Game Director Josh Sawyer has shared a reading list on medieval history that inspiredObsidian Entertainment’s upcoming medieval adventure game,Pentiment. Unlike the previous works of the studio, the upcoming manuscript offers a smaller narrative experience set in the 16th century.A keen history fan, Sawyer created the list, displayed in anofficial blog poston Xbox’s Web site, including books that focus on the period in which Pentiment takes place, while also giving a better sense of the zeitgeist of the 16th century. Sawyer believes that these books will prepare players before they immerse themselves in Pentiment, which is slated to arrive on November 15 onXbox Game Pass.RELATED:Hands-On: Pentiment is an Intriguing Medieval Manuscript AdventureThe list starts with Dürer’s Journeys: Travels of a Renaissance Artist, which consists of a compilation of essays and travel journeys of Albrecht Dürer, a 16th-century artist. Compiled by Susan Foister and Peter van den Brink, the hardcover is Sawyer’s first recommendation, and it offers a glimpse into the sociocultural changes that took place at the time. The compilation of Dürer’s travel journals is accompanied by many illustrations that contributed to the development of Pentiment. The reading list continues with historian Joel F. Harrington’s The Faithful Executioner, which follows the life of a German executioner who lived in the 16th century.
The game director’s reading list also features Natalie Z. Davis' The Return of Martin Guerre and Richard Wunderli’s Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen. The former follows the story of Martin Guerre, a young man who disappears for eight years before he comes back to his abandoned life. It was also adapted into a movie, which is rated “worth watching” by the game’s director. Wunderli’s Peasant Fires, on the other hand, revolves around a community that is facing a downfall after interacting with another peasant with charisma and certain pleasantries. And finally, Sawyer concludes his reading list with The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller, and Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, which have been huge inspirations for Obsidian’s next RPG title as well.
There is no doubt that Pentiment seems like an authentic title with a quite interesting tone thanks to its distinct style. With the inclusion of the five-book reading list, it is safe to say that the game also aims to stay within the premises of historical accuracy. While, of course, the books are not essential to immerse yourself in Pentiment’s depiction of the 16th century, it is always refreshing to hear that a historical game has a solid foundation under its narrative texture.
Sawyer, who also served as a director in the studio’s previous flagship titles likeFallout: New VegasandPillars of Eternity, believes that these books will do wonders in helping lay the landscape before the players assume the role of Andreas Maler, a 16th-century artist, on November 15.
