Microsoft Obsidian's "Pentiment" (medieval mystery RPG, 15 November 2022) appears to be a videogame version of "The Name of the Rose" or an Oliver Pötzsch novel - reviews from OpenCritic posted

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Of all the games presented today, this was the one that captured my interest the most!
 

What Is Obsidian’s Pentiment? - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM

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Josh Sawyer’s just-announced medieval narrative mystery, Pentiment, has been in development for about four years now. But if you ask Sawyer, it really started way, way back in 1992.

 

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Sawyer first pitched the seed of what would become Pentiment to now-Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart back when they were still working at Black Isle together. There, Sawyer was a designer working on projects like Icewind Dale 2 and the original, cancelled Fallout 3. As Sawyer explains it, Urquhart was “not into” his pitch at the time, and felt people who wouldn’t know history wouldn’t want to play it.

 

But Sawyer disagreed, and the idea came up once more years later when the two were reunited at Obsidian Entertainment, where Sawyer was the lead designer on Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity, and the director on Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. During the lull after Deadfire, while discussions about a Microsoft acquisition were floating around, Sawyer revived his old pitch as a narrative adventure game. It was not quite a murder mystery, but with mystery elements, with a strong visual style and gameplay, like Night in the Woods, Mutazione, or Oxenfree. It would incorporate exploring, talking to people, and little puzzles sprinkled throughout. Sawyer knew what he pitched would be niche, so he wanted a fairly small team and didn’t want to do anything too mechanically complex.

 

This time, his pitch won out, and Sawyer got to work on Pentiment: a 16th-century narrative adventure set in Upper Bavaria. As he explains it, you play as Andreas Maler, a journeyman on the cusp of becoming a master artist who’s traveling around Europe, taking on odd jobs as he goes. While staying at a Benedictine abbey and working on an illuminated manuscript, his friend and mentor is accused of the murder of a prominent individual. His friend claims innocence, but no one seems especially interested in investigating who the real murderer is. That leaves Andreas to step up to the job, becoming a medieval detective of sorts as he speaks to the many suspects.

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

Ah this is the much hyped Josh Sawyer game.

[crispy4000]

I wonder if they used their previous work on Stick of Truth as a base for this.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[Keyser_Soze]

Here's the interview from the extended from today

 

 

[thewhyteboar]

Oh shit. This is my kinda kink. 

[DPCyric]

I'm down for some 2D silliness 

[legend]

I'll probably play this if nothing else but because Josh Sawyer is behind it.

 

Also, I like a number of narrative games.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

New interview with  Josh Sawyer:

 

Interview: Obsidian's Josh Sawyer On Pentiment, A Historical Murder Mystery Where Your Choices Echo Through The Ages

WWW.THEGAMER.COM

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Choice and consequence on a grand scale.

 

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For decades, veteran game developer Josh Sawyer has been designing big, deep, dense RPGs. Games like classic D&D dungeon crawler Icewind Dale, sublime Infinity Engine throwback Pillars of Eternity (the sequel to which is one of the best RPGs ever made), and beloved Fallout sequel New Vegas. But Sawyer's next project is something very different indeed. Pentiment (more on that curious name later) is a narrative adventure game set in 16th Century Bavaria.

 

While it will feature role-playing elements and a branching narrative—things Obsidian is known and loved for—they'll be presented and packaged in a way that we've never seen from the studio before. From the moment I saw the reveal trailer at the Xbox & Bethesda Games showcase, I had to know more about it—so I asked Sawyer to talk me through the origins of the idea, and what we can expect from Pentiment when it launches on Xbox and PC in November.

 

 

[Greatoneshere]

This looks super interesting. It's pretty crazy Obsidian has the retail version of Grounded dropping in September and then Pentiment dropping November, and they've got both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 in development - they've been busy.

[Bloodporne]

Name of the Rose is one of my favorite books and I also love the the Pötzsch stuff. Very very interested immediately.

 

Edit: Just watched the video, fantastic. I have several woodcut tattoos, my favorite art style.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

23 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

Name of the Rose is one of my favorite books and I also love the the Pötzsch stuff. Very very interested immediately.

 

I was wondering about your thoughts on the Pötzsch novels!

 

Glad we agree!

[Bloodporne]

51 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

I was wondering about your thoughts on the Pötzsch novels!

 

Glad we agree!

I do read them in German and they're really cool. I actually see it as a positive that they're a bit like Name of the Rose Lite. They're great, fun reads with lots of atmosphere and well-explained politics and customs of the time. 

 

Not that they're LIKE Name but this isn't exactly a little sub-genre with many entries.

[thewhyteboar]

I’ve read a few in that series as well. 
 

If you like Name of the Rose, Hild by Nicola Griffith is a book I’d recommend. It’s not a mystery, nor medieval, but the way it really creates a vivid setting is reminiscent of Rose. 
 

 

[Brian]

I am pretty excited for this game. Glad to see it releasing in November. A good game to play when you need to take a break from GoW2

[Brian]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Preview articles:

 

Pentiment preview: Obsidian’s historical, religiously charged murder mystery

ARSTECHNICA.COM

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Lead dev on Obsidian's first game since Microsoft acquisition: "We can do this now."

 

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Game director Josh Sawyer doesn't mince words about this peculiar game's budget and scope—nor about its corporate handlers finding the right place to put it.

 

"I've wanted to make a historical game for a long time, but I can't remember the exact moment where I said, 'What if it was a narrative adventure and very small?'" Sawyer says in a video conference. "I will say, it wasn't until Microsoft was going to acquire us that I thought, we can do this now"—he pauses with a nervous laugh—"for two reasons." Those being, Microsoft had suggested in the acquisition that the studio could explore "unusual and experimental" fare, and Microsoft's subscription-driven Game Pass platform might be a better fit than traditional retail for a game like Pentiment: an accessible, non-combat, decision-driven murder mystery set in the wake of the tumultuous Protestant Reformation. "Whatever ideas I had about maybe doing something like this, they didn't seem achievable until Microsoft acquired us."

 

Everything I've seen and read about Pentiment leans into this kind of game-publishing serendipity, where a publisher has a vested interest in unique-looking games that don't lean on existing IP (aka, might struggle as a crowdfunded pitch) and don't have to sell for $60 or more on store shelves. And it's grand luck for Sawyer, who admits he spent his college years studying German history after being inspired by his own family's unclear genealogy, which eventually led him to deeply research the Bavarian period this game is set in.

 

 

 

Obsidian’s Pentiment is a murder mystery, but it’s the fonts that I’m obsessed with

WWW.POLYGON.COM

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Josh Sawyer’s new narrative adventure isn’t like other Obsidian RPGs

 

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Obsidian Entertainment is best known for sprawling role-playing games like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity, but the studio’s next adventure is a big swing in the other direction. Pentiment, lead by game designer Josh Sawyer, is small. About 13 people are working on it, Sawyer says, and the historical narrative adventure features only “light RPG” elements. It’s designed to be easily played by anyone, not just those who crave a hundred-hour game with deep and robust role-playing mechanics.

 

Pentiment is visibly different from Obsidian’s other fantasy and sci-fi video games. It looks like its 16th century inspirations, drawing its unique aesthetic from a blend of late medieval illuminated manuscripts and early modern woodcuts.

 

That visual design informs an aesthetic element of Pentiment that I can’t stop thinking about: the fonts.

 

 

 

Pentiment Is What I've Wanted To Get Out Of Xbox Game Pass - GameSpot

WWW.GAMESPOT.COM

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Pentiment is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC in November 2022.

 

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Having not had a chance to actually play Pentiment yet, I can't speak to the quality of Obsidian Entertainment's upcoming mystery-driven adventure game. That said, I really like what I've seen of the game, and beyond that, I love that something like it exists. Games like Pentiment are what I've always wanted to get out of a service like Xbox Game Pass--experiences that are interesting and also afford a major studio the chance to be a little bit more experimental.

 

In Pentiment, you play as journeyman artist Andreas Maler in a story that spans 25 years during early 16th century Germany. Andreas finds himself staying in a Benedictine abbey in the midst of a journey to see all of Europe, taking on part-time work where he can find it to pay for his travels. While at the abbey, a murder takes place, and Andreas's mentor is accused of the crime. With no one willing to investigate any other possible explanations, Andreas steps up.

 

The entire game is presented as if it were written in the pages of a manuscript or book of the time period, with the text emulating written scripts and early block typing and the character models, buildings, and backgrounds drawn to appear as if the line weight and color are the results of a brush. The act of moving between locations occurs as the pages of Andreas' story turn. It's not like anything Obsidian has done before.

 

 

 

Pentiment, the 16th-century murder mystery that looks like a playable tapestry | Games | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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Director Josh Sawyer explains why developer Obsidian decided to make a narrative adventure about a painter-detective

 

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You are Andreas Moller, an artist working in an abbey in 16th-century Bavaria. Over the course of 25 years, you must investigate a murder in a local town convulsed by the social changes of the era. Pentiment doesn’t sound like a typical video game, and it doesn’t look like one either, inspired as it is by late medieval art: the whole thing looks like a cross between a tapestry and an early-modern illustrated manuscript. The word pentiment means an earlier painting covered up by a later one, and the plot sees Moller scraping away lies to uncover the truth.

 

The game’s director Josh Sawyer at developer Obsidian has a degree in history, and studied the Holy Roman Empire in particular. “I’d always wanted to make a historical game,” he says. “And around the time that Microsoft acquired us [in 2018], I thought it would be cool to try to pitch a very small-scale game.” He chose the 16th century because it was an era of great social upheaval, not unlike the period we’re living through today.

 

“You had Martin Luther and the peasant uprising, and then later on in the century the heliocentric model of the solar system emerged, and there was a lot of turmoil about social change at the time. I thought it would be interesting to focus on one small community, and a story that is really about that community, but is also being flanked and overrun by these changes that are going on in the larger society.”

 

 

 

Pentiment Preview - A Ye Olde Narrative RPG

SCREENRANT.COM

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Pentiment is a historical narrative RPG.

 

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One of the amazing things about modern video games is that it's possible to emulate many different art styles, bringing old paintings and sculptures to life in a way that their creators could never have imagined. The latest game to attempt this is Pentiment, the upcoming narrative RPG from Obsidian Entertainment. Screen Rant had a chance to see Pentiment in action ahead of its upcoming November release.

 

Pentiment is set in Bavaria during the 16th century and the art style is reminiscent of the artwork seen in the medieval era. The visuals in the game are like an ancient tapestry come to life, with an incredible amount of work put into the character sprites, background, and text that appears. The protagonist of Pentiment is Andreas Malar, an artist who resides in the fictional Kiersau Abbey and the town of Tassing. Pentiment is set over 25 years, following events like the Reformation, the Revolution of 1525, and the introduction of Copernicus' heliocentric model of the solar system. During this period, Andreas is tasked with solving different murders and dealing with different scandals that affect the people in his life.

 

 

 

Pentiment's Story Seems to be All About Choices and Consequences

GAMERANT.COM

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Obsidian's new RPG Pentiment may divulge from previous games in art and narrative style, yet choices and consequences dictate the story's flow.

 

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One of the critical elements that Sawyer revealed about Pentiment is how its story spans 25 years. How this will play out is still a mystery, though games with this type of mechanic usually involve a time jump. Since the setting is focused on a small community caught between the secular and ecclesiastical, Andreas' education allows him to operate within both realms to progress his investigation. However, Sawyer has indicated that despite Andreas' university education, players can choose which subjects he studied, which dictates who he can or cannot talk to.

 

Another feature Sawyer has focused on is how the game's narrative will never tell players who the murderer canonically is. As a narrative-driven RPG, Sawyer feels that players' choices as Andreas should lead them to discover who they believe the culprit is. He notes that players can find ways to accuse those they may simply dislike or have opposing world views. Through character interactions, motives, and beliefs, Sawyer hopes players will feel convicted in their choices, regarding of who they accuse.

 

 

 

In Obsidan's murder mystery Pentiment, don't expect to know if you ID'd the right killer | PC Gamer

WWW.PCGAMER.COM

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Pentiment plays with the ambiguity of its murder investigation—and nothing's stopping you from pinning the blame on somebody you dislike.

 

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Pentiment knows exactly what it is. The June reveal trailer for Obsidian's 16th century murder mystery declared itself "a narrative adventure most unexpected," and it's definitely not the kind of game we'd expect from a studio and director known for RPGs. But that's also exciting: director Josh Sawyer is clearly jazzed to be making a smaller-than-usual game set in post-medieval Bavaria, full of period-authentic artwork and a protagonist a bit reminiscent of monk supersleuth Brother Cadfael. 

 

Cadfael, though, always catches his killer—Pentiment doesn't plan to give you that kind of certainty.

 

In a Q&A session ahead of this week's Gamescom, where Pentiment is playable, Josh Sawyer and art director Hannah Kennedy gave an introduction to the game and talked about what to expect from its mystery. There will be branching dialogues and events based on your choices, but you're not going to get a "good" or "bad" ending for identifying the true killer or blowing your investigation.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Pentiment is a Game Pass title by art history buffs for art history buffs - The Washington Post

WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM

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"Pentiment," a new narrative adventure game, comes to Xbox Game Pass Nov. 15.

 

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Both Sawyer and art director Hannah Kennedy had an interest and fascination with art history and history more broadly, which seeped into “Pentiment’s” design.

 

“Art history had a huge impact on the creation of this game, in part because it is a history game.” Kennedy said. “At its core, this is a story about the experience of working artists at the time. So there was a lot to learn from art history, to inform that character and how they exist within this world about also inform how the space looks. It was fun to get to directly reference different art pieces within the story, make little nods to that because we feel that our audience will share a lot of interest with those same things that we find interesting.”

 

Kennedy said her background attending a Western art school informed her knowledge of how artists in that time period worked, and added that given that there were no cameras back then, developers based their historical depiction on era-appropriate paintings.

 

 

 

Pentiment Preview: One Monk Invents a Murder in Fallout New Vegas Director’s Latest Adventure - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM

 

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Years ago, I frequented a website called The Toast that ran, alongside wonderful columns and criticism, various literary nerd gags including a recurring bit called “Two Monks.” Two Monks was written as a dialogue between the titular religious duo who were, in most of the episodes, trying to figure out best practices for medieval art by bantering about the “correct” way to depict various animals, people, and objects shown in real-life artworks. If you’ve had any experience with medieval art, you know the field is absolutely bizarre when taken out of context, so most of the conversations were along the lines of how many eyes a dog should have (seven), what wrestling is (confused hugging) and whether birds have meetings (yes, complete with a Meeting Hat).

 

But the best thing about Two Monks was how its attention to weird details made the real people of that era seem more like, you know, real people. Not the intangible, lofty figures that often seem to populate mainstream looks at history. Which brings me to Pentiment: a game that is far more serious than Two Monks, but reminds me of the column in its passionate embrace of the weird details that don’t often emerge in mainstream depictions of medieval Europe, and the ways in which those details chip away at the humanity of a time we can never personally experience.

 

I jumped into Pentiment in media res, following the murder of nobleman Lorenz Rothvogel and the understandable accusation of a monk who was found holding a bloody dagger near the body. Andreas, however, is friends with the monk, who claims he didn’t commit the crime – which leaves Andreas to investigate and ultimately accuse an alternative culprit. I was given the choice between three different investigative paths for my demo. Rather than examine the body or question another man who might have known something, I opted to interrogate a cantankerous widow who had been observed cursing the nobleman prior to his death.

 

 

[thewhyteboar]

God this sounds incredible. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

More new previews from Gamescom

 

The simmering wickedness of Pentiment's dialogue is a delight

WWW.EUROGAMER.NET

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"Good writing" is a phrase that gets used quite often, and it can mean a lot of different things. Is good writing a goo…

 

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Still, Pentiment has good writing - wonderful writing, actually - and in this case I do know what it means. This game's writing is witty, it has tempo and timing, it is genuinely, wickedly funny. It is also, above all, natural - something that so often seems impossible in games, things where you're so often controlling a character impulsively, pulling their puppet strings on a whim. How do you write around that? Pentiment, Obsidian's surprise new thing that I am judging from an admittedly quite brief hands-on at Gamescom, seems to manage it remarkably well.

 

Things begin in Pentiment with you choosing a background, in a fairly typical, tabletop RPG-inspired way but with a nicely in-theme twist, whereby you play as a semi-educated bloke with a choice of studies and interests. I chose to have studied Logic and dropped out halfway through Theology, with an interest in the Occult, a mediaeval gap year to Flanders and a bit of a taste for Hedonism (although I was tempted to be a Rapscallion who liked scampering about picking fights and generally being a peevish little imp, like a kind of Dark Age Bart Simpson. Hedonism ultimately just felt like it suited a dropout Theologian a little better.)

 

Your job is to solve a local murder, and in my brief time with Pentiment that generally meant walking around the village talking to people. This is, honestly, something I usually find to be a bit of a dirge, but Pentiment knows that if you're going to spend a many-hours-long game doing not much more than having conversations, those conversations have to be at least quite interesting - and that often the most interesting conversations are the funniest.

 

For me, this all manifested itself as completing a series of comically mind-numbing chores for an absolutely furious old woman. This lady is livid. She hates people, she hates you, she hates picking up twigs (this is relevant) and above all she hates the church, which is important because the church is quite a significant thing in mediaeval Europe, and not something you're supposed to tell people you hate.

 

 

 

Obsidian worked on Pentiment for 9 months before telling Microsoft | TechRadar

WWW.TECHRADAR.COM

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See it to believe it

 

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Obsidian tinkered with its upcoming murder mystery game Pentiment for several months before showing publisher and parent company Microsoft what it was working on.

 

Speaking to TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom 2022, Pentiment director Josh Sawyer said the team didn’t pitch the game to Microsoft, but rather got straight to work. Obsidian only told its publisher about the game after several months of development, feeling it needed to be seen to be understood.

 

“The first time we talked to Microsoft about it was after we had already made a full prototype,” says Sawyer. “The way we presented it was to show the prototype and then explain it. I think if we explained it and then showed it, it would have been harder."

 

 

 

'Pentiment' is a work of peerless brilliance

WWW.INVERSE.COM

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Obsidian's 'Pentiment' is a resounding testament to why major studios should be given free rein to explore passion projects, no matter how impractical.

 

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IN HIS EARLY YEARS, ANDREAS MALER WAS A BRILLIANT ACADEMIC WITH A PARTICULAR AFFINITY FOR ALL THINGS LINGUISTIC AND LEGISLATIVE.

 

The people of Basel thought of him as a sort of Latinist prodigy, although he soon became more prodigal than prodigious, leaning ever further into the insatiable hedonism that inspired his art. It isn’t until the year 1518, when his friend Brother Piero is accused of murder, that he must finally recall his studies — but at what cost, and to what end?

 

This is the version of Maler that I built for my demo of Pentiment at Gamescom 2022, although there are a lot of customization options to play around with.

 

You have to play as Maler, but you can texture his personality, academic background, and travel history to your liking. Is he a logician or an occultist? A theologian or a medicinal practitioner? A drunkard visiting Bavaria from Flanders, or a virtuosic artist from Renaissance Italy? A philosopher whose head is often buried in books, or a different kind of optimistic nihilist who has earned the prestigious title of “rapscallion” from all those he tries to inculcate, but instead infuriates? You get the gist.

 

 

 

Pentiment preview: A ripping yarn

WWW.POCKET-LINT.COM

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This intriguing adventure game from Obsidian looks like it could be very fun indeed.

 

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Pentiment looks like it might just sum up everything that's great about Game Pass when it hits it on release day - a fun, unique and fundamentally niche adventure RPG that will hopefully find an audience because of the subscription platform.

 

From what we played at Gamescom, it should deserve to. This looks like a smart little RPG with engaging branching conversations and meaningful choices that actually do lock you out of other options. We'll look forward to exploring it more when it releases in November.

 

 

[Firewithin]

@Commissar SFLUFAN

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

Out today

 

 

[Bloodporne]

Getting some incredibly strong reviews, even a 10/10 from IGN. This is an absolute must-buy for me, getting it on Steam. 

[TheLeon]

This is one of those games that doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s my jam, but the combination of high praise and Game Pass means I’ll check it out. 

[legend]

Damn it's definitely game season! I've got this, God of War (playing now), Bayonetta 3, Signalis, and probably more on my plate.

[Keyser_Soze]

Game Information

Game Title: Pentiment

 

Platforms:

• PC (Nov 15, 2022)
• Xbox Series X/S (Nov 15, 2022)
• Xbox One (Nov 15, 2022)

 

Trailer:

• Pentiment Announcement Trailer

 

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 86 average - 89% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

 

 

But Why Tho? - Arron Kluz - 10 / 10

 

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Pentiment is a game that will stick with you for a long time after you play it. Its unique blend of thought-provoking discussion, historical accuracy, and challenging a player’s morals all work to push players to consider everything going on in the game and weigh the pros and cons of heavy decisions that must be made with limited information…It takes a very special work of art to make an observer feel as much as Pentiment does, and the game manages to do so consistently throughout its entire runtime.

Dexerto - Sam Smith - 5 / 5

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We found Pentiment to be utterly addictive and would compare our playthrough to reading a great novel that we could not put down, which feels apt since the game is stylized as a medieval storybook. While the game looks simple, there's an incredible amount of depth and those who like to lose themselves in a good story will enjoy every moment.

 The game was a little bit too long when compared to other narrative adventure games, and this risks some players not making it to the closing credits, but we're mostly nitpicking. Like their protagonist Andreas, Obsidian has created a masterpiece that not everyone will appreciate, but those who do will remember for years to come.

EGM - Michael Goroff - 5 / 5

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Pentiment is a true achievement of marrying story, style, and theme into a magical and cohesive whole. In lieu of 3D graphics that try too hard and still fail to represent an authentic-feeling world, Obsidian's artists opted for a more illustrative aesthetic to tell their gripping story of a murder in an abbey, a choice that resonates throughout the entire game. While it might not satisfy every player, especially those expecting a more traditional RPG or adventure experience, those who can immerse themselves in Pentiment's vision of 16th century Bavaria will find one of the best games of the year.

Gamerheadquarters - Jason Stettner - 10 / 10

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Pentiment is a masterpiece, I’ve never played such a unique game. It combines traditional classic RPG stylings with modern game mechanics for such a perfect interactive atmosphere.

GamesHub - David Wildgoose - 5 / 5

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Through interactions with these people and many others – the insights into their lives gleaned from talking to them while they work, or the hopes and fears they reveal around the dinner table as you share pottage and bread – Tassing comes to feel like as real a place I’ve ever visited in a video game. As the months and years roll by, you feel those layers settling in, the weight of decisions these people have made – and that you’ve made too – shaping the history of the place.

Hey Poor Player - Andrew Thornton - 5 / 5

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Pentiment is one of the most interesting games I’ve played in 2022, going far beyond even what most RPGs can manage when it comes to player choice and consequence. Between its setting, its graphical style, and its fantastic story, Pentiment demands your attention.

IGN - Leana Hafer - 10 / 10

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Pentiment is a clever Medieval detective story with a gorgeously-realized world that I can hardly recommend highly enough.

Screen Rant - Cody Gravelle - 5 / 5

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What Obsidian has here is a reinvention of narrative gaming, however, and one that asks a question of the player everyone should at least attempt answering. Whether or not the question is too inscrutable doesn't really matter - it's how Andreas, and the player, responds. Pentiment is the kind of masterwork that Andreas chases early in the game, and it's equally as flawed, biased, subjective, and captivating as the pieces he's inspired by. Play it and decide for yourself whether it's worthy of that kind of comparison. That's the point.

SomosXbox - Paloma Diez - Spanish - 10 / 10

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So we can only recommend this game even if it does not seem "your style". Pentiment is dynamic, fun and engaging and we believe that it is worth enjoying by any type of player, because it is a safe bet that you will love.

TheGamer - Andy Kelly - 5 / 5

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It's a magnificent thing, and this story will be lingering in my thoughts for quite some time. Pentiment takes Obsidian's expertise in branching narratives, role-playing, and building evocative worlds, then packages it all up in an exciting and unique way. I was devastated when it was over, and I'm still not over that ending. But now I'm looking forward to playing it all over again, this time with another Andreas. Maybe one who speaks Latin, studied law, and spent his wandering years in Switzerland. There are some bad choices and disastrous consequences I'd like to avoid this time too. That's the beauty of being an artist: you can always scrape the parchment clean and start again.

VG247 - Jim Trinca - 5 / 5

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Pentiment is about that phenomenon, and also a manifestation of it. It's one of the most engaging and accessible works of living history ever commissioned, and the fact that it exists at all - let alone as a major platform holder's first-party RPG heading into the Christmas season - is a miracle worthy of the saints.

WellPlayed - Nathan Hennessy - 10 / 10

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A gorgeous, towering watermark for choice-driven narratives, enlivening a heartfelt medieval saga to surpass the greats in prose and play.

Windows Central - Zachary Boddy - 5 / 5

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Pentiment's gameplay — or lack thereof — may deter some would-be players, but those who become invested in its lovingly crafted world set in distant past, emotional and human narrative, and gripping murder conspiracy are guaranteed to fall in love.

Impulsegamer - S. Masood Kazemi - 4.8 / 5

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Pentiment is one of the best games of 2022 that anyone could play.

AltChar - Semir Omerovic - 95 / 100

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Obsidian's Pentiment is a multi-layered masterpiece full of endearing characters, compelling stories, and disturbing secrets that await you at every corner of this carefully crafted world. It's a charming video game that discusses difficult social themes and struggles of ordinary people, acting as a history lesson that will stay in your memory for a long long time, as every masterpiece does.

CGMagazine - Hayes Madsen - 9.5 / 10

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Pentiment is a vibrant adventure that fully embraces its time period, artistic style, and sense of mystery. It’s methodical pacing and focus on dialogue won’t appeal to everyone, but Pentiment knows what it wants to be and does it exceptionally well.

DualShockers - Jack Coleman - 9.5 / 10

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Pentiment is a shining example of committing fully to an idea without worrying about where it fits in today's gaming market. The result? One of the best games of the year, narrative and otherwise.

GameWatcher - Neil Bolt - 9.5 / 10

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Obsidian has a fantastic history of ambitious RPG titles, but none feel as confident and refined as Pentiment. This is a game that truly understands the intoxicating nature of choice in video games, and rewards you with cynical torment befitting the world it portrays.

Generación Xbox - Pedro del Pozo - Spanish - 95 / 100

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Pentiment is a narrative gem and artistic beauty, but it could be perceived very differently. Give it a try and it will surprise you.

TechRaptor - Austin Suther - 9.5 / 10

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A masterful tale of murder and history, Pentiment's strong narrative and choices make this beautifully illustrated game one of 2022's best releases.

AusGamers - Steve Farrelly - 9.2 / 10

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Tassing, however, has other plans for our young penman.

Paste Magazine - Emily Price - 9.2 / 10

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These human texts open up genuinely insightful questions about authenticity in art and what it will come to mean centuries later, as well as what to do when your history has been lost to you. It is a beautiful portrait of history that doesn't limit itself from commenting on labor inequity, parental loss, or artistic hopelessness, all things the medieval and early modern art it draws from portrays so vividly. In bringing some of those stories to us today, Pentiment accomplishes the remarkable goal of being both clear-eyed about the period's faults, and sincere about its masterpieces.

Areajugones - Fran Pérez - Spanish - 9 / 10

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Pentiment is, despite its scarce and more than simple gameplay and its few hours more, a game that shines with its own light in a year with great releases. The new Obsidian manages to hook by its history and all its turns, but without forgetting its social, political and religious context; rich in nuances and depth. A must for fans of both RPG's and narrative adventures, a jewel that you can not miss.

Attack of the Fanboy - Kevin Mitchell - 4.5 / 5

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Pentiment goes all in as a dialogue-heavy historical murder mystery that you won't want to stop playing. You will question your actions throughout the game because your choices truly matter. No two endings will be the same, which makes you want to replay the game to delve deeper into the mystery. How will your story end?

Checkpoint Gaming - Pedro Cooray - 9 / 10

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Pentiment is a remarkable achievement in storytelling. If I were to play again and make different choices I'm sure I would discover new dimensions to these characters I've come to know very well. Thanks to the game's aesthetics, its meticulously researched writing, and the pedigree of its development team, the story of Andreas Maler is well worth experiencing. The game gracefully balances serious themes, soap operatic twists, and some very funny moments, revolving around a large cast of diverse, complex characters. Obsidian may have taken a risk making a game so unlike anything else they've made before, but the gamble has well and truly paid off. It's not just a game for lit nerds.

Destructoid - Eric Van Allen - 9 / 10

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A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.

GameBlast - Vítor M. Costa - Portuguese - 9 / 10

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Despite bringing a limited, sometimes repetitive, and somewhat simple gameplay experience in RPG elements, Pentiment is one of the best examples of historical fiction that the video game media has ever produced. Its narrative has an engaging mystery, a historically rich context with several good points for reflection on the passage from the medieval to the modern era, a coherent and immersive audiovisual and, above all, a unique text design that makes every word say much more than its mere meaning.

GamesRadar+ - Jon Bailes - 4.5 / 5

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"Many developments are outside of your control, yet rarely in games does the passage of time feel so intimately significant."

GamingTrend - David Burdette - 90 / 100

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Pentiment does what it does with a magnificent blend of dialogue, characters, and narrative. The winding path you'll take has plenty of off ramps, and while all roads lead to Rome, the journey there feels unique to you. It's so fascinating getting to your specific ending, you'll probably even play it again to see what other decisions look like. Pentiment might not be for everyone, but for the genre, it's a magnificent and compelling work of art.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 9 / 10

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Pentiment is a stunning piece of work, with a rich story, gorgeous artwork, and fleshed out characters that keep you hungry to learn more.

Inverse - Willa Rowe - 9 / 10

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This historical murder mystery isn’t what you might expect from Obsidian Entertainment, known for first-person action RPGs like The Outer Worlds and Fallout: New Vegas, but there is still importance placed on building your character and choosing how you experience the world. It explores the societal, theological, and artistic beliefs of one town during a time of rapid change, and it does so with a beautiful art style unlike anything else in video games. Everything about Pentiment feels as carefully designed as the illuminated manuscripts it draws inspiration from, delivering an enthralling mystery that is a wonder to behold.

PowerUp! - Leo Stevenson - 9 / 10

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Pentiment is an absolute must-play game.

Press Start - Brodie Gibbons - 9 / 10

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Although its subject matter might confound and could be too heady for the general audience, Pentiment is a role playing game that has been considered and laboured over to the nth degree. It's a great reminder that some creatives just get it done, budget be damned. By God's will, Pentiment is making a late charge for Game of the Year.

Pure Xbox - PJ O'Reilly - 9 / 10

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Pentiment is one of the most unique and clever games we've played in a very long time. It may be the fabulous art style that first draws you to this one, and it really is quite the looker, but it's actually the very obvious care that's been poured into the narrative and the exacting detail in every aspect of the world-building here that ends up selling the whole thing so well. With a story that really goes some places, tons of history to learn about, lots of fantastic characters to meet and plenty of fun and surprises along the way, this is one medieval murder mystery you should absolutely check out as soon as it hits Xbox Game Pass.

RPG Site - Bryan Vitale - 9 / 10

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Pentiment offers a tightly wound and gripping tale that is as optimistic as it is unique.

TrueAchievements - Luke Albiges - 9 / 10

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The slow pace and amount of reading required may put some people off, but I'd encourage you to try it all the same — it's a fascinating period piece that tells both history lesson and original narrative while reflecting on the importance of art and stories, and comfortably one of the best examples of its genre in recent years and best Game Pass games.

Twinfinite - Juniper Finch - 4.5 / 5

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Pentiment is the interactive choose-your-own-adventure story I’ve been waiting for my whole life. I love that I get to immerse myself in the game world without having to stress about button-mashing battles or jump scares. It’s delightfully engaging without being distressingly hard, and I’m loving every minute of it.

Gamefa - Amirhossein Ranjbar - Persian - 8.8 / 10

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Pemtiment is without a doubt one of the best games of 2022. If you're a fan of classic point & click adventure games, you're going to have a blast playing pemtiment.

Gaming Nexus - Eric Hauter - 8.8 / 10

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Pentiment is a slow and deliberate novel of a game. Though quite lively at times, this is still a game that asks players to read long, intricate conversations and remember scores of characters in a historic setting. The mystery is interesting, and the history is fascinating, but if these aren't enough to pull you through, you might want to look elsewhere. For patient players, Pentiment is a game like no other, teaching lessons on history, community, and the nature of life itself.

IGN Italy - Davide Mancini - Italian - 8.8 / 10

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A brilliant take on narrative adventure games by Obsidian. Pentiment is an awesome portrait of XVI century Europe and a compelling game about the sense of history, religion, tradition and personal beliefs. Sometimes the narrative structure is constraining, but overall the writing is amazing, the style is great, and the bibliography become part of the game in a clever way.

PC Gamer - Joshua Wolens - 88 / 100

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A beautiful and beautifully-written narrative game that makes masterful use of its early modern setting. One of Obsidian's finest.

The Games Machine - Marco Bortoluzzi - Italian - 8.7 / 10

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Pentiment is a fascinating dive into XVI century Bavaria, that combines a murder mystery spanning over twentyfive years with a quick but accurate portrayal of the tumultuous social upheaval of the time. Its choice-based dialogue system only marginally influences the central elements of the plot, but the characters are well-written and artistically, the game is excellent.

XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.7 / 10

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Pentiment is not going to be popular. I do think however that it will become a cult classic. I can’t think of another game from a 1st party publisher to tackle a subject like this. Nothing about it feels forced to try and earn the most money, instead, it is a labor of devotion to telling a brilliant story at a specific period and place in our past. Life may rarely go the way we want, but there is power in our choices and I’m glad that Xbox allowed this game to be made. It’s a unique, dazzling work of art that will stand the test of time for as long as we remember it.

Cerealkillerz - Steve Brieller - German - 8.5 / 10

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The adventures of Andreas Maler, a 16th century artist in a bavarian village and its murder mysteries are just captivating. Obsidian Entertainment goes off the beaten tracks with Pentiment and delivers a slow-paced, beautiful medieval visual novel with a lots of choices while playing. The attention to detail with displaying the game in the look of a medieval book is excellent and sets the mood perfectly. Though there were some smaller bugs present and the absence of voice acting is a real shame, the quality of the writing and the graphical presentation really compensates for that. If the setting and genre is to your liking this title absolutely deserves a closer look.

Everyeye.it - Giulia Martino - Italian - 8.5 / 10

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Obsidian Entertainment looks at European history with respect and lots and lots of study. "Study" means first of all commitment, passion, enthusiasm. It means love, and in Pentiment, there is so much love.

Game Informer - Charles Harte - 8.5 / 10

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Despite some issues with the audio and the slowness of the third act, Pentiment is a wonderfully unique storytelling experience overflowing with respect for the historical era it strives to recreate. Much like the game’s themes of stories persisting over time, I’ll be thinking about Andreas Maler and the town of Tassing for years to come.

GamePro - Annika Bavendiek - German - 85 / 100

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With its style, Pentiment is a playful work of art that is second to none, but can also inspire with its story.

LevelUp - Daniel Laguna - Spanish - 8.5 / 10

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Pentiment is an excellent narrative adventure with Obsidian's quality seal. No fan of the genre should miss it. It is a unique game thanks to its incredible visual presentation and historical background. The studio manages to move away from the hardcore RPG to give us an alternative and great vision of role-playing games. It is clearly a niche game that probably not everyone will appreciate.

PC Invasion - Jason Rodriguez - 9 / 10

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Pentiment's vivid art style, tight narrative, and choice-driven gameplay are a treat to experience. However, the restrictive save system and constant clicking to finish dialogue conversations can be detrimental to your enjoyment.

Wccftech - Nathan Birch - 8.5 / 10

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Pentiment won’t be for everyone. It’s bookish, sometimes a bit dry, and demands you take its questions about the nature of religion, art, and other heady subjects seriously if you want to get the most out of its narrative. If that sounds like your sort of thing, you can look forward to a rich, well-researched world you'll truly feel a part of and a fantastic story that serves up numerous memorable, moving twists and turns. Pentiment will leave an indelible mark on you if you just give it a chance.

Worth Playing - Andreas Salmen - 8.5 / 10

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As a story-driven adventure game, Pentiment is a history lesson come to life, with some intriguing mysteries to solve and tricky decisions to make. It's a vertical slice of history, and it provides a glimpse into a turbulent period through the experience of a small town. The experience can be a bit sluggish because it sometimes values historical accuracy over player comfort. Your choices impact the Bavarian town of Tassing over a quarter of a century, all while uncovering a truly interesting mystery. Tassing is the actual protagonist here, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being an integral part in its community and participating in its struggles. It's a bit special and stubborn in its delivery, but Pentiment is an interesting and worthwhile investigation of the period, its customs, and its issues.

New Game Network - Kaan Serin - 84 / 100

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Pentiment is mature in a way few games are. It exudes passion for the time period and subject matter, treating every character and issue with respect and reverence. If you want an adventure game that responds to your choices and trusts you to discover its narrative on your own terms, Pentiment is a must play.

MondoXbox - Giuseppe Genga - Italian - 8.3 / 10

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Pentiment is, for better or worse, a sort of big interactive comic book showing a huge love for European medieval history, with an intriguing plot but with a great deal of text to read and interactions limited mainly to map exploration and dialogues. A fascinating title, mainly thanks to its subject matter, but definitely not for everyone.

RPG Fan - Bob Richardson - 83%

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A beautiful and heartfelt historical fiction with heavy themes of religion, purpose, and the influence we have on others over time.

COGconnected - Mark Steighner - 82 / 100

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At least visually, Pentiment is unlike any game in the marketplace, and its execution is never less than impressive. As a reflection on the role of the artist and the fundamental, unchanging nature of the human experience, it can be thoughtful, amusing and moving. The game’s mechanics, some of the writing and pacing definitely take a back seat to the aesthetics. Taken as a whole, playing Pentiment is another great reminder that not every videogame experience needs to overwhelm the senses, challenge reflexes or be the product of market research. Pentiment might not be for everyone, but that’s ok. Not for everyone is sometimes exactly what we need.

Lords Of Gaming - Mahmood Ghaffar - 8.2 / 10

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Pentiment did not give off the best first impression. But the more I played, the more I was engulfed with the game’s layered narrative filled with mysteries and intrigue. Dialogue choices were well realized, but the consequences didn’t garner the expected reactions. Despite being off-putting at first, the game’s visual and audio presentations complement its 16th-century art style well. Although the game’s limited scope is quickly apparent, Pentiment’s narrative design has a lot to offer and is another feather in the cap of Obsidian’s story-telling credentials.

Spaziogames - Francesco Corica - Italian - 8.1 / 10

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Even if it's not a particularly ambitious production, Pentiment is a small gem that shows all the love for the late Middle Ages and its art in every single aspect.

AnaitGames - Marta Trivi - Spanish - 8 / 10

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Narratively, Obsidian leaves no loose nail in a complex and multi-layered story that oscillates between comedy and drama with surprising ease. None of its elements seem randomly placed, everything aligns to make us ask ourselves a series of questions that only we can answer: in what way should we remember the past? How do we deal with the mistakes we helped generate?

Digital Trends - Tomas Franzese - 4 / 5

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Pentiment does an excellent job of making my journey feel natural, with results that directly reflect my dialogue and action choices.

GAMES.CH - Joel Kogler - German - 80%

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Pentiment might just be one of the weirdest AAA-games released this year. By stripping gameplay down to little more than walking and talking, this medieval crime drama feels like a visual novel that took the genre’s title a little too literal. The graphical style is heavily inspired by the illustrations of medieval books, which ties directly back into the main character’s background story as an illustrator. With an excellent story, great dialogue and too many mysteries for just a single playthrough, this odd little gem is one that may take some getting used to, but will reward you for your patience with a story more interactive and deeper than most.

Geeks & Com - Anthony Gravel - French - 8 / 10

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Pentiment is definitely not going to appeal to everyone and that's okay because Game Pass is made for those games. If you get through the slow start, you will discover a captivating murder mystery. Although it is very different from other Obsidian titles, you recognize the signature of the studio with its highly developed characters. And, of course, you can easily get lost with the many secondary elements in this very detailed universe. I especially loved the unique looks of the game that goes as deep as 16th century calligraphy which is very impressive. The game isn't without its flaws, but fans of a good narrative will love it.

Guardian - Lewis Packwood - 4 / 5

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An evocative recreation of 16th-century Bavaria examines how the tide of history crashes against the lives of everyday people, all framed by an intriguing crime story

Hardcore Gamer - Kyle LeClair - 4 / 5

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Pentiment is a short but sweet adventure from Obsidian, one that plays to their strengths when it comes to dialogue and gives players enjoyable mysteries to figure out.

IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 8 / 10

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Pentiment manages to bring a unique experience to a catalog increasingly focused on big blockbusters.

Metro GameCentral - Nick Gillett - 8 / 10

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A Dark Ages mystery whose gameplay and dialogue are as unique as it's daringly unconventional premise and visuals.

Seasoned Gaming - Ainsley Bowden - 8 / 10

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From its humble development and gameplay characteristics to its excellent narrative and stunningly beautiful ending, Pentiment is a game we can all relate to in one way or another.

Shacknews - Nicholas Tan - 8 / 10

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A game like Pentiment doesn’t come around often. Top developers like Obsidian Entertainment usually leave smaller productions like this on the editing floor. The vast majority of games with fantastic stories usually ask players to kill something, solve puzzles, or have some other gimmick to it so that they remain engaged. Pentiment dares instead to rely on its craftsmanship, authenticity, and choice-based dialogue, trusting that the murder mystery is enough of a draw to pull players in. And despite some minor quibbles, Pentiment succeeds in its pursuit, creating a fantastic generational period drama with a wonderfully original vision.

Stevivor - Courtney Borrett - 8 / 10

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If you enjoy story-driven affairs with choices that impact the world in which you’re playing, Pentiment is worth a playthrough. The historical narrative adventure is perfect if you don’t want to play something that requires a high level of skill, but you still want to enjoy a rich history and impactful choices.

TheSixthAxis - Steve C - 8 / 10

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Pentiment is an excellent dialogue adventure that takes all the best aspects of Obsidian's previous titles and marries them to a distinguished aesthetic. The whole game feels like a medieval manuscript brought to life and there is very little out there like it. While an interest in the historical setting would obviously add to the experience, the writing alone is good enough to draw any fans of adventure games in and there are so many superb details that really show the depth of the developer's engagement with their influences. If the past is a foreign country, then grab your passports and get ready to be illuminated.

VGC - Matthew Castle - 4 / 5

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Learn to move at Tassing’s sedate pace and patience will be rewarded as a seemingly simple murder mystery makes way for a rich portrait of village life and the difficult choices that come to define it.

Xbox Achievements - Dan Webb - 80%

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Pentiment is an incredibly enchanting adventure game that really is like no other. It doesn’t quite have the same depth and ingenuity that Disco Elysium has, but what it lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in charm. After a slow start, this murder mystery really becomes the talk of the town.

SECTOR.sk - Timotej Kadlec - Slovak - 7.5 / 10

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Pentiment is a game from artists for art lovers. This is a crafted honestly made game, which, of course, has flaws. Some of them also left a bigger aftertaste in my mouth. But what work of art does not have them? And, although I'm afraid that the title won't impress ordinary gamers too much, I still firmly believe that this unique work by Obsidian will eventually find its fans.

XGN.nl - Chris Boers - Dutch - 7.5 / 10

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Pentiment plays like a living storybook. You walk, talk and act in a medieval style book that is written as you progress. The game leans heavily on storytelling and its historical background. The game is special in a good way. It's not for everyone, but if you're remotely interested in this turbulent times or a good murder mystery, you should really try this one out.

Hobby Consolas - David Martinez - Spanish - 73 / 100

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Pentiment is a different graphic adventure, based on dialogues and with a great story. We love its medieval setting, but it has a slow pace that won't catch all players.

Game Rant - Shane Robert Moyer - 3.5 / 5

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Some players may create chaos, others will try to keep the peace, but each will be able to tell the story of Pentiment in their own way. It is interactive choose-your-own-adventure story-telling at its best, and although it feels too short, hopefully, there will be more tales and tomes like this one from Obsidian in the future.

GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 7 / 10

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Still, while Pentiment doesn’t make the best first impression, and the lack of music robs it of atmosphere and character, it’s well worth digging into if you’re a fan of well-written narrative adventures or games that require you to conduct investigations. You’ll soon come to love – or loathe – its cast of characters, and with plenty of fun puzzles to solve, minigames to engage in and meaningful choices to make, it’s rewarding in ways that other games in the same genre space rarely ever manage.

MonsterVine - Diego Escala - 3.5 / 5

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Pentiment is probably the most interesting, uninteresting game I’ve ever played.

PCGamesN - Phil Iwaniuk - 7 / 10

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A lumbering historical murder mystery with little regard for tension or pacing, but one that packs in such dense detail you can't help but respect it. Pentiment immerses you in 1500s Bavaria and that's the main event.

ZTGD - Terrence Johnson - 7 / 10

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Pentiment is not a bad game, it’s just not one that I have no real interest in; It’s more along the lines of an interactive, mystery novel than a video game. While I loved the storybook art style, the overly stylized font was just too much to look at for long play sessions. And Pentiment tends to drag on a bit too long for my taste, but for those that have a love of history, murder, religion, betrayal, secrets, walking from left to right/right to left and reading your video games; then I think you should try Pentiment, especially at the price of $19.99 or included with your Game Pass subscription.

GameSpot - Jordan Ramée - 6 / 10

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Pentiment too often limits its most enjoyable pieces to reach an ending that makes sense but is still unfulfilling.

Slant Magazine - Steven Scaife - 3 / 5

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While such digressions, to be fair, are optional, the game does encourage you to poke around every corner of its vibrantly rendered world to ensure that you’ve got the facts straight. In the end, though, Pentiment excels less as a mystery game and more as a portrait of a community. Because as a mystery to be solved and a mediation on how stories evolve over time, its focus wanders and ironically comes to fixate on elements like presentation and background lore that can all too easily overwhelm the basic tenets of telling an engaging story.

The Beta Network - Samuel Incze - 6 / 10

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Whilst Pentiment promises to give players a fascinating narrative that takes all choices and actions into account, whilst exploring the themes of Politics and Religion in Europe in the 1500s, the uninteresting introduction, as well as the countless meaningless interactions throughout the title, makes itfeel much too long for what it is trying to achieve. There is an interesting plot to uncover here, but you will have to sift through quite a few hours worth of tedious dialogue with the occasional unnecessary minigame thrown in for ‘good’ measure.

ACG - Jeremy Penter - Wait for Sale

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"A very niche game that does a great deal right, but has a great deal of slow progression in the first 2 hours. If you aren't very into its specific worldview it is hard to suggest anything other than the game pass offering. Though you can also buy it but that is a more nuanced discussion.

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - Recommended

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Pentiment is unlike anything you’ll play throughout the rest of the year and well into the next. All that patience pays off in spades as you learn that your decisions have consequences, and each choice is costly.

Echo Boomer - David Fialho - Portuguese - Recommended

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Pentiment presents a satisfying and captivating narrative exercise in one unexpected whodunit, and along the way it questions the role of art and religion in the history of our civilization.

Eurogamer - Christian Donlan - Recommended

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A brilliant narrative adventure that is filled with intelligence and heart.

Eurogamer.pt - Vítor Alexandre - Portuguese - Recommended

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It is in the background a kind of great interactive book, like a great manuscript capable of leading us to a better understanding of this sixteenth century. Nothing is left to chance. There aren't many games like this, esumsome any passion or desire of a designer, more than following a business orientation or selling a product that is known to be of popular taste. Maybe that's why Pentiment is a remarkable and convincing effort by 13 producers, almost a football team. And it is already known that a team united around a captain can go very far in this arduous journey of creation.

Expansive - Laurie Jones - Loved

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Pentiment has unexpectedly shot towards the top of my favourite games of the year. It’s yet further proof of the amazing talent and creativity bubbling away in the Obsidian studios and is one of the best examples of a game that dares to be different by not trying to do everything, instead focusing its approach. Smartly written, beautifully drawn, and masterfully designed, Pentiment is an intelligent, humorous adventure that is as enriching as it is enjoyable.

GameOnAUS - Royce Wilson - Liked-a-lot

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Pentiment isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you have patience for it and can appreciate what it’s trying to do (and I certainly did), it’s a rewarding and enlightening experience which I’m very glad I’ve had the ability to play and enjoy.

Nerfeados - Oscar Nino - Spanish - Unscored

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Pentiment is one of those games that you might not expect much and will blow you away. Even if it feels a little heavier in the discourse at the beginning, Obsidian crafted a wondeful world with rich characters and a town that feels alive. Even if is a little light on the puzzles and the mystery is a fantastic time of a great studio.

Polygon - Jay Castello - Unscored

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Because even though Pentiment is set in the past, it demonstrates how history is never static, and how it influences places, communities, and individuals. That’s something that’s easily lost when we look back through time, but Pentiment’s living characters and spiraling mystery won’t let you forget it.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Rachel Watts - Unscored

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Pentiment is an enthralling murder mystery that uses the rich backdrop of 16th-century medieval Europe to masterful effect.

Washington Post - Shannon Liao - Unscored

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The game’s name refers to the reappearance in a painting of an element that an artist had painted over. As much as characters in “Pentiment” might fight to maintain the status quo, or to turn away from history and heartbreak, they’re no match for the forces that send humanity hurtling forward. While I initially started “Pentiment” hoping for a riveting distraction, what I ended up with was a game about uncovering history and past trauma. In many ways, it is more admirable, brutal and perhaps healing to just face these problems head on.

 

[Bloodporne]

2 hours ago, legend said:

Damn it's definitely game season! I've got this, God of War (playing now), Bayonetta 3, Signalis, and probably more on my plate.

I just beat Signalis twice and it's definitely a quick play. My first "take my sweet-ass time" playthrough was like 9 hours but the second one was like Resi 2 style, just run through. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I have updated the OpenCritic reviews post that @Keyser_Soze so very thoughtfully took care of this morning! 

 

@thewhyteboar - check 'em out!

[thewhyteboar]

1 hour ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

I have updated the OpenCritic reviews post that @Keyser_Soze so very thoughtfully took care of this morning! 

 

@thewhyteboar - check 'em out!

Looking good! I think this will come home during the Christmas sale.

[Keyser_Soze]

I played an hour or so of it. It's pretty interesting. I think you history nerds are going to really get a kick out of it but even if you aren't there's like a built in glossary that you can click on in the dialogue. The first part of the game is kind of building up your background and some of what you choose will help you with skill checks later.

 

The game has no voice acting or narration which might turn off some. However, there is an accessibility option to use the windows voice assist and it works well enough. I think that it's an extra push that can get me through a game like this.

[BloodyHell]

11 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:

I played an hour or so of it. It's pretty interesting. I think you history nerds are going to really get a kick out of it but even if you aren't there's like a built in glossary that you can click on in the dialogue. The first part of the game is kind of building up your background and some of what you choose will help you with skill checks later.

 

The game has no voice acting or narration which might turn off some. However, there is an accessibility option to use the windows voice assist and it works well enough. I think that it's an extra push that can get me through a game like this.

Same. I played for a while before getting back to Tactics Ogre and God of War. So far I think it's really interesting, but im still not sure where the story is going. It'll be something I play in small doses, but it's really well done. 

[Brian]

@Microsoft and @valve can we please get a native Game Pass support for the deck? 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

I'm like 3 1/2 hours into it and I thought things were going a bit ordinary but then a thing happened and now I'm like