10 Critically-Acclaimed Video Games NO ONE Played

Many an RPG fan would be stunned to see Planescape: Torment on this list. After all, it remains a regular entry in many a best of RPGs feature.

The game was universally praised for its writing (penned by industry maestro Chris Avellone), with critics giving it real literary weight, a big deal for a medium then still seen as something of a geek’s hobby.

The Planescape setting also earned much praise, eschewing as it did the Tolkien-esque fantasy of its competition for a world that is by turns demented, disturbing and grotesque, yet always utterly compelling. Add bright and colourful visuals, excellent sound design and a phenomenal soundtrack and you had a game that richly deserves its 91 Metacritic score.

If only anyone played it. Despite being released in 1999 it had sold a mere 400 000 copies by 2017. To put that in context, the equally obscure and highly regarded adventure title, The Longest Journey (91 on Metacritic), sold 500 000...by 2004. Ultimately, Planescape was probably a bit too weird for mainstream tastes, and its focus on narrative rather than combat didn’t help much either.

According to Avellone the game was ultimately profitable, but that it did so poorly remains a travesty. Fortunately the Enhanced Edition has updated the classic title for new audiences.