Many RPG gamers regard Planescape: Torment as one of the best, if not the best game in the genre. Together with the Baldur’s Gate series, gamers were introduced to awesome computer games based on Dungeons & Dragons; worlds filled with complete with complex choices and intriguing stories that set the bar for RPGs that followed. It’s surprising though that despite the positive response, Planescape: Torment did not flourish and get the sequels that it deserved.
That may soon change now that Chris Avellone, the man behind the original Planescape: Torment, expressed his interest last month in creating a “spiritual successor” to the well-loved RPG. And he intends to make it happen with your help, via Kickstarter.
Kotaku recently had a chance to speak with Avellone and he shared some of his thoughts on where he plans to take the successor to Planescape Torment. One very interesting he revealed is his plan to take the game out of the D&D universe:
“It’d be best not to use [the Dungeons & Dragons] mechanics or the Planescape license. One reason is doing so would undermine some of the joys of the Kickstarter (not having to answer to anyone but the players – if we take a license, we have to answer to the franchise holder), I’m not sure Wizards/Hasbro/whoever knows where to take the license, and looking back on Planescape: Torment, it’s been clear to me that we had to bend a lot of rules to get some of the mechanics and narrative feel we wanted. Could we have done that easier outside of a Planescape universe? Sure.”
Now while some people might object to the new setting, I personally don’t think it should be an issue. Even without the D&D elements, a great story can be told. Sure, you’ll miss some of your favorite locations and creatures but at the same time, ditching those familiar elements can possibly give you a new and even better world to explore. We’ve seen BioWare do that with Dragon Age, which is supposedly the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate, and a lot of people responded well to it, myself included. This one should be just as exciting.
Are you excited at the prospect of seeing a game inspired by Planescape: Torment developed by the original team? Or would you rather see a direct sequel? Let us know what you think!