Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, Pentiment is a historical adventure game set in the 1500s. It follows the journey of artist Andreas Maler as he moves from town to town in the fictional town of Tassing.
In addition to being a story-driven adventure, Pentiment is also an RPG where players can make decisions that have long-term consequences. Using time, Pentiment explores how truth becomes distorted over the years.
The game takes place in a series of illustrated scenes over the course of 25 years. It combines a fascinating historical fiction treatment with a beautiful art style. It has a strong art direction that pulls the player into the Renaissance setting of the 16th century.
Pentiment is a Narrative Game Set in Renaissance
Pentiment‘s story is set in a time of social upheaval, and the characters clash against each other in a dialectical struggle. The game explores the consequences of the choices they make.
The game’s story combines the social upheaval of the Renaissance with a deep dive into class structure, religion, sexuality, and chance. The main character, Andreas, is a journeyman artist working in the Scriptorium of Kiersau Abbey. He dreams of Baron Lorenz Rothvogel, a man who was stabbed to death in a Chapter House. He must solve the murder to complete his masterpiece.
The narrative of the game is told in three acts; the first act involves scrubbing pages of an older book; the second act revolves around investigating a murder; the third act is about the effects of time on truth and morality. Pentiment’s campaign takes about fifteen to twenty hours to complete.
Pentiment Gameplay Review
Unlike many games, Pentiment does not rely on action to draw players in. Instead, its gameplay is largely based on conversations.
Pentiment‘s dialogue is written in real-time. You can respond to their prompts as you listen to the characters speak. There are several different languages that Pentiment supports, so it’s possible to read the dialogue in more than one language.
Also, Pentiment allows players to choose their own paths. However, there is a limit to how much interaction you can have with your fellow players. This limits the game’s appeal for long-term players. The main menu can be confusing to navigate. It’s broken into sections, and the quest log can take a lot of work to sort.
Despite its flaws, Pentiment is a well-crafted work of art. It’s a rare chance to see history come to life through the eyes of the people who lived it.
If you want to take a look at the game and want to try it, you can find it on Steam for PCs and the Microsoft Store for Xbox consoles.
