Pentiment

 PC
Pentiment Image
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 43 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 140 Ratings

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  • Summary: Step into a living illustrated world inspired by illuminated manuscripts and printed woodcuts in a time when Europe is at a crossroads of great religious and political change. Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, andStep into a living illustrated world inspired by illuminated manuscripts and printed woodcuts in a time when Europe is at a crossroads of great religious and political change. Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, and intrigue in the Bavarian Alps. Choose your backgrounds, impact a changing world, and see the consequences of your decisions in this narrative adventure.… Expand

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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 43
  3. Negative: 0 out of 43
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 24, 2024
    100
    If you like the late Middle Ages, detective stories, interesting stories, don't mind reading, this is the perfect game for you. [Issue#324]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Gfinity
    Nov 14, 2022
    100
    Pentiment’s incredibly compelling characters, immersive ambience and impactful choice and consequence make it a masterfully crafted RPG. Josh Sawyer and the team at Obsidian have created a truly special game.
  3. Adventure Gamers
    Jan 3, 2023
    90
    Overall, Pentiment is a fantastic game with minor flaws that still impresses, even if the twist at the end of the second act is very difficult to accept. Despite being developed by a small team, Obsidian has demonstrated its ability to create an immersive and demanding game that blurs the line between art and gameplay.
  4. The Games Machine
    Nov 14, 2022
    87
    Pentiment is a beautiful journey in a historical period (unfairly, I say) not so often addressed, focused on narration rather than gameplay, almost absent. Here, perhaps given its choice structure that encourages subsequent plays, it could have benefited from a "New Game +" mode in which the dialogues are speeded up, but generally the criticisms to be made are very few.
  5. LevelUp
    Nov 14, 2022
    85
    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.
  6. Wccftech
    Nov 14, 2022
    85
    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 many memorable, moving twists and turns. Pentiment will leave an indelible mark on you if you just give it a chance.
  7. PCGamesN
    Nov 14, 2022
    70
    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.

See all 46 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 57
  3. Negative: 8 out of 57
  1. Samnity
    Nov 29, 2022
    10
    Amazing game. The narrative, the characters, the design, the music, a trully masterpiece.
  2. Cryheme
    Dec 14, 2022
    10
    One of the best games in the genre. Disco Elusium meets Medievil (without skeletons).
  4. Lysterao
    Nov 17, 2022
    10
    Now this game isn't for everyone, it's slow paced, cerebral, nuanced and about time period that many people will care little for and know evenNow this game isn't for everyone, it's slow paced, cerebral, nuanced and about time period that many people will care little for and know even less about. However, in terms of the Genre it comes from and what it's trying to achieve it's a masterpiece. Brimming with thoughtful artistic choices, good puzzle design, well written characters and an intriguing murder mystery than never holds your hand.… Expand
  5. mattmcbride
    Nov 25, 2022
    9
    I read this game was getting review bombed, so wanted to put a real review up. I thought this game was excellent. I really enjoyed the storyI read this game was getting review bombed, so wanted to put a real review up. I thought this game was excellent. I really enjoyed the story and setting, and felt the art style (and cool font idea) suited it perfectly. I liked the limited time to figure out what was going on, and not knowing if I got it right or not. I felt like my choices had real consequences over the course of the game. So while this game was not intended for everyone, it’s a great game, and I’m really glad something like this was made.… Expand
  6. Mooski
    Jan 31, 2023
    8
    The narrative is really the highlight of this game. It's all about experiencing a well-crafted, thoughtful, and moving slice-of-life tale in aThe narrative is really the highlight of this game. It's all about experiencing a well-crafted, thoughtful, and moving slice-of-life tale in a provincial 16th-century town in the Holy Roman Empire. It's kind of a murder mystery but not really. Essentially, it's like a choose-your-own-adventure graphic novel: a "choices matter"-style game, although the choices presented to you are largely immaterial to the overarching story.

    And that's fine by me; the story had me gripped for the game's entire runtime -- about 15 hours. During that time, your enjoyment will largely depend on how you jive with said story. For me, interacting with all of the characters, seeing them develop over the course of the story, and learning more about the world proved just as entertaining as the game's central mystery. Obsidian has a knack for writing characters with depth and creating worlds that are rich in detail.

    Pentiment has a simple but effective presentation. The game sports an era-appropriate art style, and there is a tonne of dialogue and, therefore, a tonne of reading. Gameplay amounts to picking options from branching dialogue trees and the occasional, trivial puzzle -- which serve more as storytelling devices than actual gameplay. All this is accompanied by a simple but effective score. There's a sting that plays whenever you find mysterious notes -- chef's kiss.

    If all that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, then give it a miss. I wouldn't blame you -- for many, it can barely be considered a game.

    If, however, this has piqued your interest, then it's on Game Pass and costs very little to have a go.    … Expand
  7. Trixxstrr
    May 21, 2023
    7
    It was nice. Definitely a slow game, but nice story. A text adventure game set in the 1500's.
    It's showing that I took around 18 hrs to    It was nice. Definitely a slow game, but nice story. A text adventure game set in the 1500's.
    It's showing that I took around 18 hrs to finish.
    Definitely a passion project game without being focused at the masses. Perfect for Game Pass to give it a wider audience.
    Only 8% got the finished the game achievement.    … Expand
  8. Fatmandu
    Dec 1, 2022
    0
    This game is very bad and the story is bad and the writing is bad and it's boring

See all 57 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best PC Game of 2022
45
#45 Most Discussed PC Game of 2022

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