Video Game Review: Pentiment by Obsidian Entertainment

A beautifully painted Renaissance whodunit.

I heard a positive, albeit quiet, buzz surrounding the release of Pentiment and was intrigued by its very existence. A new Obsidian story-based murder mystery game set in the Renaissance era with a story-book art style? Yes, please. Unfortunately, I didn’t own either of the platforms on which it launched, but thankfully that has been fixed by the kind folks over at Xbox Publishing. The first in a new wave of Xbox-published games on PlayStation has been happily received, and I have to say, Pentiment is a treat.

Andreas Maler, like the paintings he creates, is an intricate canvas of possibilities, fleshed out by the player. The character has certain staples to his personality that transcend the options given to the player, but on the whole, player choice feels like just the right touch of impact for a game this size. Choosing between rapscallion and bookworm will open very different dialogue choices. His areas of study at university and previous locations also open up even more dialogue and problem-solving decisions. Particular problems, like reading script in Italian for instance, become simple if Andreas knows how to read Italian. Otherwise, Andreas must hunt someone down who could help with his specific problem. This adds a bit of replay value to this little gem, and even better yet, keeps the dialogue fun. I’ve almost completed Pentiment twice and can see these small tweaks affecting each playthrough.

The visual aspect of this game is a breath of fresh air. A unique storybook style paints characters in vibrant hues, bringing life to these two-dimensional theists. Almost every character is memorable, a combination of brilliant artwork and writing. The animations are clean and simple, and the game always looks fantastic. Pentiment is a treat for the eyes.

On par with the artwork, the dialogue is king here. With witty writing, the characters pop off the page. Especially Andreas. His ability to thread his way between pious and respectful or sacrilegious and scandalous always created engaging options. I loved the sarcastic lines, and loved it even more when other characters picked up on my sarcasm and called me out (much respect to the ever-intuitive Father Thomas). The game lives by the dialogue, as there isn’t anything else here. Players looking for anything outside of the narrative need to look elsewhere. There are small mini-games throughout that bring in a bit of a distraction (a card game, fixing horseshoes, etc.), but they are ever only distractions and don’t add much to the game. Thankfully the writing is strong enough to hold the rest of the title upon its shoulders. Sitting around and having dinner with the townsfolk is just as engrossing as solving murders (well, almost).

All is not perfect in this picturesque storybook though. The game begins at a dawdling pace, creating a bit of a slog. It’s unfortunate because the game isn’t particularly long. I can see how the absence of a varied list of sound effects and music in combination with a slow start could turn people off. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded, but I admit some of the gameplay choices create a monotonous air. For instance, the entire game sees the player backtracking to find out more information or spend time with specific people.

Pausing the game brings up a book-like menu that allows the player to view the town/abbey and what is available to do in these areas, but it’s not always accurate and doesn’t always show who is currently available to have a discussion. What follows (if you want to be thorough in investigating the murder) is that I found myself going into every house in every area of the game to see if the townspeople or clergy members had something to say. Sure I could have just talked to a few people and gone off of inconclusive evidence, but how could I condemn an innocent person to death without as much information as possible? The system for traversal was inconvenient, even if it didn’t take long to get from place to place.

As dialogue exits characters’ mouths in Pentiment, a quill scratching paper makes a sound. It’s a nice touch, but over time I desired more. The music is lacking, and as much as I enjoy the silent aspect, the game’s clever writing had me hoping for some fantastic voice acting. The music is so ambient as to be absent (though it does flare up during important revelations). A more prominent soundtrack or voiced dialogue would have elevated the experience for this reviewer.

Regardless of these annoyances, Pentiment paints a brilliant picture of life in a small town connected to an abbey in the 1500s. Taxes raised on the peasants create cruel times that force bold action. Most characters are fleshed out and are worth learning more about. Deciding who to accuse when the time comes feels like a hefty decision and actions taken in Act I play out in Acts II and III, so the player must choose wisely. Will you ignore the abbot and investigate the abbey against his wishes, thus drawing his ire in Act II? Would you accuse a character you didn’t have enough evidence to convict but simply didn’t like them? The choices are in the player’s hands, and regardless of how the story goes, Obsidian manages to make the hefty decisions feel incomplete. Reminiscent of the actual convictions cast in the Renaissance era with insufficient data, the weight of a character’s life is in the balance, whether you have enough information or not. Spoiler: you never do, and that makes the game all the more brilliant.

When the credits roll on Pentiment, it is easy to consider pressing New Game right away to see the other options. To see how the peasants and townsfolk react to the accusations of different characters. And to see how your choices will play out differently through the acts. The beauty of Pentiment, despite my issues with its traversal and sound, is that it isn’t a long game, so experiencing it more than once is a feasible option. Any fan of a highly story-focused game should give this a look-over. Clever writing and beautiful artwork steal the show and is a great example of what an established developer could do with a smaller side-project. Pentiment is a polished, highly memorable experience.

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 8/10

Bonus: +1 for witty dialogue. +1 for the beautiful storybook art style.

Penalties: -1 for endless backtracking. -1 for lacking some sound effects.

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Review: Fallout

Quite the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. first attempt

The raging dichotomy on the Internet about video games and their film/television series adaptations can be a horrible place to find yourself at two a.m. on a Friday night, but someone’s gotta do it. The thing is, you won’t have too many dissenters when it comes to the recently released Fallout show on Amazon Prime. Sure, you have some folks grumpy about potential retconning to their favorite entry, Fallout: New Vegas (Obsidian), but overall, fans seem pleased. The first two titles in the game series were developed by Black Isle Studios and Interplay Entertainment, and Bethesda Studios continued with Fallout 3 and 4 (with Obsidian on New Vegas). I never played the first two Fallout games, but I can attest to the rest of them having hefty hundred-plus-hour runtimes (if you like to explore like me). This breadth of content left showmakers with tons of potential inspiration. And boy did they use it. For better or worse.

Let’s get it out of the way: Fallout is a great adaptation of the series. Fans should be excited and generally pleased by the attention to detail paid by Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, even if not every detail is precise to the world seen in the games. From the choice of soundtrack to costumes and dialogue, everything screams, “I’ve played these games and want to respect the source material.”

There were so many moments throughout the show that made me think, “This is Fallout.” One of my favorites sees a character decapitate another with a ripper (chainsaw sword) to the tune of the Ink Spot’s “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire.” If that isn’t quintessential Fallout, I don't know what is. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments that took me by surprise, some at the moment, some after a reflection. Some moments in the show felt like they were left up to the RNG (random number generator) Gods, which was one of the truest reflections of the series. Let me explain. In the games, you’ll frequently come across obstacles in which you can choose an option. Sometimes it’s dialogue, sometimes an action. There’s a percentage of a chance that some of these things will work and quite a bit of a chance that they won’t. While I won’t spoil anything, there were a few moments where I thought something was going to backfire but worked, and something that I thought should work backfired. It pulled me further into the narrative and character predicaments.

The aesthetic of the show is true to its roots, especially the Vaults and its inhabitants. From the Vault-Tec bobbleheads to the political propaganda, from the Nuka-Cola to the Red Rocket gas station, and from the Pip-Boys to the power armor, everything looks fantastic and authentic. Seeing all these things made me want to boot one of the old games back up and return to the wasteland. This applies to the sound effects too. From Codsworth’s line delivery and voiceovers to the sound a stimpak makes, you won’t find yourself wanting for authenticity. Fallout looks and feels just like the games.

Lucy MacLeane, played by Ella Purnell, is your typical do-gooder vault dweller on a mission to save a loved one. She is thrust forth from the safety of Vault 33 and into the dangerous wasteland that was once California. She wears her blue jumper with pride and encounters many obstacles with the naiveté of an ignorant rich person stepping into a slum. The rules are different and she soon learns that, to survive and complete her mission, she has to adapt. Her path repeatedly crosses with two other protagonists throughout her journey, and this is where I had some issues. While the other characters make everything more fun and engaging, their meeting on happenstance is too convenient. One character is in trouble and the other just happens to show up and find them at this particular place in a massive wasteland with no communication beforehand. This happens quite a few times.

There were some slogs in the pacing for me as well. While it seemed true to the games to have nothing going on for a little while, it doesn’t work as well for the show. However, there was a hilarious moment where being bogged down by side quests was referenced. One entire episode (of eight) goes by without showing one of the four major protagonists, which I thought was a poor choice.

One of the four protagonists, Lucy’s brother Norm (Moises Arias), is inside a vault and is trying to discover its secrets. One of the best parts of any Fallout game was discovering what lay inside a vault and what experiment said vault was testing. Watching Norm access terminals and using his intermediate hacking skills was satisfying. It’s unfortunate then that this parallel narrative is left hanging in the balance, despite being one of the most authentic and enjoyable parts of the show. I wanted a more solid conclusion, but they seem to have left it for the next season.

I’ve used the words “authenticity” and “authentic” a few times because I want to reiterate the clear love for the game that I saw throughout much of the show. People in power armor yelling and running for their lives is what I spend half my time in Fallout doing, and they caught that. That armor doesn't make you invincible (but it does help). As a gamer, I loved it.

Then I considered it as a TV viewer. Still good, but there are some awkward dialogue choices that don’t feel natural. The romance doesn't feel great, and some of the things that the characters come across seem even more farfetched than the world would seemingly allow. But then someone gets impaled from a shot to the chest, and the camera pans down to see a baby doll’s leg sticking out. That’s what I’m talking about. That's Fallout.

The dirty word that was once “adaptation” seems to be slipping away into the darkness. With The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Last of Us, and Castlevania among others, Fallout helps solidify the argument for using video games as a source material. While this initial season leaves a bit to be desired after the climax, it did have me yearning for more. I found that, despite some dragging segments, and that no one was called “smoothskin,” I was happy to watch multiple episodes in a row. When a derivative piece of work rekindles fond memories of your original experience with its source, you’ve done a good job. Now I just have to pretend that the Fallout games don’t exist so I can focus on my backlog.

The Math

Objective Assessment: 7.5/10

Bonus: +1 for authenticity, +1 for gruesome over-the-top violence that the series is known for; +0.5 for the soundtrack.

Penalties: −1 for some pacing issues, −1 for convenient hero happenstance.

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Summer Reading List 2018: brian

Last year's Summer of Harry Potter ended up being the Summer, Autumn, and Winter of Harry Potter. In an effort not to repeat that mistake, this year will be the Summer of Good Anime Movies, a task I could accomplish in a weekend if I wanted to. So far, I've got ten movies named, focusing on critically and popularly acclaimed anime movies I haven't seen. I've chosen this theme because I haven't seen anything Miyazaki and that's kind of a huge blindspot, right? But good anime movies won't absorb all of my free time, so I've added some of the novels and video games I'll be enjoying too.

1. My Neighbor Totoro, by Hayao Miyazaki (director)

Here we go, starting the show with the showstopper. I've never seen My Neighbor Totoro. I'm going to correct that. I understand I could fill a list of Good Anime Movies with nothing by Miyazaki, but if I have to name one that I've probably heard of the most, it's My Neighbor Totoro.

2. Paprika, by Satoshi Kon (director)

Another acclaimed anime director whose works I've never seen is Satoshi Kon, so his films are also part of my list. Paprika is a film that I remember making some real waves when it released in 2006, and I never got around to it. 

3. Authority, by Jeff VanderMeer

You may remember from my review that I absolutely loved the film Annihilation, but wasn't particularly hot on the novel Annihilation. Regardless, I'm continuing this series to see if maybe some of what made the film so enjoyable was pulled from the other books in the trilogy. Even if it wasn't, I still want to know what else happens in Area X.

4. All Systems Red, by Martha Wells

Wells is absolutely cranking these novels out, with this one having just released a year ago, the second in May of this year, and a third before the end of summer. All Systems Red was well received and I got it free from the Tor newsletter, so this summer is as good of a time as any to check it out. Space travel and robots really speak to me.

5. Final Fantasy XV, by Square Enix (developer)

Hi, I'm brian and I've never finished a Final Fantasy game. That's not entirely true because I did finish Final Fantasy Adventure, but that was technically a Secret of Mana game. None of that matters, though, because I've played almost every Final Fantasy and didn't really enjoy any of them except this one. I expect this is the game that's going to carry me through most of the summer with the DLC episodes. And I'm not too optimistic about this, but playing it has been making me feel like I should revisit FFVIII and FFXIII, the two that probably caught my attention the most before I stopped playing them.

6. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, by Obsidian Entertainment (developer)

This is the entry for "PC RPG like a dozen others that I own but will never finish". It's not a short list and I added to it when I backed this game, like its predecessor, on Kickstarter. It just came out and I feel like I can't start it until I finish the first Pillars of Eternity, which will never happen. Why did I even list this? Let's call it aspirational thinking.

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POSTED BY: brian, sci-fi/fantasy/video game dork and contributor since 2014

Summer Reading List 2017: brian

Harry Potter 1 - 7 by J.K. Rowling

This is the Summer of Harry Potter for me. I never read the books when they were new (I felt like I was a bit old for them at the time), and now I'm going back to see what I've missed. I'm reading each book consecutively, with the movies inserted as I finish each book. Definitely reading each of the canonical seven books, maybe adding on other Potterverse novels or media when I'm done. I'm excited about the Summer of Harry Potter because that world has been a big blank spot for me, and these novels mean a lot to people I know.

Well, that's it for my summer reading. Seven plus novels, that's about all I can handle if I even finish them before the end of the season. But it doesn't really fill out this post, so let's shift gears.

Summer Video Gaming List 2017

Tyranny by Obsidian Entertainment (developer)

This one is something I've kept an eye on for a while, but was recently encouraged to play sooner rather than later by a recommendation from our very own The G. I've played an awful lot of enormous CRPGs, and I don't think I've finished a single one, but Tyranny interests me for its developer, Obsidian, and its premise. It's a game world where the bad guys won. It's reportedly shorter than most CRPGs, which appeals to me because many of those other CRPGs I've never finished are because I lost interest before reaching the conclusion.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands by Ubisoft (developer)

I liked Tom Clancy's The Division, and Wildlands is kind of like The Division combined with Just Cause. It makes for a sort of uneven tone, because it's about the serious topic of taking down a drug cartel, but so far the cutscenes have been very Hollywood action movie. My initial assessment of the structure makes the game look enormous, so here's hoping it has enough variety in action to keep me playing.

Tacoma by Fullbright (developer)

As a long time Idle Thumbs fan, I simply cannot pass up a game that's a product of that group of people. I loved Gone Home and Firewatch, and I don't care what Tacoma ends up being. I'm going to play it. And I'm in luck because Tacoma combines a few things that I like a lot; strong narrative, environmental storytelling, and space!

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POSTED BY: brian, sci-fi/fantasy/video game dork and contributor since 2014