Pentiment Reviews
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.
Review in French | Read full review
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?
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
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.
Pentiment won’t wow you with its graphics, probably bore you with gameplay and perhaps scare away with its limitations. But it really is a perfect story with a superb script!
Review in Polish | Read full review
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.
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.
Pentiment does an excellent job of making my journey feel natural, with results that directly reflect my dialogue and action choices.
We were largely enthralled during our dozen or so hours with Pentiment. The mystery at the heart of the narrative remains compelling throughout, but it was the smaller moments that warmed our hearts; breaking bread with friends, sharing in their joy and heartbreak, watching lives play out, and generations pass, in a world on the cusp of dramatic change.
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
Pentiment manages to bring a unique experience to a catalog increasingly focused on big blockbusters.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
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.
A Dark Ages mystery whose gameplay and dialogue are as unique as it's daringly unconventional premise and visuals.
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.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
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.
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.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A beautiful and heartfelt historical fiction with heavy themes of religion, purpose, and the influence we have on others over time.
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.