Pentiment is a slow and methodical experience that continuously blows you away with its attention to detail.
Pentiment is unlike many games that have been released this past year. Unlike the other and more bombastic titles that this year has provided, Pentiment is a game that requires a modicum of patience from the player. It is a narrative adventure from Obsidian Entertainment that spans 25 years.
You play as Andreas Maler, a struggling artist in the middle of 16th-century Bavaria (Tassing, to be specific). Andreas is working in this small village, painting in the scriptorium all the while working on his masterpiece, all before tragedy strikes, and suddenly Andreas is slung into a world of intrigue, mystery, and more,e where you don’t know who or what to trust.
The true magic of this game comes from its narrative. The sweeping story is very personal and interconnected, and the characters ensure that every choice that you make as Andreas feels like it has weight and consequence. The plot is intricate with multiple paths, interweaving segments, and more that ensures it continues to be this addictive experience.
Players can dictate certain aspects of Andreas’ life, such as whether he travelled to Florence and Venice, or Flanders or Basel, what he majored in at University, and more. Each of these details makes Andreas into a more rounded character, both for you as the player, but also for the world surrounding Andreas. Depending on your choices, Andreas may be able to comment on certain things; being learned in Theology and Occultism would provide a very different Andreas compared to an Andreas that was more of an Orator, etc.
These choices ensure that, at least to some degree, the game has a great deal of replayability value and is a game that encourages multiple run-throughs to see the many options at the player’s disposal.
Unlike other adventure games, Pentiment’s core gameplay does not rely on puzzles; instead, the core of this game is the conversation. The dialogue is invocative and interesting and is dripping with both atmosphere and character. Every interaction feels like it could provide some level of information that could be useful to the next step; you are hanging on the thread of every word that is so elegantly written in those little text boxes.
Even the dialogue that does not necessarily prove useful still provides something. Whether it is simply a funny statement or gesture, a child stealing your hat, whatever it may be, every aspect of the game feels deliberate and meaningful at least to some degree.
One thing I must compliment particularly is the game’s dedication to context clues. One of the weaknesses of many games that contain no voice acting is that the characters can, on occasion, feel bland or devoid of any personality and emotion. This is not the case in Pentiment. Due to the incredible UI, players are able to understand a character’s intent, thoughts, background, and more. The script adjusts depending on what is being said and who is saying it.
Members of the church speak in sanctimonious black letter script, while a printer’s text simply ‘appears’ in the text box. Those who are learned may ‘write/speak’ more eloquently, while the common peasant will speak plainly. If characters are angry, certain words are covered in splotches of ink and shake, and any reference to God is highlighted in red, simply pointing out the significance of the religious mention. It is the details like this that make this game so enjoyable and easy to play.
The town of Tassing is brought to life in this spectacular art style, which evokes the appearance of art that was created at the time and that is being created by the artist protagonist. Every character, background, and more is stunning. Whether it’s the sprawling fields that stretch far into the background. The great abbey with its sprawling ancient walls and the gorgeous colours of the church or even if it is the Roman ruins that ominously loom in the background, every inch of this game is incredible.
The art also shows a consistent attention to detail. Pieces of art that are present in the game are based on real art pieces that have been discovered across the world. An example of this incredible detail is the character of Sebhat. Sebhat is an Ethiopian monk who has gone to Tassing to deliver a gift to the Abbot. While the rest of the characters are done in the more European style, Sebhat stands out with his art resembling that of his homeland; details like this are why this game is so beautiful to look at.
The sound design in Pentiment is also fantastic and is incredibly atmospheric. From the soft whistle of the wind, the sounds of flies and rats, everything evokes the period it is set in. The scraping of the pen against the paper as each character speaks is also surprisingly captivating and intensely holds your gaze as each letter takes its shape. The soundtrack is also phenomenal. It may be subtle for the most part, but it once again evokes that late medieval period and allows players to become immersed in the world that much more easily.
If there’s a word to encapsulate Pentiment in easily, it’s passion. The game feels like a passion project, a love letter to medieval history readers, RPG lovers, and more. As a history reader, it is consistently interesting to hear characters talk about the goings on across the Holy Roman Empire and even into other realms of Christendom. The game also truly shows the scale of the Late Medieval world.
We are currently so fascinated by the belief that people found a spot to stay and remained there until death, but the real period was not like this; real people travelled and settled in all manner of places. Pentiment shows us this with simple details like an Ethiopian monk visiting, or the fact that Brother Aedoc is from Cornwall and has yet to be sent to settle in Bavaria.
Details like this are the heart and soul behind Pentiment. The title is an incredible tale of a town in the late medieval period that is severely down on its luck, its people are suffering, and all the while we have this unique and interesting detective story that unfolds in this immense chronicle. Pentiment is a triumph. Its patience and slow, methodical pace may be troublesome for some, but I often found myself wishing to simply learn more about the people of Tassing and how they had to deal with their lot in life.
Pentiment is a title I will return to countless times as I seek to understand what other paths I could have taken. Its lack of combat does not detract from the experience, and honestly, I can only imagine the addition of such a system as more damaging than improving. Pentiment is a game that I would heartily recommend.
Pentiment is available right now on PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, and Xbox/PC Game Pass. Here at GamesCreed, we cover everything gaming. From the latest news to stellar reviews, GamesCreed has you covered.
