Torment: Tides of Numenera

Torment is the purest expression of Infinity Engine RPGs we will ever see in the modern age.

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In Torment: Tides of Numenera, you traverse a single civilization's cast-off high-tech remnants, called Numenera, in a sprawling, original science-fantasy setting. As the Last Castoff, a being created in the body of the previous God-like ruler, you must deal with their legacy and fate while uncovering your own identity. The game features deep, personal storytelling and rich, reactive choices, encouraging unique role-playing experiences.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,063 reviews

story985 positive mentions

stability111 negative mentions

The game features an incredibly rich and imaginative world, filled with unique lore and interesting characters.
The writing is exceptional, with engaging dialogue and thought-provoking themes that encourage exploration and discovery.
Players have the option to avoid combat in most situations, allowing for a more narrative-driven experience.

The combat system is often criticized as clunky and unengaging, with many players finding it tedious.
There are numerous bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking bugs that have not been fixed since release.
The game is heavily text-based, which may overwhelm players who prefer more action-oriented gameplay.

story
2,996 mentions
33 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" is a complex and richly woven narrative that explores themes of identity, mortality, and the consequences of one's choices. While many players appreciate the depth and philosophical undertones, some find the pacing uneven and the main plot lacking in engagement compared to its predecessor, "Planescape: Torment." Overall, the game is praised for its intricate world-building and character-driven storytelling, though it may not resonate with those seeking a more action-oriented experience.
- “This game takes storytelling to new heights, offering players an immersive and unforgettable narrative experience.”
- “The story is interesting, but I got tired of traveling back and forth to read the next chapter.”
- “The story, while unique, is mainly a vehicle to hang the dialogue systems onto.”
- “The story starts off pretty strong and just abruptly stops.”
- “I felt like I was only halfway through the main story when it was actually near the end.”
- “The overall effect is that you will quickly stop caring about the plot at all.”
gameplay
838 mentions
21 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique mechanics and narrative depth but criticizing its combat and overall execution. While the game emphasizes dialogue and non-combat interactions, which some find refreshing, others feel that the mechanics are overly simplistic and lack the depth expected from a modern RPG. The turn-based combat system has been described as clunky and unbalanced, leading to frustration for those seeking a more engaging gameplay experience. Overall, the game is seen as a narrative-driven experience that may appeal more to fans of storytelling than to those looking for robust gameplay mechanics.
- “The mechanics are very cool, unique items, and a very interesting storyline with potential NPCs.”
- “The gameplay often has you solving problems with words rather than violence, which is a nice change of pace from most mainstream games.”
- “I enjoyed the gameplay system and the interesting mechanic of allowing non-violent solutions during combat encounters.”
- “I quit it three separate times in the first 14 hours of gameplay, as my exploration of the first hub largely had me face tongue-in-cheek references to the original torment with less substance, and very wordy and mentally draining exposition dumps.”
- “The gameplay feels clunky, like it is trying to emulate games of old instead of improving it.”
- “The mechanics of the game system itself are deliberately obfuscated with meaningless terminology that has been specifically selected to avoid conveying what the actual mechanic does.”
graphics
416 mentions
31 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful artwork and immersive environments, while others criticize the outdated character models and poor optimization. Many players appreciate the artistic style and vibrant visuals that enhance the storytelling, but note that the graphics do not meet modern standards and can suffer from performance issues. Overall, while the visuals contribute positively to the atmosphere, they are often seen as a secondary aspect to the game's rich narrative and character development.
- “With its stunning visuals and handcrafted environments, it creates a visually immersive world that enhances the overall experience.”
- “Torment invokes the aesthetic and immersion of Numenera that is truly mysterious and exciting.”
- “The artwork is gorgeous for an isometric RPG.”
- “The graphics would be acceptable for the time period given the engine, except that the art director is apparently fresh out of school, thinks Christmas tree lights are awe-inspiring and that putting orange and purple close together is all you need to know about graphic design.”
- “Literally the only minus to me were the graphics; the style looks way older than I’d expect for the year 2016.”
- “The graphics are poor.”
music
163 mentions
40 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the atmospheric and immersive qualities of the soundtrack, particularly noting its resemblance to the iconic music from "Planescape: Torment." However, many players found the music to be largely forgettable or unobtrusive, lacking memorable tracks that would stand out. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally considered decent and fitting for the game's ambiance, it does not reach the heights of its predecessor's score.
- “Amazing world, music, art, story, etc. My main gripe was that the combat didn't have a 2x speed feature.”
- “The soundtrack might be worth the price alone.”
- “The music is great, especially in the beginning - ambient - though there were an overall lack of songs that stood out, like 'Fortress of Regrets' in Planescape: Torment.”
- “The music could be better though, nothing memorable about it.”
- “I was hoping that I would love the soundtrack more since I'm a huge fan of the Planescape: Torment soundtrack, but I mostly just found it okay.”
- “The soundtrack is kind of dull; for the follow-up to a game that had such a rich and memorable score, it's kind of upsetting we ended up getting generic background music.”
atmosphere
118 mentions
53 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" is widely praised for its unique and bizarre world, rich storytelling, and immersive character interactions, drawing strong comparisons to its predecessor, "Planescape: Torment." While many players appreciate the game's deep lore and atmospheric music, some feel it lacks the cohesive ambiance of the original, with criticisms aimed at its gameplay mechanics and occasional verbosity in writing. Overall, the game successfully creates a surreal and engaging environment that invites exploration and reflection, appealing particularly to fans of narrative-driven RPGs.
- “Numenera lives and dies by its setting and the atmosphere that it builds, and thankfully Torment does this well.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic, the characters are deep and believable, the world is enigmatic and invites to be explored.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is simply gorgeous.”
- “The overall game has no distinct style, no atmosphere; it all feels dull and I have no ambition at all to explore the world or do anything in here. To me, this has nothing in common with Planescape: Torment, except for the one word in the title.”
- “The sound doesn't really contribute to exploration as even though the music is fairly nice, the ambient soundscape is mostly barren, where the original had sounds of crowds chatting in cities to liven up the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere and aesthetic elements are just not right; too much flashy sci-fi styles spilling into the game world of TTON (lasers, facial augmentation machines, etc.).”
stability
113 mentions
3 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Common issues include unresponsive NPCs, freezing dialogue boxes, and combat-related bugs that can render the game unplayable. Overall, many reviewers feel the game is unfinished and in dire need of optimization and patches to address these persistent stability problems.
- “Very well optimized and bug-free.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or major issues.”
- “I appreciate the stability of the game; it allows me to enjoy the experience without interruptions.”
- “A lot of quests are buggy and often people would be unresponsive when you try to talk to them, resulting in multiple attempts to start dialogue.”
- “The game is too buggy for me to even want to play it, multiple quests that can't be finished even though I have completed all the objectives.”
- “It's very buggy, unoptimized, and basically unplayable for some.”
grinding
96 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with many players expressing dissatisfaction with the combat system, lengthy dialogues, and overall pacing. Critics note that battles often feel slow and contrived, leading to a lack of engagement, while excessive reading and convoluted mechanics contribute to a sense of monotony. Although some appreciate the narrative depth, the general consensus is that the game suffers from a lack of rewarding gameplay, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.
- “The writing is top-notch; there is no artificial padding of game time, no grindy bits of any kind, and the pacing of the story is constant and flows well.”
- “It respects your time and has no grinding or filler content.”
- “+ no grinding for levels”
- “A beautiful, tedious example of how not to make a game, least of all one intended to be the successor to one of the greatest games of all time.”
- “Despite wisely going the turn-based route for combat, Tides of Numenera’s battles are still a low point of the game for how tedious and awkward they tend to be.”
- “The entire combat system with its effort mechanics is tedious at best and frustrating at worst.”
replayability
88 mentions
24 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while there are multiple choices and character builds that can lead to different outcomes, the overall impact of these choices on the story is often limited. Some players appreciate the potential for varied playthroughs due to branching storylines and moral dilemmas, while others feel that the linearity and lack of significant consequences diminish the incentive to replay. Overall, the game offers decent replay value for those interested in exploring different character paths and endings, but it may not satisfy players seeking deep, impactful variations in gameplay.
- “Well worth picking up, and I believe it'll have some replayability too, based on my character choices and choice of companions.”
- “The fact that the game can be played in many different ways is also a bonus and gives the game high replayability.”
- “Great replayability for the branching storylines, characters, dialogue, skills, items, weirdness, etc.”
- “There's only about three main areas that you explore over the course of the game, and while the game is going for more replay value than sticking with a playthrough, there's not much to look forward to if you do.”
- “There is no replayability; you are not encouraged to even try a different (inferior) playstyle.”
- “Due to the limited number of available party members, I feel the replay value is not that great.”
emotional
69 mentions
94 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its poignant writing and the ability to evoke strong feelings, while others criticize the lack of emotional depth and connection to characters. Many found certain stories and moral choices to be deeply moving, yet others felt the overall narrative was tedious and failed to create a meaningful emotional investment. Ultimately, the game's emotional impact varies significantly among players, with some experiencing profound connections and others feeling indifferent or disappointed.
- “I was amazed, invested emotionally, shocked, amused, and moved to tears during ~35 hours of gameplay, and I regret nothing.”
- “The lore and moral choices made this game for me, and I was quite emotional about the ending.”
- “Beautiful writing, awesome graphics, and heart-wrenching decisions that'll have you seriously conflicted all up in your brain.”
- “Boring story with no actual consequences.”
- “In hindsight of the Planescape universe and 2D background graphics, it's hilarious, paired with a boring story and weak characters, and even weaker story development; it's just a big pile of disappointment.”
- “I could have gotten past the boring storyline in the hopes it would have gotten interesting, but the fact that you absolutely need to use what are called stat pools points to increase your charm, your attack accuracy, etc., is so ridiculous.”
character development
66 mentions
24 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and meaningful choices that enhance gameplay and storytelling, while others criticize it for being simplistic or lacking in engagement, particularly regarding companion arcs. The writing and character design are noted as strong points, but many feel that the overall execution does not reach the heights of its predecessor, Planescape: Torment. Additionally, some players express disappointment in the limited impact of character choices and the quality of NPC interactions.
- “The companions all have deep storyline arcs, great character development and building.”
- “Quality writing, choices that matter, incredible depth of character development and lore.”
- “Fascinating world unlike anything ever pictured in video games, intelligent writing, complex quests with countless solutions, clever crisis system instead of random fights with hordes of nameless enemies, simple yet deep character development - there are so many things to love this game for.”
- “What it didn't have was the same level of character development as Torment had, and you don't care as much about your companions as you did in the first game.”
- “There is basically no character development; walls of text are everywhere, and they're not really Nobel Prize-worthy content.”
- “The bad: by far the biggest letdown was the poor companion character development.”
humor
60 mentions
98 % positive mentions
-3 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of absurdity, dark comedy, and philosophical wit, often drawing comparisons to the works of Douglas Adams and Doctor Who. While some players found the humor to be engaging and funny, others felt it was inconsistent, with moments of hilarity overshadowed by a more serious tone and lack of depth in certain areas. Overall, the game features a variety of humorous dialogues and quirky situations, but opinions vary on its effectiveness compared to its predecessor, Planescape: Torment.
- “This game is funny, absurd, dark, and philosophical.”
- “The characters were fun and interesting to play with, the setting was weird and alien and macabre and funny-- it reminded me so much of the original torment, a game with such a weirdly alien setting that no one should feel 'comfortable' there.”
- “Every character you meet is intriguing, bizarre, and funny; every location begs to be explored.”
- “I found some of the 'comedy' to be unoriginal and not funny.”
- “The humor fell flat and often felt forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
optimization
49 mentions
16 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frame rate drops, bugs, and unresponsive controls, even on high-end systems. While some users have noted smoother performance on specific platforms like the Steam Deck, the overall consensus is that the game feels unpolished and underoptimized, detracting from the otherwise engaging story and gameplay experience. Many reviews emphasize the need for further bug fixes and performance enhancements to improve the overall experience.
- “Performance wise, Tides of Numenera is well optimized and runs smoothly.”
- “This is a well-crafted game that runs smoothly on my 4-year-old laptop (GeForce 840M for the win!).”
- “All criticisms aside, there is an amazing game here; performance and controls were never an issue.”
- “Also it has almost zero graphical settings and at times it runs very badly, probably because of too many effects that aren't optimized.”
- “It's very buggy, unoptimized, and basically unplayable for some.”
- “The game needs to be optimized quite a bit more.”
monetization
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with players feeling that it represents a cash grab rather than a well-developed product. Many express disappointment over the misleading advertising regarding features like Polish dubbing, which fell short of expectations, leading to a perception that the game was rushed to market to recoup costs. Overall, reviewers suggest that the game's value does not justify its price, labeling it as one of the worst in its genre.
- “For as long as this game was delayed, and how much of it was cut, it's obvious now that getting this game to console was and is a cash grab to make up for the underwhelming experience that inXile has delivered.”
- “Out of all these types of games so far, it's the worst I've played. Once it's finished, I'll review again, but hell, it's not worth the money; looks like a million-dollar cash grab to me.”
- “Funny thing is, they always show us an advertisement with voice actors performing their breathtaking lines, but in actual games, we can't hear anything on 80-90% of the scripts.”