14 DAY TRIAL // Despite the fact that many Obsidian and RPG fans alike have expected the studio to offer them a first look at Avowed or The Outer Worlds 2, the team announced a completely different project that nears its completion: Pentiment. Described as a 16th-century narrative adventure game directed by Studio Design Director Josh Sawyer, Pentiment is slated to release in November on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Obviously, since this is an Obsidian title, Pentiment will be available on day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. Those who don’t have either will have to pay $20 to get the game on either of the supported platforms.
Judging by the reveal trailer, Pentiment feels truly a labor of love, a game that Josh Sawyer probably wanted to make for a long time. I’m definitely digging the aesthetic of the game and I hope gameplay and narrative will rise up to the same high-level quality.
That said, the protagonist of the game is Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist working in the scriptorium of Kiersay Abbey during a time of great social unrest. While finishing his masterpiece, Andreas becomes entangled in a series of murders that take place over 25 years. Many of the game’s NPCs, including peasants, thieves, craftsmen, monks, nuns, nobles, and even saints must be investigated and interrogated to find out the truth.
The gist of it is that players must decide Andreas’ choices, from his educational background and lifestyle to how he investigates the murders. Every decision and accusation he makes will carry consequences that will impact the Alpine community for generations to come.
Pentiment is an interesting interpretation of life in 16th-century Germany, and I definitely agree that it feels it’s been inspired by The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco’s masterpiece that’s been adapted for TV screens (Sean Connery, Christian Slater). Put this on your list of must-play titles if you love Obsidian’s work, it cannot not be good.
