The latest from Obsidian Entertainment sports, Repentancetakes its title from the saying repent, a change made by the artist in the drawing. Its origin is an Italian word Repentmeaning to change one’s mind or to repent. RepentanceIts purpose is to show how history, like oil on canvas, can be covered, then rediscovered or forgotten.
The game, which has been receiving rave reviews, is set in Bavaria in the 16th century in the Holy Roman Empire, an area that is now part of Germany. The player takes control of Andreas Maler, a travel photographer with a university education, who spent 25 years in a series of murders and scandals that take place in the fictional places of Kiersau Abbey and Tassing. Inspired by Umberto Eco’s Name of Rosethe game tries, as Eco’s book did, to find out the history, the form of fonts and inks, manuscripts and woodblock prints.
So, it’s a favorite project of the game’s director, Josh Sawyer, who is probably best known for his beloved. Fallout New Vegasas well as supporting the nostalgic and pioneering modern isometric RPG Pillars of Eternity. On Twitter and IRL, he shows interest Repentance‘s setting, the epic technological and social era that began with the Reformation and ended with the establishment of Copernicus’ heliocentric model of the solar system.
To learn more about Repentancestrange attraction, WIRED caught up with Zoom and Sawyer to talk about Eco, murder mysteries, double monasteries, and what this new art can tell us about modern history. He also provided excellent books.
This discussion has been edited for accuracy and clarity.
WIRED: I’m interested in the relationship that exists Repentance and this time in history. Why Bavaria in the 16th century?
Josh Sawyer: In college, I studied modern history. I like the long-term and early modern changes, because there is a lot of social change going on. To change religious institutions, educational institutions, society. Capitalism begins to look difficult. There is a great connection of cultures, because of trade that takes people around the world. So this time has been very interesting for me, because of everything that is happening.
The Middle Ages often don’t understand, do they?
People think of the Middle Ages as a long, uninterrupted period of nothingness, or war or anything else. But there is a great rise and change over several centuries, at the end of that period. So I was always very happy. Also, my family history: My grandfather was born in Bavaria. So there were a lot of things that made it more relevant to me than other parts of history, and it’s something that I just have.
Why do you think there are so many historical games?
I think it’s funny that we’re asking for this now, when there was a real drought for so long. History contains all the best that ever happened. It’s easy to create interesting worlds and stories based on well-researched history. When it’s done right, I think players appreciate being immersed in something that is reminiscent of the real world we live in.
