Art is illusion, storytelling, but in their most sublime form, these images illuminate a path to truth.
– Brother Piero

Monasteries have been a sacred haven for literature and art alike since long-lost times. Places where books were meticulously copied and illustrated to prevent knowledge from being lost. In such a place of craftsmanship, the story of Pentiment unfolds, told through the eyes of aspiring artist Andreas Maler. But as he will soon discover, even in a sleepy village lie ancient secrets. And when the town becomes the scene of a murder, it will be up to him to uncover the truth. Created in 2022 by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios, Pentiment is a murder mystery spanning over 25 years.

Delving into a manuscript mystery

Tassing, Bavaria, 1581 – this is where Andreas’ artistic journey begins, working on illustrating a commissioned manuscript. Despite not being a clergyman himself, his apprenticeship grants him access to the Kiersau monastery’s scriptorium. By day, he works alongside the monks, under the wing of Brother Piero and the scrutinizing eye of Father Gernot. At night, he returns to the Gertners’, the family of farmers who host him during his stay. A stranger among both the church and the townsfolk, he witnesses the changes brought by the Reformation upon the town.

On one side, the rise of Martin Luther, whose influence threatens the authority of the catholic church. On the other hand, the popularisation of the printing press is making manuscripts a dying art. And with the abbot demanding more and more from the villagers, tensions start to rise among the small community.

But it is when a nobleman patron of the monastery is murdered within its very walls that the delicate balance of the town is shattered. To save his mentor, unjustly accused of the crime, Andreas will need to delve into the town’s history—a race against time and a mysterious puppet master who pulls the strings from the shadows.

How Obsidian Entertainment brought History to life

Many modern media are set in the past; however, they often present a glamorized version of History. In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the players find themselves in the Ancient Greece of myth, among deities and monsters alike. Meanwhile, the TV series Bridgerton features an alternative timeline of Regency Era Britain. The Middle Ages are not exempt from this treatment either. The setting of choice for series like Game of Thrones, which discards the historical in favor of the fantastic. With Pentiment, this approach was rejected, choosing instead to embrace the History and human side of 16th-century Europe. While such a time might feel distant and strange to the modern world, the people who lived through it are not so different.

Through shared meals and daily interactions, the player gets acquainted with Tassing’s community and its complex dynamics. By eating together, one learns about the social status and background of their host. Investigating leads might bring Andreas to join the women’s circle to hear the latest gossip.

Meanwhile, befriending the local printer could earn a closer look at the newfound accessibility of literature to the masses. Every character has their own story, and the player will get to see how they all unfold through the three acts of the story, each taking place several years after the previous. Through this dynamic, the town is no longer a forgettable name on the map. Instead, it becomes a place that is alive and ever-evolving. 

The art of Pentiment

However, the element that most defines Pentiment both in its time period and as a video game is its art style. The developers drew inspiration from the art of the time, incorporating elements from the illustrations of illuminated manuscripts and woodcuts. The visuals seem to stem from the hand of an amanuensis or the marginalia of an antique tome – but it does not stop there.

The entire interface of the game reflects this visual design, never breaking immersion, even when switching to different settings or menus. For example, the diary is Andreas’s physical, handwritten diary, complete with sketched illustrations. The commitment to aesthetic and symbolism extends beyond mere appearance. It situates the story within its historical context, creating a cohesive and immersive gaming experience. Other indie titles that embrace an art style to this extent can be found in The Unfinished Swan and Gris.

A narrative game in which text is predominant, and it makes a creative use of calligraphy to further its storyline. Depending on which character is talking, as well as their status, education, and even emotional state, a different font appears. A farmer’s text will feature a simpler font, with more grammatical mistakes, compared to a monk’s elegant, Gothic font. Meanwhile, the printer’s speech bubbles will appear reversed, as if they were in the process of printing. The sound of a quill scratching the parchment accompanies each word as it appears on the screen.

Additionally, the ink appears vibrant at the beginning of the sentence but fades as it runs out. Some words will appear splattered when uttered in anger or shock, and even the speech speed changes. All subtle details come together to create the tapestry that is Pentiment‘s visual and narrative experience.

The resonance of choices

As a narrative-driven title, Pentiment‘s mechanics are straightforward, revolving around dialogue and point-and-click gameplay. Initially, the player can define Andreas’s background by selecting where and what he studied, as well as his interests. These choices can offer alternative dialogue choices and insights, based on Andreas’ knowledge and past experiences. Having studied medicine might help the protagonist better inspect a wound or define the properties of an herb. Meanwhile, an orator’s background might offer a more persuasive approach when trying to gather information from their interlocutor.

There are also some mini-games, such as deciphering a code or using a candlelight to reveal invisible ink. They are not a challenge, but rather a step further in immersion and represent an element of interaction.

A recurring mechanic of several RPGs, like Mass Effect and Disco Elysium, is choices that influence the plot. It is also present in Pentiment, albeit in a different way. There are no telltale signs that indicate which moment in a dialogue is of relevance. Instead, such choices accumulate without the player’s knowledge and can culminate in an effect that occurs only much later on.

It is also important to note that there is no such thing as a right or wrong choice in Pentiment. There are moral dilemmas, similar to The Witcher 3, but no morality stats or good or bad endings. That is because its story is not about the morality behind a choice but the impact that it can have on the world. And in a very true-to-life approach, sometimes choices stemming from the best intentions have the most tragic outcome.

Time is of the essence in Pentiment

The passage of time is another key element of Pentiment. The in-game day features seven canonical hours based on the cycle of prayer (Matins, Lauds, Prime, Sext, Nones, Vesper, Compline), with times reserved for work, meals, and sleep. This means that days are not infinite. There are only so many things that can be done within those hours. Making the best of it during the investigation is essential, as there will be many leads, and the time to explore them all will not be sufficient. A race against time to find the culprit, but most importantly, uncover the truth. This restriction represents an added element of tension, spurring the players to choose carefully the path to pursue.

The passage of time is also indicative of History itself. It features both on a smaller scale, through each day’s sections, and on a bigger scale through the time skips between each act. As the player follows Andreas Maler’s growth, it is possible to observe how his choices affect both him and the community, as well as to what extent. Often, the truth behind past events gets lost, forgotten, or replaced by rumors, influencing NPCs in ways that can be both positive and tragic. At its core, Pentiment is a story about faith, truth, and art, and the lengths to which people are willing to go in their name.

While not as well-known as other titles by Obsidian Entertainment, Pentiment caught the eye of the audience with its unique storytelling and innovative art style. In 2023, it won the Game Developers Choice Awards for the category Best Narrative as well as the Peabody Award for Interactive & Immersive.