Rec
๐
i would recommend going into this game blind (it's so brilliant and fantastic, deeply moving and thought-provoking, just trust me!!), but since this is a recommendation i should say some things about it:
โ vague premise: you play a journeyman artist at a transitional point in history. you meet people and see how you and they react to these changes. lots and lots of dialogue trees.
โ if you are even slightly interested in graphic design, printmaking, or historical manuscripts you will be so immediately charmed and astounded by how pentiment uses type-faces. (and! if you're dyslexic like me they even have an accessibility option for us! i didn't use it, but it felt really good to have even been thought of like that)
โ the way this game made me even more curious about topics i thought i knew a decent amount about had me so excited! the credits of the game even has a bibliography!!!
โ i โก (my version of) andreas (the player character) so much. he means so much to me. if you're an artist, pentiment will hit you so hard!!!
โ it's class conscious!!! but not simplistically so. there is nuance and an understanding of the moving target that the multiple factors at play create for people trying to do good. change, let alone positive change, is not easy. pentiment not only acknowledges this but has real wisdom to offer on how art and research can/do fit into class struggle.
โ and, on top of all of that, it's funny! it's got all this heady stuff going for it, but it's still got it's feet firmly on the ground!
โ vague premise: you play a journeyman artist at a transitional point in history. you meet people and see how you and they react to these changes. lots and lots of dialogue trees.
โ if you are even slightly interested in graphic design, printmaking, or historical manuscripts you will be so immediately charmed and astounded by how pentiment uses type-faces. (and! if you're dyslexic like me they even have an accessibility option for us! i didn't use it, but it felt really good to have even been thought of like that)
โ the way this game made me even more curious about topics i thought i knew a decent amount about had me so excited! the credits of the game even has a bibliography!!!
โ i โก (my version of) andreas (the player character) so much. he means so much to me. if you're an artist, pentiment will hit you so hard!!!
โ it's class conscious!!! but not simplistically so. there is nuance and an understanding of the moving target that the multiple factors at play create for people trying to do good. change, let alone positive change, is not easy. pentiment not only acknowledges this but has real wisdom to offer on how art and research can/do fit into class struggle.
โ and, on top of all of that, it's funny! it's got all this heady stuff going for it, but it's still got it's feet firmly on the ground!
Mar 19, 2025
Related Recs
Rec
๐itโs been a minute since i indulged in a good indie game as i have been in my dark souls bag as of late but these were the games i would recommend that i love!
MUTAZIONE - DIE GUTE FABRIK (2019) a gorgeous game which follows a girl named Kai on her journey to meet her dying grandfather. set on an island near rio which was struck by an asteroid causing the island to be inhabited by mutants. help their island thrive by working with the surrounding nature and meet everyone! the most beautiful soundtrack of any game iโve ever played, gorgeous visuals too. if you are looking for a low stakes low maintenance game to chill with then this is the one. there is also a free play mode where you can just make lovely gardens!
AFTERPARTY - NIGHT SCHOOL STUDIO (2019) the lesser known cooler younger sister of OXENFREE (which i would also recommend). afterparty follows two recently deceased best friends navigate their way through (and hopefully out) of hell. after some digging they find a loophole to give themselves another chance at life; to out drink the devil. very personalised player experience with multiple different endings, and even your own personal demon criticising you for every decision you make. very good game, can be multiplayer, mostly point and click with a few minigames, more of a work out for the brain!
ABZU - GIANT SQUID (2017) this game is a spiritual experience. you, as the player are given a vessel to explore the beauties are ocean has to offer. youโre job is to restore the various species to their rightful habitats. the game is so gorgeous, the soundtrack is amazing and you might learn something about your local marine life!
NIGHT IN THE WOODS - SECRET LAB (2017) night in the woods is based in Mai Borowski, a recent college drop outโs, hometown. she seeks to find meaning and stability in her old life which is irreparably different than before. with mystery and emotional depth, many find this game to be the perfect thing to play when youโre feeling lost in life!
SPIRITFARER - THUNDER LOTUS GAMES (2020) in spiritfarer you play as stella, a girl with big shoes to fill. stellaโs new job is to be the ferrymaster and escort the across the everdoor and to the afterlife. stella reunites with loved ones and departs from them too, in the mean time accommodating to the spirits whims. gorgeous game that deals with themes of grief but has a lot to do in it!
CHEF RPG - PIXEL ARCHITECT (2024) chef rpg made by noah, otherwise known as pixel architect, is an upcoming โstardew valleyโ game centering a young chef who flees their life in the big city to white ash harbour to revive a once famous restaurant. the coolest thing about this game is that you can watch the developer make it! on noahโs youtube channel you can watch him create this game piece by piece. im really looking forward to it coming out!
COFFEE TALK - TOGE PRODUCTIONS (2020) this game has a special place in my heart. in coffee talk you play as a barista in a coffee shop thatโs only open at night. you spend your time making drinks for regulars and listening to their story develop night after night. the drinks you make have a big impact on the game. thereโs a second game now which i havenโt played yet but this is a super relaxing games which packs a good punch in the emotional department!
STRAY - BLUETWELVE STUDIOS (2022) iโm sure youโve seen this game before. you, a little cat, navigate the ghost of an underground metropolis. the empty and failing city seems a little less lonely when you meet B-12 the friendly drone that assists you in navigating the unknown territory!
NOT INDIE: BEYOND TWO SOULS - QUANTIC DREAM (2013) every single time someone says they like life is strange i tell them they have to play this! Jodie is a girl who has had a gift her whole life, what she does with that gift is up to you. with multiple different endings, it can be pretty high stakes. you should def play!!!
so sorry this was so long, i hope you enjoy some of these as much i have! xoxo
MUTAZIONE - DIE GUTE FABRIK (2019) a gorgeous game which follows a girl named Kai on her journey to meet her dying grandfather. set on an island near rio which was struck by an asteroid causing the island to be inhabited by mutants. help their island thrive by working with the surrounding nature and meet everyone! the most beautiful soundtrack of any game iโve ever played, gorgeous visuals too. if you are looking for a low stakes low maintenance game to chill with then this is the one. there is also a free play mode where you can just make lovely gardens!
AFTERPARTY - NIGHT SCHOOL STUDIO (2019) the lesser known cooler younger sister of OXENFREE (which i would also recommend). afterparty follows two recently deceased best friends navigate their way through (and hopefully out) of hell. after some digging they find a loophole to give themselves another chance at life; to out drink the devil. very personalised player experience with multiple different endings, and even your own personal demon criticising you for every decision you make. very good game, can be multiplayer, mostly point and click with a few minigames, more of a work out for the brain!
ABZU - GIANT SQUID (2017) this game is a spiritual experience. you, as the player are given a vessel to explore the beauties are ocean has to offer. youโre job is to restore the various species to their rightful habitats. the game is so gorgeous, the soundtrack is amazing and you might learn something about your local marine life!
NIGHT IN THE WOODS - SECRET LAB (2017) night in the woods is based in Mai Borowski, a recent college drop outโs, hometown. she seeks to find meaning and stability in her old life which is irreparably different than before. with mystery and emotional depth, many find this game to be the perfect thing to play when youโre feeling lost in life!
SPIRITFARER - THUNDER LOTUS GAMES (2020) in spiritfarer you play as stella, a girl with big shoes to fill. stellaโs new job is to be the ferrymaster and escort the across the everdoor and to the afterlife. stella reunites with loved ones and departs from them too, in the mean time accommodating to the spirits whims. gorgeous game that deals with themes of grief but has a lot to do in it!
CHEF RPG - PIXEL ARCHITECT (2024) chef rpg made by noah, otherwise known as pixel architect, is an upcoming โstardew valleyโ game centering a young chef who flees their life in the big city to white ash harbour to revive a once famous restaurant. the coolest thing about this game is that you can watch the developer make it! on noahโs youtube channel you can watch him create this game piece by piece. im really looking forward to it coming out!
COFFEE TALK - TOGE PRODUCTIONS (2020) this game has a special place in my heart. in coffee talk you play as a barista in a coffee shop thatโs only open at night. you spend your time making drinks for regulars and listening to their story develop night after night. the drinks you make have a big impact on the game. thereโs a second game now which i havenโt played yet but this is a super relaxing games which packs a good punch in the emotional department!
STRAY - BLUETWELVE STUDIOS (2022) iโm sure youโve seen this game before. you, a little cat, navigate the ghost of an underground metropolis. the empty and failing city seems a little less lonely when you meet B-12 the friendly drone that assists you in navigating the unknown territory!
NOT INDIE: BEYOND TWO SOULS - QUANTIC DREAM (2013) every single time someone says they like life is strange i tell them they have to play this! Jodie is a girl who has had a gift her whole life, what she does with that gift is up to you. with multiple different endings, it can be pretty high stakes. you should def play!!!
so sorry this was so long, i hope you enjoy some of these as much i have! xoxo
Rec
if you like video games, chances are you already know about this one. if you aren't that into any games, but you like a good story and even better characters - drop everything i don't care, you have to play this. honestly it feels more like a visual novel because it's the writing and dialogue more than the gameplay that makes this thing great.
it's set in a small, deteriorating american town, and you play as mae, who has just dropped out of college and returned home to live with her parents and see her old friends. shit has truly heartbreaking moments and lines that will stick with me forever. themes-wise, we're talking growing up, family and friendship, the impact of urbanisation, community, derealisation, capitalism, nostalgia, all that good stuff. plus theres a halloween bit i know you fuckers love halloween.
i keep coming back to it and every time it has something new for me. MASSIVE recommendation especially if you're in your 20s. also the soundtrack is gorgeous and there are rhythm minigames (PLAY THAT BASS!!)
i keep coming back to it and every time it has something new for me. MASSIVE recommendation especially if you're in your 20s. also the soundtrack is gorgeous and there are rhythm minigames (PLAY THAT BASS!!)
Rec
๐ชฒ"๐ด๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐"
a creature solely known as the knight fights their way through a metroidvania of countless bugs, difficult bosses and platforming challenges, all while uncovering the truth of the eternal kingdom of hallownest
this world is something storytellers DREAM of. got that soulsborne-esque drip fed vague lore (though i highly recommend mossbag's videos on the lore as we know it v entertaining i watch the main one to go to sleep all the time). it's almost addicting to try & discover more of the world, tackle the incredibly fun bosses and meet this world's inhabitants (shout out corniselda hive), which is a great motivator especially for a game this difficult.
and when i say difficult, i am not even remotely mincing words. carpal tunnel gang beware.
true story: i actually had to buy this game twice. i initially got it on switch, but the brief moments of joycon drift i was experiencing was enough to fuck up moments of precision platforming that need to be done pitch perfectly, bc some sections can be extremely unforgiving with checkpoints and backtracking. so, i caved and bought it again on steam, happily, bc a team like this deserves every goddamn penny
no exaggeration, a once in a lifetime experience. the amount of content you get for such a low price tag is staggering. triple a's WISH they could be this complete and satisfying
anyways gimme silksong already i'm not gettin any younger
a creature solely known as the knight fights their way through a metroidvania of countless bugs, difficult bosses and platforming challenges, all while uncovering the truth of the eternal kingdom of hallownest
this world is something storytellers DREAM of. got that soulsborne-esque drip fed vague lore (though i highly recommend mossbag's videos on the lore as we know it v entertaining i watch the main one to go to sleep all the time). it's almost addicting to try & discover more of the world, tackle the incredibly fun bosses and meet this world's inhabitants (shout out corniselda hive), which is a great motivator especially for a game this difficult.
and when i say difficult, i am not even remotely mincing words. carpal tunnel gang beware.
true story: i actually had to buy this game twice. i initially got it on switch, but the brief moments of joycon drift i was experiencing was enough to fuck up moments of precision platforming that need to be done pitch perfectly, bc some sections can be extremely unforgiving with checkpoints and backtracking. so, i caved and bought it again on steam, happily, bc a team like this deserves every goddamn penny
no exaggeration, a once in a lifetime experience. the amount of content you get for such a low price tag is staggering. triple a's WISH they could be this complete and satisfying
anyways gimme silksong already i'm not gettin any younger
Apr 17, 2024
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