A game so complex in thematic scope and so metered in both pacing and presentation that it can only be described as one of gaming's greatest narrative achievements.
No matter how you try to slice it, Pentiment is a lot of things in one artistic package. It's enough that I'm not even going to attempt to scratch away at it's thematic or narrative content here in any meaningful way. However, I do want to point out that Pentiment manages to accomplish a lot without many of the tools that the other greats of game writing do. Titles like Disco Elysium elevated the medium through tons of modern and post-modern technique, which is no easy feat...but it does make it immediately stylish and consumable to fanbases into art games and 'intelligent' criticism of hip topics such as capitalism. And I'd be lying if I wasn't one of those people who did (and still do) sing its praises as one of the greatest pieces of modern fiction and the crown jewel of games writing.
But what makes Pentiment so special is that it manages to meet that same herculean bar of narrative quality while shooting an incredibly straight and structured arrow. Instead of relying on many flashier stylistic tricks, it makes use of incredibly nuanced pacing, masterful repetition, and a heavy emphasis on causality over time, which all masterfully compliment the game's brilliant mechanical design.
Pentiment is a masterful work of art that allows players to truly get into the shoes of its characters and their world--an accomplishment made all the more impressive considering the historic and literal distance between the fictional Tassing and where I write this review. Unlike many games, it doesn't hyper fixate on extolling clear themes that 'define' it, and frankly, I think many players without a critical eye might view the title as not having any themes beyond something vague about "God and art."
Instead, Pentiment weaves a truly organic world with understandable characters and a compelling narrative. It allows us to get a better picture of the human condition that defined the Late Middle Ages while also letting us be skeptical of whether we truly understand anything beyond the memories, choices, and emotions we take away from the experience.
All in all, Pentiment is the spitting image of artistic nuance that I wish our industry and medium had more of. It sits alongside a very small pool of games that truly treat its players as adults without any reservations. Although I've just completed the game and have only begun to digest its thematic content, it will be staying with me for a very long time--which to me is the highest honor any work of art can achieve.
No matter how you try to slice it, Pentiment is a lot of things in one artistic package. It's enough that I'm not even going to attempt to scratch away at it's thematic or narrative content here in any meaningful way. However, I do want to point out that Pentiment manages to accomplish a lot without many of the tools that the other greats of game writing do. Titles like Disco Elysium elevated the medium through tons of modern and post-modern technique, which is no easy feat...but it does make it immediately stylish and consumable to fanbases into art games and 'intelligent' criticism of hip topics such as capitalism. And I'd be lying if I wasn't one of those people who did (and still do) sing its praises as one of the greatest pieces of modern fiction and the crown jewel of games writing.
But what makes Pentiment so special is that it manages to meet that same herculean bar of narrative quality while shooting an incredibly straight and structured arrow. Instead of relying on many flashier stylistic tricks, it makes use of incredibly nuanced pacing, masterful repetition, and a heavy emphasis on causality over time, which all masterfully compliment the game's brilliant mechanical design.
Pentiment is a masterful work of art that allows players to truly get into the shoes of its characters and their world--an accomplishment made all the more impressive considering the historic and literal distance between the fictional Tassing and where I write this review. Unlike many games, it doesn't hyper fixate on extolling clear themes that 'define' it, and frankly, I think many players without a critical eye might view the title as not having any themes beyond something vague about "God and art."
Instead, Pentiment weaves a truly organic world with understandable characters and a compelling narrative. It allows us to get a better picture of the human condition that defined the Late Middle Ages while also letting us be skeptical of whether we truly understand anything beyond the memories, choices, and emotions we take away from the experience.
All in all, Pentiment is the spitting image of artistic nuance that I wish our industry and medium had more of. It sits alongside a very small pool of games that truly treat its players as adults without any reservations. Although I've just completed the game and have only begun to digest its thematic content, it will be staying with me for a very long time--which to me is the highest honor any work of art can achieve.