Martha Is Dead
Publisher: Wired Productions
Developer: LKA
Released February 24, 2022
“Martha Is Dead is a dark first-person psychological thriller, set in 1944 Italy, that blurs the lines between reality, superstition and the tragedy of war.“
Before even booting up the game, the visual examples shown are absolutely gorgeous: uncannily realistic, with stunning lighting. The art already has me very impressed. I tend to go for more stylized art styles when I play video games, but this game was so impressive, that it felt like I was playing through a film. While the game is already out and has been for quite some time, I will keep spoilers out of this review, because this is a game you need to experience for yourself.
story
“Martha is Dead” is very story-driven. There are times when the game is blocks of monologue, dialogue, or even a visual cut-scene. However, this doesn’t detract from the gameplay at all. It’s as if we are writing a story in our minds, and what we are creating is unfolding before us in real time. The story is heavy, emotional, and comes with imagery that may not be suitable for all players. It’s dark. Keep this in mind before playing as it deals with death, nightmares, loss, times of being unloved, and much more.
graphics
Oh, my word the graphics! As previously mentioned, the graphics absolutely floored me. The animations were top-tier and highly realistic. While this is normally not what draws me into a game, the style choice here gave the story that much more of a punch to the gut. Often times dark tales are matched with cartoonish designs to soften the blow, but this game decided to really drive those themes home. It made the story of “Martha is Dead” beautifully dark.
controls
The controls in the game are simple. WASD is the standard for movement, and you can interact with items with your mouse. The mouse is also used to change sight direction (as is also quite standard; being a place marker for your head), and to get the player involved with more technical events, like prepping a camera, and developing its film (which happens throughout the game, and involves multiple steps to make the player feel more involved in the processes). So while the story is heavy, the controls are simple and doesn’t detract from the experience.
what do i think?
I’m a casual gamer, but sometimes a game comes around that makes me play it non-stop. While “Martha is Dead” is simple enough in its controls for any style of gamer, the story truly is engrossing and will have you playing it for hours. The dark storyline didn’t bother me, as I’m very much a fan of horror and its subgenres – so I’m somewhat immune, I will post another warning: if any of the things dealt with in the game bother you in any way, do not continue with the game. Your well-being, and mental state matter. The game even warns you at the beginning and provides a hotline if you so choose to use it. The game isn’t afraid to get bloody, and gruesome in its imagery and gameplay, and deals with very traumatic experiences.