14 DAY TRIAL // Taking photos before mobile phones were a thing was hard. Using a dark room to actually develop the photographs was even worse. But a good image at the right time can reveal secrets and spur exploration. The two actions also stand at the gameplay center of Martha Is Dead.
The title is created by LKA, with publishing duties handled by Wired Productions. The game is set to arrive on Steam, as well as on the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X and S, and previous consoles from Sony and Microsoft. It’s a first-person adventure game with a focus on horror and psychology.
Gamers will take on the role of Giulia. Her sister, the Martha of the title, is found drowned in a lake, under mysterious circumstances. It is the summer of 1944 in Italy, with one of the fronts of World War II drawing closer to the area. Giulia becomes Martha and starts to search for answers about her death.
The game is initially pretty limited. But once Giulia becomes Martha and gets access to a camera a more traditional adventure game structure opens up. Navigate the environment to reach a goal. Photograph a particular thing and develop the image. Get a certain deck of cards, look around to find the narrative element that every image on a wall has to offer. There’s not a lot of variety here but the narrative is strong enough to keep the player moving forward. Martha Is Dead excels in the presentation department.
The graphics, both during the action and during cutscenes, are high quality, with plenty of attention to small details. I especially loved the many paintings that the player can get a close-up of. The Italian voice acting is also impressive, especially the actress that takes on the leading role. The music is a little too present for my liking, sometimes telegraphing important moments. But it adds to the immersion and an extra layer of emotion.
Conclusion
After the first few hours, the biggest issue I have with the game is that the horror does not hit hard. I like the psychological elements, but I never felt truly scared. Martha Is Dead explores some heavy themes and it will be interesting to see what it offers when it fully launches on February 24.
Preview code provided by the publisher.
