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

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,860 reviews

story919 positive mentions

stability89 negative mentions

The game features a rich and imaginative world with deep lore and interesting characters.
The writing is exceptional, providing a compelling narrative that engages players throughout the experience.
The game allows for multiple ways to solve quests, often encouraging dialogue and non-violent solutions.

The combat system is lackluster and often feels like an afterthought, with many players able to avoid it entirely.
There is an overwhelming amount of text to read, which can be tedious and may deter players who prefer more action-oriented gameplay.
The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, including unfinishable quests and performance problems.

story
2,620 mentions
35 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" is a central focus, praised for its depth, originality, and philosophical themes, drawing comparisons to its predecessor, "Planescape: Torment." While many players find the narrative engaging and immersive, some criticize it for being overly verbose, convoluted, or lacking emotional depth, with a few noting that the pacing can feel uneven. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate rich storytelling and character-driven narratives, despite its gameplay flaws and occasional bugs.
- “This game takes storytelling to new heights, offering players an immersive and unforgettable narrative experience.”
- “Let me reassure that the story is something worth experiencing, the world is something worth exploring, there are secrets to be found, failure may sometimes result in unexpected gain, revisiting characters and dialogue options is worth it whenever possible.”
- “The story, the characters, the mystique of the setting, that is the core of this game.”
- “Compared to Planescape: Torment, it's less polished, worse combat, worse dialogue, worse lore, worse story, worse companions, more bugs and has zero connection to Planescape: Torment.”
- “Going further into the game, the stream of original ideas seemed to grow in its fervour, overtaking the mundanity in my mind... that said, in the end, the story doesn't really come to anything interesting, profound or, most importantly, satisfying, so the game seems to work best as a collection of vignettes about the world as a result.”
- “Everything seems good, that is, until the illusion drops away... you soon realize that the NPCs are all talking nonsense and the plot seems like the writers threw a bunch of ideas in a box and drew them at random.”
gameplay
732 mentions
23 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" is heavily narrative-driven, with a focus on dialogue and exploration rather than traditional combat mechanics, which some players find engaging while others deem it tedious. Many reviews highlight the unique mechanics, such as the crisis system and resource management, but criticize the combat as simplistic and the overall gameplay as lacking depth and polish. While the story and world-building are praised, the gameplay experience can feel linear and overly reliant on text, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution.
- “The gameplay often has you solving problems with words rather than violence, which is a nice change of pace to most mainstream games.”
- “I enjoyed the gameplay system and the interesting mechanic of allowing non-violent solutions during combat encounters.”
- “The mechanics are easy to understand, but still interesting and deep.”
- “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.”
- “Bear in mind that 95% of the gameplay consists of dialogues (which you'll be reading because there's no voice-over).”
- “The gameplay is dull... the 'otherness' of it is so/so...”
graphics
391 mentions
31 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and handcrafted environments that enhance the game's immersive world. However, some players criticize the character models and overall visual quality as dated or inconsistent, suggesting that while the art style is evocative, it may not meet modern standards. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong complement to the rich narrative, though they may not appeal to those prioritizing cutting-edge graphics.
- “With its stunning visuals and handcrafted environments, it creates a visually immersive world that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The artwork is gorgeous for an isometric RPG.”
- “The graphics are beautiful.”
- “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.”
- “On the other hand, this game has an amazing, quite original story (hard to achieve!), very memorable characters (I don't think I'll ever be able to forget Erittis), but lacking in the visuals department and the combat also felt a bit weak.”
- “The graphics are poor.”
music
148 mentions
34 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its ambient and atmospheric qualities while others find it largely forgettable or disappointing compared to its predecessor, "Planescape: Torment." Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to set the mood, though they note that it often fades into the background, making it less memorable. Overall, while some tracks resonate well and enhance the experience, others feel generic and fail to leave a lasting impression.
- “The soundtrack is amazing; I haven't checked, but I strongly suspect that the composer is the same as in Planescape: Torment, or at the very least, he/she was strongly inspired by it.”
- “Super fun game, beautiful art, rad music and a killer story.”
- “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 music could be better though, nothing memorable about it.”
- “The story isn't particularly interesting when starting out, the characters are uninteresting, the gameplay isn't all that exciting or fun, the interface and combat is just bad, the music is unmemorable at best, and to top it off even the movement feels a bit clunky.”
- “The bad: the soundtrack is kinda 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.”
replayability
92 mentions
33 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its moral dilemmas and choice-driven narrative that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others criticize its limited areas and lack of significant impact from choices, leading to a perception of low replay value. Although there are diverse options and character builds that can enhance replayability, many feel that once the story is fully explored, there is little incentive to return. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some rating replay value highly and others deeming it negligible.
- “I suspect replayability to be quite satisfying, considering the moral dilemmas you are met with and the consequences I've seen.”
- “There is a good amount of replayability, given that the game revolves around the choices you make.”
- “The story is very well written and with several endings and variations in the epilogue makes it a very replayable game; the main endings can be explored in a single playthrough, however, similar to Mass Effect 3.”
- “There is no replayability; you are not encouraged to even try a different (inferior) playstyle.”
- “There's not much replay value to it either, as despite what it says, your choices don't actually affect much throughout the game outside of maybe some flavor things.”
- “In the end, with the bad business practices, relatively short gameplay (with its price as it is at the time of this review), no replayability, downright abusive combat mechanics, I can't recommend this game to anyone until it's priced around $20 (or regional equivalent).”
stability
91 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Players frequently encounter unresponsive NPCs, broken quests, and combat issues, leading to frustration and an overall sense of an unfinished product. Despite some positive remarks about the story, the overwhelming consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability problems that detract from the experience.
- “Very well optimized and bug-free.”
- “Very well optimized and bug-free.”
- “I was very excited to play this game, only to not even get through my first hour without multiple glitches and crashes.”
- “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. I looked up detailed guides to try and solve my problems and found forum posts of other people having the same issues with no known cause or solution and no patch from the developers since release; wish I could properly review this game but it seems like a buggy mess.”
- “No, the real issue is that this game is buggy beyond belief. I literally can't finish the game, even though I am at the very end of the game, and there is zero support for this.”
grinding
82 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, with many players finding the turn-based combat slow and repetitive, leading to frustration and disengagement. The excessive focus on dialogue and philosophical text, combined with a lack of meaningful progression, contributes to a feeling of monotony that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the narrative depth, the overwhelming amount of tedious mechanics and backtracking ultimately hampers enjoyment for many players.
- “In fact, the hidden design expectation of players grinding before they can move on made me quit after 18 hours.”
- “The turn-based battles become more tedious and harder to avoid towards the end of the game.”
- “The combat is horrible; slow, contrived and a constant feeling of playing through scripted battles (removing real RPG aspects we enjoy; grinding, leveling, stats, looting).”
character development
78 mentions
28 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its depth, quality writing, and meaningful choices that enhance the storytelling experience. However, others criticize the lack of memorable character designs and the disappointing development of certain companions, suggesting that while the narrative is strong, it doesn't consistently engage players with its characters. Overall, the game is noted for its focus on exploration and dialogue over combat, appealing to those who appreciate rich character arcs and immersive storytelling.
- “The companions all have deep storyline arcs, great character development and building.”
- “Quality writing, choices that matter, incredible depth of character development and lore.”
- “The story and character development are top tier and will stay on your mind after the game is done.”
- “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.”
- “The bad: by far the biggest letdown was the poor companion character development.”
- “No real character development either.”
atmosphere
76 mentions
55 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Torment: Tides of Numenera" is widely praised for its unique, bizarre, and immersive qualities, reminiscent of its predecessor, "Planescape: Torment." Reviewers highlight the game's rich world-building, engaging dialogues, and a deep, evolving atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience, despite some criticisms regarding dated visuals and occasional inconsistencies. Overall, the game successfully creates a compelling and eerie ambiance that captivates players, making it a standout in the atmospheric RPG genre.
- “Numenera lives and dies by its setting and the atmosphere that it builds, and thankfully Torment does this well.”
- “The atmosphere is wonderful and the story excels at showing rather than telling--sometimes quite literally, but also through the writing.”
- “Wonderful writing, great world design, gorgeous art design, great science fiction feel to the game and the atmosphere is well done.”
- “Unfortunately, it lacks the ambiance or atmosphere of the original.”
- “It also creates this atmosphere where 'anything goes' and (as a result) nothing is special.”
- “The atmosphere and aesthetic elements are just not right, too much flashy sci-fi styles spilling into the game world.”
humor
58 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a strong point, with many players finding it both hilarious and thought-provoking, often drawing comparisons to the works of Douglas Adams and Doctor Who. While some aspects of the humor stem from quirky dialogue and bizarre character interactions, others arise from technical glitches and absurd situations, contributing to a unique comedic experience. However, a few reviewers noted that the humor is less prevalent than in its predecessor, leading to mixed feelings about the overall narrative depth and engagement.
- “It's often hilarious.”
- “Right at the start, we get a hilarious scene with the mirror and the expression, horrific necktie, orange disco dancer, etc. It feels personable.”
- “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.”
emotional
44 mentions
91 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed responses from players, with some praising its heartfelt stories and moral dilemmas that create genuine emotional investment, while others criticize the lack of emotional depth and weak character development. Many players find certain moments to be impactful and relatable, yet feel that the overall narrative and dialogue fail to evoke strong emotions, leading to a sense of disappointment. Ultimately, the emotional experience varies significantly, with some players feeling deeply connected to the characters and story, while others find it lacking.
- “These are relatively simple but heartfelt stories that often present you with moral choices that are genuinely difficult.”
- “Erritis is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, and Rhin adds some sorely lacking mystery and emotional grounding to the game.”
- “Beautiful writing, awesome graphics, and heart-wrenching decisions that'll have you seriously conflicted all up in your brain.”
- “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 pool points to increase your charm, your attack accuracy, etc., is so ridiculous.”
optimization
37 mentions
16 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
24 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent bugs, performance issues, and noticeable frame rate drops, particularly on PC. While some users have found it runs smoothly on devices like the Steam Deck, the overall experience is described as janky and underoptimized, with major bugs persisting even years after release. Despite these issues, the game's unique story and writing have been highlighted as redeeming qualities.
- “All criticisms aside, there is an amazing game here; performance and controls were never an issue.”
- “[*] Very well optimized, and bug free.”
- “Finally, if it’s useful to anyone, Tides is tagged as unverified but runs smoothly on my Steam Deck.”
- “It's a janky and underoptimized experience with lots of bugs, including major bugs (such as unfinishable quests) some of which persist several years after release.”
- “Performance problems and sudden framerate drops are frequent, which is surprising, looking at the graphics.”
- “A load of bugs, optimization issues, and in my case, I experience tons of lag especially in the beginning of the game.”
monetization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for perceived false advertising, particularly regarding the promised Polish dubbing, which is minimal and disappointing. Reviewers feel that the game is a cash grab, lacking value for the price paid.
- “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.”