A game that isn't afraid to offer you choices and rub it in your face when those choices go horribly. I expected a Disco Elysium crime-solver/character RPG but was pleasantly surprised with something different. The history of the town takes center-stage in Pentiment, with the player character unearthing various mysteries and gathering opinions told from the biased lens of towns folk, peasants, clergyman, and more. During Acts 1 and 2 you never feel particularly in control, a feeling that will either be refreshing or frustrating depending on the player. For me it makes perfect sense to feel out of your element; Andreas is not a detective but an artist, and as well intentioned as he is the man is not perfect and neither is the player. This differs from a true RPG where the player themselves is the character. Unfortunately much of this is thrown out in the final Act 3, serving moreso as a summary of the actions in Acts 1 and 2 with townsfolk commentary on the events. The final reveal was a nice twist and I understand the narrative appeal of an unavoidable, unknowable, solid villain, but I was craving more. During its first two-thirds, Pentiment appears to be a game begging for subsequent playthroughs just like the previously mentioned Disco Elysium. However, a quite solid finale leaves me feeling unsure if a replay would be of worth, except for collecting missed achievements or dialogue options. I'm sure others will have plenty to say about presentation and art and the like (of which all were excellent) but for me, Pentiment simply didn't deliver at the end. While that doesn't spoil the entire game, I would still recommend other RPG's with more open-ended natures. I appreciate the tightness of the story here but as a game this left something to be desired, more akin to a novel than a video game.