Pentiment earned generally favorable reviews, especially for its writing, striking manuscript-inspired art, historical setting, and consequential choices. It is a slow, reading-heavy narrative adventure rather than a combat-focused RPG, so its appeal depends on whether you enjoy dialogue and moral uncertainty more than action.
What do reviews say about Pentiment?
Review scores are snapshots that vary by platform and can change as ratings are added. When checked in 2026, Metacritic listed an 86 Metascore from 56 critic reviews and a 7.7 user score from 685 ratings. Steam’s accessed listing showed 94% positive among 5,251 English-language reviews. Those figures reflect the respective platforms’ review pools, not a survey of all players.
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![Pentiment - Xbox & Windows [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41NJLiJiZML._SL160_.jpg)
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Pentiment - Xbox & Windows [Digital Code] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Injustice: Gods Among Us - Xbox 360 | $22.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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No More Heroes 3 – Day 1 Edition - Xbox Series X | $21.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Island Thunder - Xbox | $10.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Assassin's Creed - Ezio Trilogy Edition xbox 360 | $24.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Across the sampled critic reviews, common points of praise include the dialogue and writing, distinctive illustrated presentation, historical atmosphere, and decisions that shape the story. Some criticism focuses on the measured pace and the limited amount of conventional gameplay. One review also argued that the game’s time limits can curtail opportunities to spend time with its strongest characters.
Metacritic’s listing includes PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Because platform scores and counts may differ, check the listing for the platform you plan to play rather than treating an aggregate as a universal, permanent rating. Metacritic’s Pentiment listing.
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- Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, and intrigue in the Bavarian Alps
What kind of game is Pentiment?
Pentiment is a narrative adventure developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. You play Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist who becomes entangled in murders, scandals, and investigations in the fictional Bavarian town of Tassing and nearby Kiersau Abbey. The story follows the community across roughly 25 years.
Set in early-16th-century Bavaria amid religious and political upheaval, the game draws its look from illuminated manuscripts, early printed books, and woodcuts. Its limited-frame animation is designed to make the people and settings feel like illustrations moving across a page. The official Pentiment site describes the art direction and game features; Obsidian’s announcement identifies Josh Sawyer as game director and outlines the premise.
Rank #2
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- A variety of play areas based in the mythologies of each character franchise. *An accessible attack system broken down into light, medium and heavy attack, with each character having their own specific attacks.
- "Wager battles" that allow the winner of the battle to collect a portion of an opponents metered power. *Deep multiplayer play options, including local and online play, as well as tournament support. *Great game for collectors.
Is Pentiment mostly reading?
Yes: conversation, investigation, and decisions are the core of the experience. Players choose aspects of Andreas’s background, speak with residents, explore the community, and make choices whose effects can reach beyond a single case. The emphasis is on interpreting people and events, not on frequent combat or action sequences.
The investigations also resist the certainty of a conventional detective puzzle. In an Xbox Wire interview, Sawyer described a design in which time and the ability to establish an answer are limited. Asked whether there was one right way through the game, he said, “No, there really isn’t.” In practice, that means you may have to choose among plausible suspects and live with uncertainty rather than uncovering a guaranteed solution through exhaustive searching.
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Rank #3
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Is Pentiment worth playing?
It is a strong choice if you like historical fiction, character-driven stories, dialogue, and decisions without obvious right answers. Its art style is not just decoration: the book-and-print imagery reinforces the period and gives the game a visual identity unlike a conventional realistic RPG.
It is less likely to suit you if you want brisk pacing, frequent action, or a puzzle with a single provable answer. The limited investigation time can make some character stories feel abbreviated, and the amount of reading is central to the design rather than an occasional break between gameplay sections. Steam lists the game as single-player and provides 11 interface and subtitle languages on its accessed store page; check the listing for current language details. Steam’s Pentiment listing.
Rank #4
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What platforms is Pentiment on?
Metacritic lists PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Obsidian announced digital releases for PS4, PS5, and Switch on February 22, 2024. It also announced a limited physical preorder window through Limited Run Games for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Switch, running February 22 through March 22, 2024. That preorder announcement does not establish current stock or availability.
One platform-specific accessibility detail is documented on the official game site: narration assist is unavailable on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. Check the current options and platform documentation for other accessibility features before choosing a version. Official Pentiment site · Obsidian platform announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- ASSASSIN'S CREED 2: The Truth is Written in Blood: I will seek vengeance upon those who have betrayed my family, only to uncover a conspiracy bigger than I could have imagined. I am Ezio Auditore Da Firenze. I am an Assassin
- ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD: Be a Legend: I have always fought alone. But one man cannot defeat the entire Templar order. So I have recruited my fellow assassins. Together, we will forge The Brotherhood
- ASSASSIN'S CREED: REVELATIONS: Two Assassin's. One Destiny: My blades have dispensed death and justice in equal measure. Yet I am no closer to discovering the truth behind our order. I must walk the path of my ancestor, Altair, to find my true purpose
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