How Long Does It Take To Beat Pentiment?

Diehard RPG fans will no doubt recognize the name Obsidian Entertainment. The developer is responsible for creating some of the most beloved (and massive) games in the genre, including "Fallout: New Vegas," "Star War Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords," and "The Outer Worlds." That's why it came as a bit of a shock when the team announced that its big release for 2022 would not be a hundred-hour open-world affair, but rather a small, hand-drawn, medieval murder mystery: "Pentiment."

With how far of a departure "Pentiment" is from the rest of Obsidian's catalog in terms of aesthetics, structure, and design, it's only natural that some might have initially approached the title with trepidation. Of course, the sentiment on "Pentiment" changed upon the game's release, as multiple critical reviews showered praise on the title for its creative plot and game mechanics (via Metacritic). With that positive reception in mind, players may be interested in picking up "Pentiment" for themselves, but also wondering how much time they'll be able to squeeze out of the game. Here's how long the average gamer should expect to spend playing "Pentiment."

Those who pick up "Pentiment" for a playthrough should expect a decently-sized experience that simultaneously doesn't overstay its welcome. Critical reviews from various game-focused sites have clocked the game as taking anywhere from 9 to 20 hours to roll credits, though several of those accounts sit on the lengthier side of that spectrum.

Digital Trends had a relatively brief stint with the game, hitting the nine-hour mark. Polygon also headed through the game at a fast tick, noting that attempting to play the game quickly takes around 10 hours, while a more leisurely playthrough can extend to 15 hours. Game Rant, IGN, and VG247 all place the game as taking anywhere between 15 to 20 hours to beat, while Destructoid and PC Gamer wrote that their playthroughs took a maximum of 20 hours.

A game that takes up to 20 hours is certainly no slouch, but it's still a far cry from the game that takes the longest to beat. Obsidian Entertainment fans may also note that the game's expected runtime doesn't match the heights of the developer's other major games, such as "Fallout: New Vegas," which can take players more than 130 hours to see everything (via HowLongtoBeat). In reality, "Pentiment" was developed by a small team within Obsidian made up of just 13 people, so a relatively smaller scope is to be expected (via Ars Technica). Regardless, "Pentiment" will still offer most players enough content to fill several gaming sessions.