Pentiment tells the tale of a 16th century Bavarian abbey and the townsfolk it rules. You play as Andreas Maler, journeyman artist from Nuremburg contracted by Kiersau abbey to complete illustrations in the abbey's scriptorium. A slow burn, Pentiment takes a while to get going - nothing much happens in the first few hours, but that time is used well to build up the main characters in what becomes (for the most part) a murder mystery. An interest in medieval history and art - especially religious - will carry you through the beginning act. The small town of Tassing is fleshed out beautifully, with several dozen townsfolk, monks, and nuns all sharing screentime and slowly revealing the social and religious tension that would eventually come to a head in the Reformation.

The second acts sees Andreas get deeper embroiled in town politics as the townsfolk clash with the harsh and demanding abbot Gernot. Writer Josh Sawyer does a wonderful job here of avoiding letting the plot devolve into a simple "good vs bad" narrative as the townsfolk and peasants air their greivances to Andreas - increasing taxes and harsh restrictions on the use of forests. I found myself sympathizing with both sides of the conflict; it's easy to take the peasants' side at first glance, but talking with the monks at the abbey and seeing their perspective made me think again. These tensions weave through the plot and impact decisions you make as you gather evidence to solve the murder.

The third act sees the plot jump forward several decades and ultimately the identity of the killer is revealed. I enjoyed the ending, but I did feel that the final act dragged on a bit.

Pentiment is more an interactive visual novel than a classic point and click adventure; there are no true puzzles here and never any impediments to progress. The map is small and can grow a bit stale in the second act with quite a bit running back and forth. That said, the story and characters carry the game through its roughly 12-hour runtime. Certain decisions can affect plot points for potential repeat plays, but the main thread of the story seems set in stone.

The art style is subjective but fantastic in my opinion. The decision to go with an illuminated manuscript style was a good one and gives the game a unique visual identity. Unfamiliar words can be click on for a succint definition. There's a glossary and a character list, as well as annotated maps that keep you on the path to progress. On the music front there isn't much to speak of, most of the game's audio is ambient effects. The music that's there is nice and fits the setting and tone. There is no voice acting.

Highly recommend for point & click and VN fans with an interest in medieval European and religious history. If you have zero interest in the setting this game may not be for you.

• Date Completed: 11/26/2022
• Reviewed on: PC (Steam)
• Time Played: 12.5 hours
• Score: 9/10