'Torment' Kickstarter breaks record with $4.1m take

The spiritual sequel to iconic 1999 role-playing adventure 'Planescape: Torment' exceeded $4.1m at the close of its 30-day Kickstarter funding drive on April 5, making 'Torment: Tides of Numenera' the platform's most funded game and third most funded project overall.

Noted for detailed artwork, nuanced characterization and high quality narrative, 'Planescape: Torment' is frequently cited in discussions of the role-playing genre's most influential titles.

'Torment: Tides of Numenera,' projected for release by the end of 2014, responded to its predecessor's accolades by recruiting a number of noted designers, musicians and storytellers to its cause, including the original's game designers Chris Avellone and Colin McComb, composer Mark Morgan as well as 'Planescape' world designer Monte Cook.

Previous most-funded Kickstarter video game 'Project Eternity' topped out at $3.9m in October 2012, itself being related to another of the 1990s' great role-playing titles, 'Baldur's Gate.'

Combined with donations made via the game's website, where visitors can still pre-order 'Torment: Tides of Numenera,' the new incumbent has now raised $4.37m of a revised $4.5m target -- an impressive sum nevertheless surpassed by the ongoing $8.5m of space sim 'Star Citizen,' $2.1m of which came via its own Kickstarter drive.