"[5] At the time of release, the PlayStation version of Sentient was praised for its ambitious and intricate gameplay[13][3][19][23] and its replay value,[13][3][19][23] but criticised for its sloppy graphics, particularly the odd-looking character faces.

[13][3][19][23] Most critics expressed astonishment that the conversation system produces dialogue which is not only fairly complex, but generally sounds natural and realistic.

Dan Hsu and Crispin Boyer felt that the pace was too slow and would be unappealing to many gamers, while Ken "Sushi-X" Williams shared Smith's more positive assessment.

[13] A Next Generation reviewer concluded, "Ultimately, Sentient succeeds at what it set out to do, which was to forge some new territory in graphic adventures.

"[19] The PC release was more negatively received, with critics commenting that the graphics look terrible unless the user has a 3D Blaster or Matrox Mystique card,[16][18] and that the interface is clumsy and tedious, making the player wade through several menus to choose responses.

[18] GameSpot expressed admiration for the game's ambition and immersion, but felt the cumbersome interface made it a chore to play.