The newest adventure game from Obsidian Entertainment, Pentiment, has been review-bombed on Metacritic by various players. This is in sharp contrast to glowing reviews received from critics upon the game’s initial release. The title is a narrative-driven game that uses highly stylized art reminiscent of medieval paintings while having players solve mysteries without concrete answers as to whether they are making correct deductions.
The narrative-focused adventure is one of the first titles developed by Obsidian Entertainment after being acquired by Xbox. While the title has received some criticism, many reviews are positive and praise decisions that could set a precedent for AAA titles moving forward. Many aspects of the game can be seen as risky, given the current landscape of the video game world, but that does not mean that they are bad decisions.
Pentiment Takes Risks Uncommon to AAA Titles
Pentiment is a smaller title that allowed Obsidian to experiment with concepts that would not be conducive to most AAA titles due to the budget associated with more prominent titles forcing developers to lean on tried-and-true designs. The AAA format can be seen repeatedly in game series like Modern Warfare and GTA, which have recognizable mechanics and design choices. Pentiment takes a step away from these and chooses very stylized 2D graphics and narrative-focused gameplay instead of action-packed sequences.
The style choices made by Obsidian have received praise from critics, but some players have elected to review-bomb the title on Metacritic. The criticisms from players range from claims that the art is flat and 2D to the gameplay not being enjoyable and the title being more of a visual novel. While stylized games and heavy narratives are not for everyone, this was a design choice for Pentiment and is explained within the game's description as a "historical narrative-driven game focusing on character development, heavily stylized art, and choice-driven storytelling."
Pentiment's Style May Not Be for Everyone
Narrative titles like Pentiment are familiar and, while not for everyone, are often decent games because they break the standard. What Remains Of Edith Finch is another heavily narrative-driven title, with most of the gameplay based on exploring the Finch household and learning about the family members. This does not make the game bad -- just different from the action-packed titles which fill the AAA space. While criticisms such as the game having no actual gameplay are somewhat valid, they do not fit when a title is explicitly designed to have gameplay that focuses on the further development of the narrative. Pentiment was not intended to put players into the shoes of spies or assassins, but instead for them to play through a story and try to solve a mystery.
While the stylistic choices made for Pentiment have received criticism from players, they were made to support the game's setting. In a market filled with 3D graphics and designs that blur the lines between reality and the virtual world, Obsidian chose to use 2D graphics. To some players, this warranted criticism of the design. To others, this further supports the feeling for which the game is striving. Pentiment is set in 16th-century Europe and using a style reminiscent of medieval paintings helps to immerse players into the game and create a feeling of becoming a character who was painted into a tapestry and has come to life to explore a story.
Many of the criticisms that can be found on Metacritic appear to be from gamers who played a title that may not fit their playstyles. Multiple genres appeal to different players depending on their preferences. Players looking for a challenging game to test their abilities may love the Soulsborne games. First-person shooter fans will enjoy Modern Warfare II, and players looking for a relaxing adventure will have a great time with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Despite negative gamer feedback, fans of narrative titles wherein they can get lost in the plot will find Pentiment a fantastic experience.