I'm considering one of these two as my next RPG venture. Which would you recommend and why?

I understand that they're both supposed to be incredible games, so I'm really just looking for personal opinions.

Planescape Torment has the best story in an RPG while Baldur's Gate (2+ToB included) have the most epic saga and character interactions in an RPG.

They're pretty different. Planescape has pretty much one advantage going for it - the story, which is arguably the best one you'll ever find in a video game, so if that's what you're looking for then by all means play that.

I'd rank them BG2, Planescape, BG1. While BG2 and Planescape are almost equally as good, I personally give the edge to BG2 for its length and the many different ways you can play it (therefore adding to its replay factor), as well as its story and great villain in Jon Irenicus.

BG1 is pretty good, but not comparable to either Planescape or BG2 in my opinion.

I love Planescape; Torment but never got that into the Baldur's Gate games. If you're like me and play RPGS mainly for story and dialogue choices then go with Planescape; Torment. Also Planescape; Torment unlike most fantasy WRPGS has a kickass strange setting.

Planescape it is. I'm really interested to experience the story. I've had friends tell me the same: that it's pretty much unmatched in the video game arena.

Of course, I've got a lot of the Fallout series to finish first... As if that's a bad thing :p

I prefer a chaste succubus who is only horny for knowledge and experiences. =D But both are awesome characters.

Goddman it, Planescape: Torment is really awesome. Recently got NWN2, main campaign so far is blah, but I heard Mask of the Betrayer being compared to Planescape: Torment let's hope that is the case.

There are good reasons to choose either, but I'd recommend you start with PS:T. Story wins.

I would easily recommend BG saga thereafter.

Planescape.

Unlike BG is doesn't kill you before you can ever start the game. :p

Actually, PS:T kills you quite early in the game...

I thought the ultimate goal of PS:T was to die permanently :P

Spoiler alert?

It's a tough question.

Torment has the better storyline, and hook for certain. But I found the actual battle mechanics kind of stinted. I'm sure I never got far enough in it, but battling was by far my least favorite part of the game.

Where as with the BG games, the system calls back on the D&D system with a vast array of options. Not as much as say TOEE< but enough to have a variety of play styles.

So it really depends on what you want. A great story & Setting or mechanics?

I approach the NWN2 campaign as a piss take of typical RPG narratives, though a rather subtle one. There is a some good dialogue where it is clearly making fun of how cliched the game is. Betrayer is rightly compared to Torment.

@OP I'm assuming you will eventually play both games so I'd suggest Planescape: Torment first simply because if you're not familiar with AD&D it is not very heavy on combat.

yeah, but it's not a "game over" kinda kill.

Can't count how many times I started playing BG, and got killed within 5 minutes.

D&D 2E rules suck for video games. Actually no wait, D&D rules suck for video games, period. D&D is NOT meant to be a video game. In Planescape they realized this and VASTLY modified the system.

Personally, I never got too terribly far in BG or PS:T. PS:T was due to the games story just never grabbing me and making me go "I want to play this." Mechanically it was fine though, and these days I could probably get in to it (I plan to buy it again eventually). BG on the other hand, the story never interested me, and I disliked a lot of the mechanical elements of it as well, paired with dying more often than I have in any RPG.. I gave up on it.

There's only 1 thing I can give BG over PS:T: You have a bit more control over who/what your character is. That, however, is rather superficial. You can put a different skin on them, but for the game they're the same.