Planescape Torment?

So I'm thinking about educating myself in some classic PC RPG action by buying Planescape, Baldurs Gate Box Set, and Icewind Dale Box Set. Should I go through with it? It'd cost me about 50 dollars for all of them which seems like a steal for what amounts to 8 games. I've checked and they all run on Windows 7; so all that's left to decide is if I'm going to actually want to play these...

So I turn it to the community: what are some of your experiences with these games? Do they hold up, or is the jankyness too much to handle? What makes these games so well-regarded and adored by PC gamers? Persuade me to buy them or to save my money!

As long as you keep in mind that the UI is dated, and accept that, you can probably still have a good time with that set of games.

a) why not buy on GOG?

b) You could just start off with one of them first and go from there (BG2 and Planescape are generally regarded as the best of the games you've mentioned)...

c) Have you considered the first 2 or 3 Fallout games?

yes play them.  Planescape itself is well renowned for having some of the best story telling ever told in a game. 

I couldn't get into Baldur's Gate and i haven't played Icewind Dale, but Planescape Torment is one of the best RPG i ever played. It has an amazing premise and universe. The combat wasn't too satisfying for me, being that it's AD&D, but it won't matter as the game is (at least for the first half) dialogue heavy. So yeah, great characters, amazing plot, greatest universe ever created for a game. Get it.

@BeachThunder: I hadn't even considered GOG, I was gonna buy em all because they're discounted if you get them as a set, but I'll probably save myself a lot of money getting them at GOG... Thanks for the recommendation! Also, I bought Fallout 2 awhile back and fucking loved it. Might go back and play the first one some day.

Man, a gig must have been a huge install size for 1999. I can't remember too well because I was only 10 years old...

@Getz said:

@BeachThunder: I hadn't even considered GOG, I was gonna buy em all because they're discounted if you get them as a set, but I'll probably save myself a lot of money getting them at GOG... Thanks for the recommendation! Also, I bought Fallout 2 awhile back and fucking loved it. Might go back and play the first one some day.

Just putting it out there, but, personally, I think FO1 is better than 2 - regardless, it's definitely worth playing if you liked the second one.

Also, I just checked, all of those games together on GOG is $50 too - Although, GOG also has a whole bunch of extras.

Here's a good guide on modding Planescape: Torment so that it's more up to modern standards. Bugfixes, higher resolution, etc.

http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html

I was gonna say you should get them at GOG but then I saw you already got that recomendation. Also saw you said you like Fall Out 2.

So yes, you would not really be interfered by the games mechanics, and as games I can say at least PlaneScape Torment is great (although its buggy- on my computer it crashes to desktop from time to time even with all the recommended mods). I've never been a big Baldur's Gate fan, but you might like it. Who knows- a lot of people like that particular series.

Planescape: Torment is my favourite game, ever :]. hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

while you're checking out old games, this isn't an rpg, but I recommend Psychonauts.

@RobertOrri said:

Here's a good guide on modding Planescape: Torment so that it's more up to modern standards. Bugfixes, higher resolution, etc.

http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html

Definitely do the high res/widescreen mod, above all else. Unless you want to play the game with only like five feet in front of you visible, and at a crappy squished aspect ratio.

Absolutely, all of the games are still great fun. Though when moving from newer RPGs to older ones it is best to keep in mind that some things will be different and may require some accustoming to. The hand holding is mostly gone and there isn't a gigantic marker showing the exact location where a person is or a glowing trail for you to mindlessly follow. The game gives and demands a certain amount of responsibility from you, and personally I love it, but I've come to realize how some of the newer gamers have trouble dealing with this. So keep that in mind.

From the time I've spent with these games Planescape torment is probably my favorite even though I've yet to complete it (computer blew up and saves are now sitting on my HDD), most likely because the story is such a big focus here. In contrast Icewind dale games are my least favorite because the story and plot take a back seat to the combat, which is the best out of all three. Baldur's gate 2 kind of strikes a nice balance here, both the combat and the story are good but fall a little short of Planescape torment's exceptionally well told story and Icewind dale's combat. But ultimately all of them are good, whatever strikes your fancy.

@RobertOrri said:

Here's a good guide on modding Planescape: Torment so that it's more up to modern standards. Bugfixes, higher resolution, etc.

http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html

This here is a must, used it myself and it improved the quality of the experience considerably. In general I'd recommend that you use widescreen mods when playing these games, good stuff.

Planescape and BG2+ToB are definitely worth it.
BG1 I feel has aged pretty badly, and the story and overall setting are far less strong compared to the sequel.

IWD series have aged the worst, as they were basically 6 party member diablo, and purely about the combat. You might love the old AD&D; rules however and really enjoy it. I must admit, the combat in BG2 holds up as better than any RPG I have played since.
P

@Getz said:

Man, a gig must have been a huge install size for 1999. I can't remember too well because I was only 10 years old...

It was pretty big. I remember The Longest Journey from around that time was about that much too, and it was an adventure game. I referred to it as The Longest Install.

Definitely do it. There is really no jankyness to speak of, all of those games are well made and the fan patches get rid of any bugs. Be prepared to put in a tiny amount of effort (more than any modern RPG at least) and you'll be rewarded.

The thing about the Infinity Engine games is that the combat was always pretty shitty. So the games that have aged the best are the ones that offer more than just combat: Planescape and BG2. I think the Icewind Dales are still worth playing for the great atmosphere and encounter design. If you're going to skip a game then skip BG1, substitute Fallout 1 and you're set.

If you'd like great combat then try Temple of Elemental Evil.

@damnable_fiend said:

Planescape: Torment is my favourite game, ever :]. hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

while you're checking out old games, this isn't an rpg, but I recommend Psychonauts.

I bought Psychonauts three times my friend, just to do my part for Tim Schafer's wallet.

Fuck you guys, this game (Planescape) may be 12 years old but it hooked me right in from the beginning. The writing is top-notch so far. Also, how come no one seemed to make the comparison between Morte and Johnson from Shadows of the Damned? Oh right, because no one has played either game...