Rowan
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Registered: 04/23/10
Posts: 305
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Posted 10/19/10
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#1
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Talk about two of Torment's main themes.
SPOILERS are allowed in this thematic thread, but please try to avoid them if possible, and label them clearly if not.
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Bobbicus
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Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 244
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Posted 10/21/10
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#2
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Torment is all about the death.
It should be noted that in almost any rpg, the protagonist is essentially immortal. After all, if you die, you simply reload and try again until you succeed. The only time that you can actually "fail" a game is if you choose to give up. This is a side effect of the medium - you want to be able to break and resume your game.
Torment embraces this. Since death is merely a speedbump in most games it does away with it entirely as a punishment. Indeed, sometimes it is to your advantage to die or commit suicide.
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Minor Spoilers follow
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In fact, the only way that you can get a "game over" screen is if you choose to commit an action that will end your life permanently.
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Spoilers that you shouldn't read your first time through (highlight to read)
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Nevertheless, there are consequences to dying - you just don't see them. I love the big reveal at the end about the true mechanism of your reincarnations - it really makes you regret the times you through your life away for something petty.
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makewayforducklings
Registered: 10/20/10
Posts: 16
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Posted 10/22/10
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#3
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Quote: -------------------------------
Minor Spoilers follow
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In fact, the only way that you can get a "game over" screen is if you choose to commit an action that will end your life permanently.
There is at least one exception to that rule.  (Which I just picked. On purpose.
It's funny how when you can't lose the game, suddenly losing becomes a challenge.)
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"I think you need to have at least 16 HP in order to survive the eye replacement. That's the number I've heard." -Jonathan
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Bobbicus
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Registered: 06/09/10
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Posted 10/22/10
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#4
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Which one? All the options I found took some sort of provocation from the player.
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makewayforducklings
Registered: 10/20/10
Posts: 16
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Posted 10/22/10
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#5
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Well, while this action was definitely provoked by the player  , it's not one that "ends your life permanently," so to speak.
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Decide what happens next: http://adventurecow.com
"I think you need to have at least 16 HP in order to survive the eye replacement. That's the number I've heard." -Jonathan
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Bobbicus
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Registered: 06/09/10
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Posted 10/22/10
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#6
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Oh I get what you were saying - the exception being you don't *end* your life per se.
Yes, I liked how that's the "good" result of it's particular quest line. Sometimes you have to be selfish...
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kateri
Registered: 03/02/09
Posts: 40
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Posted 10/30/10
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#7
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When I started P:T, the first thing that crossed my mind, with the Nameless One's tattooed message to himself, was: was this game before or after the film, Memento? Checking the release dates, they are close enough that one could not really have influenced the other, so: hmm! Interesting.
I admit, I've only just started P:T, and haven't watched Memento properly (I have, in fact, watched it improperly, but I digress), but from what I understand, both have a protagonist who experiences repeated memory "resets", and so communicates to himself via notes, journals and tattooing important things on his body. And that both make artistic statements about memory, identity, and the like. Might be interesting to compare the two!
Maybe I'll watch the film once I finish the game!
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makewayforducklings
Registered: 10/20/10
Posts: 16
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Posted 10/30/10
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#8
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That's an interesting observation. I watched the film by coincidence a few days before I started the game, and something from that experience actually bothered me a bit once I started playing: The problem with P:T is that almost by definition, you (as the player) can't forget what's already happened playing the game! Amnesia is essentially overruled by game mechanics.
I can understand how keeping a journal resolves some of that difficulty, but there are no cinematic hints that TNO still experiences amnesia, the way there are in Memento. I suppose you could have a mini game every time you die where you piece together TNO's memories...bu that could get ridiculous.
My theory is that he's not forgetting as much now. Even little things like TNO's tone of voice after he "wakes up" repeatedly ("my head...it's all stiff") strikes me as someone who's starting to keep his memories, and his actions in game seem to support that theory.
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Decide what happens next: http://adventurecow.com
"I think you need to have at least 16 HP in order to survive the eye replacement. That's the number I've heard." -Jonathan
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Jonathan
Registered: 10/22/10
Posts: 25
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Posted 10/30/10
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#9
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Actually, TNO doesn't forget the events that happen during the game. I won't spoil anything, but not every death causes the amnesia.
He had one of these special deaths before the game began, but the rest of his deaths are not from the same source and don't have the same effect. Most deaths are merely inconvenient, but you'll learn the truth later.
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