Planescape: Torment

Waking up in the morgue is probably not the best way to start a day, but that's precisely the situation in which the protagonist finds himself at the commencement of Planescape: Torment, a recent release from Black Isle Studios and Interplay.

With no memory, no belongings, no name and no future prospects, the protagonist finds himself in the most dire of circumstances. Guide him as he collects his bearings, joins some traveling companions and begins to piece his life and memory back together.

Possible solutions to confrontations and difficulties vary depending on the mental and physical attributes the player selects for the hero as well as decisions made earlier in the game. Give the hero strength of heroic proportions and look to bash skulls for answers. A keen intellect and charming personality are likely to result in more conniving or non-violent solutions.

The environment is as bizarre and original as any that has ever graced the computer screen. The city in which the adventure occurs is filled with an extraordinarily wide array of creatures, from humans to far more sinister, evil and freaky creatures, each of which has a distinct personality.

Unlike most contemporary offerings, the game is dialogue-heavy. Fighting and flashy special effects take the backseat to a thoughtful and tight storyline.

Keeping track of the wide array of adventures is a daunting task, but a robust personal journal is built into the game. This diary, in which entries are automatically recorded, is neatly organized into different sections-one for recording events, another for listing quests completed and incompleted and a third that provides information on persons and beasts encountered.

Learning the game does not require much strenuous effort, although there are areas in which the game controls feel rather clumsy-a problem further exacerbated by the lack of any comprehensive tutorial.

Any minor problems learning how to play are pushed well into the background once the plot and environment unfold in one of the most compelling releases of the last year.