Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming Pentiment has been turning some heads in the lead-up to release thanks to its striking art style and gripping murder mystery premise. As the passion project of game director Josh Sawyer, Pentiment is envisioned as a historical narrative adventure set in the 16th century. This is a smaller project for Obsidian Entertainment, but it should be an enticing experience for history buffs or gamers who love a good narrative.
Pentiment is being developed by a small portion of the much bigger Obsidian Entertainment. Only thirteen employees worked on this game from its conception to launch. As a smaller project led by a small team, Pentiment isn’t dead set on becoming the next Fallout: New Vegas or The Outer Worlds. Instead, it takes elements from these giant games and consolidates them into a focused narrative experience meant to keep gamers in its grasp. Pentiment is on track for a November 15 release and will be available on the Xbox family of consoles and PC as a day one Xbox Game Pass title.
Pentiment’s Story, Art Style, and Historical Setting
In Pentiment, players will take the role of Andreas Maler, an artist caught in a murder mystery after arriving in a small Bavarian town. As previously mentioned, Pentiment takes place in the 16th century and spans numerous events throughout that very volatile historical period. Pentiment’s story is punctuated by notable 16th-century events like the start of the Protestant Reformation in 1517 to the Revolution of 1525 to the introduction of Copernicus’ heliocentric model of the Solar System in 1543. The game’s murder mystery and its consequences will unfold over the course of multiple years while making great use of its unique historical premise; however, Pentiment’s art style might be one of its biggest draws.
Pentiment’s namesake comes from the pentimento art style that emerged in the mid-20th century, meaning “the presence or emergence of earlier images, forms, or strokes that have been changed and painted over.” Interestingly enough, pentimento is also Italian for “repentance.” Obsidian clearly has some deep themes that tie Pentiment together, and those themes also tie into the game's distinctive art style. Pentiment’s vision is to create an era-authentic 2D narrative experience that would look straight out of a Roman Catholic document of that time. Everything from its character designs down to its font styling is inspired by illuminated manuscripts and woodcut art styles of the 16th century.
What Pentiment’s Gameplay is All About
Obsidian is widely known for its industry-leading RPG experiences in both isometric and first and third-person styles. However, Pentiment is a clear break from the type of game the studio has mastered over the past two decades. In recent previews of Pentiment, the game’s developers have stated that Pentiment is designed for players to immerse themselves in the relationships they foster and the characters they encounter throughout that small Bavarian community. This will be a very dialogue-heavy game. As Andreas Maler, players will still have some role-playing options available to them as they can decide where Andreas came from, his area of study, and how he reacts to the world around him. However, Pentiment’s focus is squarely on telling a compelling story that players have a hand in telling first and an RPG second.
Pentiment will also be a much more laid-back and accessible experience than Obsidian’s other works. In keeping with its story-first focus, Pentiment’s gameplay is designed to make the whole experience simple and easy to play for any gamer. The few mini-games players find around town won’t be too challenging for players to complete, and the game’s control scheme is designed to be minimalistic and forgiving for all players. As fans prepare to dive into Pentiment’s authentic 16th-century Bavarian setting, they should remember that this will not be an action-packed RPG with gripping moment-to-moment gameplay sequences. Pentiment’s gameplay is all about speaking with other characters and taking in the story, while its artwork and historical authenticity are intended to help players invest in the world and enjoy the ride.
Pentiment releases November 15 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.