User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 441 Ratings

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  1. Mar 1, 2017
    4
    Initial impressions: The game is TELLING me all about all kinds of events, past and present, but it's not SHOWING me much of anything. I wasn't expecting insane graphics, but even Baldur's Gate had a little graphic to go with, say, the dream sequences. There's so much nothingness here.

    I read, and if I wanted to read a book, I'd do just that. I'm playing a game because I want more than
    Initial impressions: The game is TELLING me all about all kinds of events, past and present, but it's not SHOWING me much of anything. I wasn't expecting insane graphics, but even Baldur's Gate had a little graphic to go with, say, the dream sequences. There's so much nothingness here.

    I read, and if I wanted to read a book, I'd do just that. I'm playing a game because I want more than just text. So far this feels rather disappointing, but I'll update if I can make myself play again and it improves.

    Edit: Played more, lowered score from 6 to 5.

    I really don't understand the need to create a completely new vocabulary for everything. "Crisis" for "battle," "esotery" for "spell," "glaive" for "warrior," etc. A few here and there would be fine, but it's like I'm being forced to learn a new language, and I've constantly got to translate what they're talking about into terms I know.

    Along those lines, the game absolutely BOMBARDS you with technical mechanical details at character creation without doing much to explain any of it. I just know I'm going to have to restart after playing a few more hours and regretting my initial choices, which is disappointing.

    Edited again: Lowered from 5 to 4.

    The music is terrible, and the characters are ugly.

    I can't help but wonder where all the money went if this game was so well-funded. I didn't back this game, but I still feel betrayed by inXile.
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  2. Mar 1, 2017
    5
    First of all, this game has nothing to do with Planescape: Torment (which is what you absolutely want to play if you're looking for a truly great RPG).

    Torment: Tides of Numenera is not a bad game. I've seen much worse. But the whole "spiritual successor" thing was a scam. inXile made some very specific promises when they put the project on Kickstarter and most of those promises ended
    First of all, this game has nothing to do with Planescape: Torment (which is what you absolutely want to play if you're looking for a truly great RPG).

    Torment: Tides of Numenera is not a bad game. I've seen much worse. But the whole "spiritual successor" thing was a scam. inXile made some very specific promises when they put the project on Kickstarter and most of those promises ended up on the cutting floor. Not only they kept the backers in the dark about their plans to make the game turn-based (PS:T, like all Infinity Engine games, was real-time with pause), they misled everybody with the stretch goals they evidently never even intended to implement.

    If you don't mind heavily consolized UI, forgettable music, so-so backgrounds, hideous character portraits, irritating voiceover and whole pages of redundant text, T:ToN is OK. It's perfectly playable. It's just not the holy grail inXile has been advertising all these years.
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  3. Mar 1, 2017
    10
    It is just Wonderful! For the first time since 2002, when I started playing Planescape: Torment at that time, I have felt a sudden thrill of the upcoming adventure. Wonderful graphics, speeches, backgrounds. It is a nice change from so called RPGs available on Xbox One and games which you can play for max 12-13 hours offline. I'm giving 10 out of 10, even if game has crashed on my XboxIt is just Wonderful! For the first time since 2002, when I started playing Planescape: Torment at that time, I have felt a sudden thrill of the upcoming adventure. Wonderful graphics, speeches, backgrounds. It is a nice change from so called RPGs available on Xbox One and games which you can play for max 12-13 hours offline. I'm giving 10 out of 10, even if game has crashed on my Xbox back to main screen 4 times and Polish translation written with linguistic errors. InXile Entertainment did a great job with. Expand
  4. Mar 1, 2017
    6
    LOW BUDGET! This is what the game screams at you as you play it. First thing you will notice is that there are no cutscenes whatseoever, and the only thing coming anywhere near the notion of "cutscene" is the narrating voice that appears here and there. Another thing is that, unlike Planescape: Torment that had an assortment of cookie and bizarre companions, in ToN there are only boringLOW BUDGET! This is what the game screams at you as you play it. First thing you will notice is that there are no cutscenes whatseoever, and the only thing coming anywhere near the notion of "cutscene" is the narrating voice that appears here and there. Another thing is that, unlike Planescape: Torment that had an assortment of cookie and bizarre companions, in ToN there are only boring humans, there aren't even any Minsc and Boo nor some pompous Anomen, just boring, forgettable humans voice acted by the same crappy British voiceactors that you can hear in each and every low budget title. Obviously, making more playable models and with interesting personalities and proffesional voiceactors would have cost...you know...MONEY, and InXile just didn't have the funds for such fluff content.

    But let's say you get over all of the above. Another problem with this game is the...BOREDOM! Honestly, 99% of this game involves walking and talking to various NPC. Combat is almost entirely optional, there are no trash mobs to speak of and no elaborate dungeons. I think there is one small dungeon, though. Obviously, I didn't expect Diablo nor would I want a Diablo, but this game is nowhere near Baldur's Gate nor even the old Planescape: Torment in terms of combat content. In fact this game is more Adventure than RPG, and is more related to Monkey Island than to Planescape: Torment. It's quite ironic considering how many weapons and armor vendors are in the game, who turn out to sell stuff you barely ever use if at all, as you can easily talk your way out of each and every potential combat situation, and the only unavoidable combat is against the final boss.

    Unrelatable game universe. I dunno, this is an issue for me. The game's universe is so...BIZARRE! I'm always irritated when game developers make up strange names for regular things or make up entirely new and almost unpronouceble names (right, Obsidian?!). In ToN, get this, a warrior is not a warrior, it's a..."glaive", a mage is not a mage, but a..."nano". Seriously|!? Your universe is strange enough, did you really have to make up weird names for regular things?! Also the game has a ton more things that barely make any sense. If you thought the universe of Planescape: Torment was strange at times, you ain't seen nothing yet.

    I don't even know why do people say the game is related to Planescape: Torment. It has absolutely no connection with that game other than the interface. It's not the same universe, it's not the same story, there isn't even any mention of characters from Planescape: Torment, everything is entirely new, and the only reason they say it's the spiritual successor of Planescape, is to sell the game.

    Don't be fooled, guys, this game is extremely OVERHYPED!
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  5. Feb 28, 2017
    10
    If you want an rpg with amazing writing this game is for you, simply amazing so far! Great writing, interesting setting, great atmosphere and a wonderfully created gameworld. Pick this up asap if you love roleplaying and good writing!
  6. Feb 28, 2017
    9
    Like a lot of gamers who played Planescape: Torment when it released back in 1999 I was really excited to see if inXile Entertainment could provide us with a worthy successor. That they managed to actually do it is a testament to their love of the original game, isometric RPG’s and their undeniable talent. Torment: Tides of Numenera features writing that rivals the very best the genre hasLike a lot of gamers who played Planescape: Torment when it released back in 1999 I was really excited to see if inXile Entertainment could provide us with a worthy successor. That they managed to actually do it is a testament to their love of the original game, isometric RPG’s and their undeniable talent. Torment: Tides of Numenera features writing that rivals the very best the genre has to offer and it has the kind of satisfying ending other games can only dream of. It provides a lengthy campaign with little filler, engaging characters, replayability and is nearly bug free. It could have used some more combat and hopefully the cut stretch goals appear in some form via DLC or expansions. I really enjoyed my time with the game and it deserves to stand tall among the new crop of top notch isometric RPG’s. Expand
  7. Feb 28, 2017
    10
    When I first saw that Planescape: Torment, a game that shaped my outlook and expectation of games to come, was getting a spiritual successor I was worried. TToN has surpassed expectations and left me completely satisfied. This is a game that rewards and encourages the curious. This is a cool, sweet drink in a desert of games where story is only barely there because it is required. This isWhen I first saw that Planescape: Torment, a game that shaped my outlook and expectation of games to come, was getting a spiritual successor I was worried. TToN has surpassed expectations and left me completely satisfied. This is a game that rewards and encourages the curious. This is a cool, sweet drink in a desert of games where story is only barely there because it is required. This is art.

    --Garth Holden
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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 72
  2. Negative: 1 out of 72
  1. May 29, 2017
    50
    What Tides of Numenera offers is a rich experience in learning lore and then making a final multiple guess at the ending, all the while never being fully satisfying in terms of presentation. There's more playability to this take on this game, but it might be better off being used for a title that has far less baggage.
  2. Games Master UK
    May 19, 2017
    92
    Wonderful writing, deep quests, and the ability to truly shape your character make for a quality RPG. [Apr 2017, p.78]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 18, 2017
    100
    Great RPG depends mainly on the conversations and colorful bizarre world into which it takes you …while it is not focused on combat and other traditional elements. [Issue#273]