Pentiment

Pentiment starts with an unusual premise: an illuminated manuscript artist, and later the daughter of his friend the town printer (an artist herself), must solve a series of mysterious murders that occur over a 30-year period in a small Bavarian town run by the local Catholic Abbey during the early years of the Protestant Reformation. With great historical accuracy, the game intricately weaves period art and print styles into its visuals while delving into the region’s evolving political, economic, and spiritual landscapes. It unearths the town’s pagan origins, portrays struggles over historical narratives, and examines the gender, class, and ethnic dynamics of this period of European history. Beyond that, though, Pentiment showcases the power of interactive storytelling. Every choice in this game matters, with each replay revealing the consequences of player actions. The game’s refusal to dictate a “correct” path or allow players to see in totality amplifies its unique storytelling. For its innovative fusion of sweeping historical sagas with smaller personal tales, and for exemplifying player agency in storytelling, Pentiment wins a Peabody Award.