Pentiment - Announced for November 2022

HiddenX

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Obsidian Entertainment announced the Adventure RPG Pentiment:

Obsidian Entertainment Announces Pentiment



This is Obsidian's third year being a part of the Summer Showcase, and for the third year in a row, we are announcing a new game. Today, we have the pleasure of introducing the world to Pentiment, a 16th-century narrative adventure game directed by Studio Design Director Josh Sawyer. As you will see, this game is brought to life by a talented team who were inspired by illuminated manuscripts, woodcut prints, and history itself.

In Pentiment, you play Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist working in the bygone scriptorium of Kiersau Abbey during a time of great social unrest. While finishing his masterpiece, Andreas inadvertently becomes entangled in a series of murders that take place over 25 years. Peasants, thieves, craftsmen, monks, nuns, nobles, and even saints must be investigated and interrogated to expose the truth.

It will be up to players to decide Andreas' choices, from his educational background and lifestyle to how he investigates the murders. One day he may be digging up a dead monk in the abbey cemetery, the next might be spent eavesdropping on peasant gossip at the ladies' spinning bee. Every decision and accusation he makes carries consequences that will impact the tightly-knit Alpine community for generations to come.

We are very excited to share this unique interpretation of life in 16th-century Germany, and we can't wait to release more information with you about Pentiment leading up to its launch this November.

[...]
More information.
 
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Josh Sawyer loves Darklands - an RPG that takes place in Middle Age Holy Roman Empire/Germany. I think he speaks German, too. So I think he fulfilled his wish for his own dream game.
 
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Josh Sawyer loves Darklands - an RPG that takes place in Middle Age Holy Roman Empire/Germany. I think he speaks German, too. So I think he fulfilled his wish for his own dream game.

So this is the game that was being referred to as Sawyer's secret project?

It looks interesting, but I think I would play Grounded before I'd play this.
 
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I think with the success Disco Elysium we will see more Detective/Adventure RPGs with lesser or no combat.
 
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So this is the game that was being referred to as Sawyer's secret project?

It looks interesting, but I think I would play Grounded before I'd play this.

Good news you can play both on gamepass;)
 
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Um ... I don't know how to react. It's very different from anything I would have expected.

Despite the video having a lot of gameplay footage, I don't really know what the gameplay will entail. And I'm 100% fine with that because I don't prepurchase anyway. The video gives me the impression that there will be no combat other than possibly narrative-driven which I think leaves puzzles, conversations, and adventure-like exploration as likely gameplay mechanics. That worked for Disco Elysium.

I think that I like what I've seen here.
 
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Yeah I'm pretty much speechless that was the game they hinted on Twitter. Is it April Fools or am I dreaming? Seriously this looks like a small one man indie budget game.

I was expecting Avowed which has been in development hell for five years would finally get a gameplay trailer, or Outer Worlds 2 would have a releases date, but this?:(
 
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I thought there might be a chance it was Pentiment but I never expected it to look like this!! I had expected a small scale isometric/3D RPG like DE!

The developer who posted on Twitter is a 2D artist so it all makes sense now though. I must admit my interest in the game has dimmed somewhat.

It looks like a VN with a bit of a twist. There is no way they have been working on this for 5 years! 2 years sounds right based on previous rumors and from what I have read on Twitter.
 
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What's DE?

Sorry Disco Elysium.

On a related note now that the game has been offically announced the people working on it have revealed themselves and that includes Disco Elysiums writers! I'm guessing that is where the inspiration rumors came from rather than it being similar graphically/design wise.

https://twitter.com/Blankest_Space

Codex says the writers came from Digimancy (George Ziets Obsidian Alumni who was creative lead for Mask of the Betrayer and a writer on Fallout NV) - which makes sense since Digimancys main title wasn't picked up by a publisher (or it was cancelled - I can't remember which).
 
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question mark. Is this the last of Sawyer or first of many...
 
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Original. Breath of fresh air.
Only negative point is the Inquisition. :( I would have accepted a demonic incursion. Still I must give it to them this is an original concept.
 
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I would have accepted a demonic incursion.

There may still be one. Josh has posted a few times about how it will include fantastical elements in the game, but that they would be inline with beliefs of the time i.e. witches, demons etc.
 
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The historical setting, including the beliefs is one positive point for me, and it's an interesting period. The style is not my preferred one but I can disregard it if the story feels right, and it seems it is.
 
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It was long hinted what kind of game (medieval, low fantasy, conspiration) this would be and iirc it was also mentioned how it would look style-wise. I myself am pretty excited about this one and will likely get it day 1.
 
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Huh, well this sure looks unique. I like the setting, so mildly interested. Kinda depends on what the gameplay will be like whether I grab this or no.
 
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