorama, well-written stories merge with engaging mechanics that keep you on the edge of your seat. Even those games that are slow and story-focused always have very dynamic scenes. Torment, much like Pillars of Eternity did last year, sneaks into the market drawing from nostalgia, but turning out to be one of the most stimulating games of the past year despite rejecting all the theatrics that we see in more streamlined games.

Torment is an isometric RPG set in a sci-fi-meets-fantasy world where there is no line between mind and matter. It is hard to describe the universe in Torment, as it’s ultimately a mix of cyberpunk and horror sci-fi that takes the liberties of twisting every physical or social boundaries in order to create the most extravagant, outlandish and esoteric lore. The colourful and garish scenarios presented are littered with bizarre statues, characters and events in every nook and cranny; so many that it’s overwhelmingly fascinating to know that everything you do will change your relationship with that place. The lack of cinematic camera angles in this game creates gorgeous vistas that emphasise the different groups of people and their relationship with the buildings around them, but that allow for little storytelling devices.

The biggest forté of the world is that it presents a visual referent for the writing. This is one of the aspects that I find most interesting about the success of this game: it relies on the written word to convey any interaction or event, using the design of the world as a simple spatial setting. And what a writing style! The most notable problem with books, notes and other writings in games is that they are frequently too functional to be engaging enough to base an entire game on it. Games like Skyrim or Dragon Age have always had a great world, with plenty of characters and books able to explain the lore and tell tales about it, but for me, there’s always a point when I stop losing interest: the stories don’t feel relevant enough, or they’re simply too uninspired and dull. This is not the case in Torment. Just like in Pillars of Eternity, much of the work that enacts such an enticing and deep universe is done by your mind. By reading every bit of conversation, interpreting the events in your head and creating your own nuanced version of what’s happening, the world of Torment becomes more interesting and mysterious than the most fantastic sets. Of course, this is accomplished with the most proficient and suggestive writing style, which will make you not skip a single line.

In its current state, Torment is missing a bunch of features, although the core game is in place. The character creation, despite not allowing visual customisation of your character other than the sex, is done in-game, by choosing a series of actions in different situations. In fact, there are three different tiers of classes, which means that your character will be defined by three different attributes. My character was an Observant Jack with a particular penchant for hand-to-hand combat, and since the pool of attributes is so large I’m still trying to figure out what some of them do, as some new options keep showing up in conversations. This freedom to choose your own history is also exemplified by the vast amount of possibilities as soon as you finish the introduction part. Do you want to befriend a cultist group? Do you want to work for a scholar? Are you feeling like scamming people? The opportunities are there, you just need to find them.

One of the biggest differences with Pillars of Eternity, aside from the different world, is the combat system. Torment features a turn-based combat similar to XCOM’s, but without a grid. You can move twice, or just one and use an action. Nevertheless, I have experienced very little combat so far, as there are always ways to resolve situations without getting in that much trouble. I can’t emphasise this enough: unlike other RPGs like Dark Souls or Skyrim, where everything –— or almost everything — you can do is fight or run, in Torment, combat is just a small part of what your character can do. In fact, the game often places objects or conversations that you can trigger in combat, encouraging you to find alternatives.

Torment: Tides of Numenera is not a game for everybody. More casual or impatient gamers will find that endless lines of long-winded prose is not enough to keep them awake. However, for many others, myself included, Torment will be the perfect successor to Planescape: Torment, and will create an incredible and fantastic atmosphere through the gorgeous pre-rendered landscapes, the entrancing music by composer Mark Morgan and the suggestive and enthralling writing by one of the lead designers of Planescape, Colin McComb. Even though Torment shares the graphical engine with Pillars, and the philosophy to approach the game is vastly similar, Torment’s Kickstarter surpassed their fantasy cousin in the amount of money raised, and became the most funded videogame at the time. The game is currently in Early Access, with its release date unannounced, and shows some rough patches that will make any old rig squeal out of pain — even in my high-end system it had troubles loading menus and areas. However, despite not being able to recommend jumping in for the development process, you should keep an eye out if you’re a fan of these type of games.