Martha is Dead review

Reviewed by Carmelo Cianciotta

I have to admit I have never been a fan of Horror games or movies but I could not pass this game up. Being a huge Indie fan and watching the trailer for Martha is Dead made the decision easier. Martha is Dead takes place in the late 1940’s after the war in Italy. 

You play the game as Giulia, who has a twin sister named you guessed it, Martha. Martha is Dead starts off with Giulia reading a story as a kid with Nanny. A very creepy story about a lady who haunts a lake she was murdered by her lover long ago. Fast forward to the present where Giulia finds her identical twin sister floating in a lake. Giulia swims out to see if her sister is okay but Martha is Dead.

When Giulia brings Martha’s body to the shore she is devastated. Giulia takes off Martha’s necklace and places it on herself as her parent’s approach to see what had happened. Giulia being in shock pretended to be Martha, so they assumed it was Giulia who was dead. Get ready to explore the town and find out what really happened to Martha in this exciting Horror adventure. 

Martha is Dead Details

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One and PC

Reviewed on: Xbox Series X

Developers:  LKA

Publishers:  Wired Productions

Genre: Horror game, Indie game, Adventure game

Modes: Single player

ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Exploring beautiful but dark sights

Martha is Dead takes us on an incredible journey with lots to do and uncover. Just before release the game was modified on PlayStation as some aspects were deemed too graphic. Having played on Xbox Series X I am not sure what people are seeing saying the game is horrifying. Maybe it’s my dark side, but I was perfectly fine with everything. We the players are also given the chance to skip scenes if we find it too gruesome, I personally did not skip anything. 

I took my time with Martha is Dead so I was sure not to miss anything. Our home has great detail put into it from the paintings on the wall to full furnished rooms. I really enjoyed the taking photo aspects of the game. With Giulia’s camera we are able to capture the world around us for fun and to progress the game. In the basement there is a dark room where we can make our photos into prints, which I found very interesting. Taking pictures of nature or creepy things was oddly satisfying.

Simple but smooth

Martha is Dead is simple to play and you get the grasp of things quickly. We play as Giulia in the third person, which gives the game a good feel. With so many items to interact with I found myself exploring instead of doing the main missions. On Xbox Series X Martha is Dead ran smoothly and the controller button layout felt natural like games I have played in the past, which was a plus.

Music leading up to events and the ability to use the radio in Giulia’s house was a nice touch. Camera sounds are authentic, as well as the sounds all around the village. I spent the first little while just taking photographs of interesting things I had seen.

Martha is Dead is a roller coaster ride that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat 

Martha is Dead touches on a lot of sensitive topics that might affect some people. For me personally the story was interesting and I was curious and had to see it to the end to have peace for Giulia. Throughout the game Giulia speaks to us her thoughts and ideas which helps to figure out what’s happening.

Martha also had a disability and she could not hear, so Giulia has to remember that when pretending to be her sister throughout the game. It will all make sense once you start to play the game.

Martha is Dead can be completed in 5 hours, however if you take your time and do other side missions it can be up to 10 hours.  

Martha is Dead is a great Indie game. It’s not for everyone, however I personally don’t think it’s as gruesome as others portray it to be. Italy looks beautiful and I can tell great care went into this game. If you’re looking for a horror game that’s different this is the game for you. 

I really enjoyed Martha is Dead and look forward to more Indie games. I am also on my second playthrough as I wanted to take more photographs. Thank you to LKA and Wired Productions for bringing us this unique game. 

Pros:

• Beautifully designed with great detail made
• Story was easy to follow 
• Taking photographs and developing them was fun
• Game is the right length
• Ability to skip scenes that may make the player uncomfortable

Cons:

• Can be very dark for some players that are sensitive to gruesome scenes 
• Camera angles can be annoying sometimes