Created by LKD and published by Wired Productions, “Martha Is Dead” is a first-person, dark psychological thriller that takes place in Italy in 1944. It will blur the lines of reality and the supernatural while also giving the tragedy of the war that is unfolding. As the conflict between Germany and The Allied Forces intensifies, the body of a young girl, our Martha, is found drowned in the lake.

Players will be playing as Martha’s twin sister, Giulia, as you are haunted with dreams of Martha’s passing and need to discover what has happened to her. The girl’s father is a German soldier, so was it a casualty related to the war, or is there another reason for Martha’s death? This you must uncover while also keeping her secrets from coming to the surface.

The story for Martha Is Dead does hold some moments that feel a bit unsettling. It was created to hold the tension through what you are doing or seeing in the game. Hearing conversations or radio reports of the progress of the war happening in the background, the story will shift between reality and dreams where it will become harder to pick which is truth or fiction. This definitely adds to the unease and will have you starting to question the sanity of Giulia. On top of just the main story, players can do side tasks that are still involved with the main story but are not needed to progress further into the lore.

Gameplay can be broken down into small separate segments. Giulia will use a camera to capture moments so there is a bit of a deep dive into using the camera with focusing, lighting, and all the attachments, which you’ll find and unlock throughout the game to help capture things that are not seen by the naked eye.

On top of learning how to operate the camera, you will also be taught how to use the darkroom to develop the photos. This is oddly relaxing and is something I found myself doing a lot. I took so many photos of things that were not helpful for progression but were just pictures of what I thought looked amazing and wanted to see how it reflected in a photo.

As you explore the Italian villa that you live in, you will find more details on the war from your father’s notes, the paper that is left on the table, and other letters that can be found each day. These add to the secrets that are lying in wait to be uncovered. The game does have a great hint system so if you ever get lost you can pull up the current tasks. Most of them will have a map displayed for where you are meant to be checking, while others will just give the text of the task and what you are meant to find or do, like searching for a set of keys, or a pump to fix a flat tire on a bicycle to get around faster.

The area to play in offers a decent size for exploring. The woods that lead to the lake where Martha was found will have hidden photos to be taken within the area as you explore. Each time you go out and explore there will be new things happening and encounters to be had. I stumbled across a German soldier’s helmet just sitting on top of a log which made for a great photo opportunity. The world is breathtaking; the visuals of the woods with the lighting coming through the canopy is truly a sight to behold and can make you forget that it is a dark thriller game in itself.

The characters will speak in Italian and German which is a great way to get immersed in the world so there will be a lot of reading subtitles. The atmospheric sounds that Martha Is Dead uses are spine-chilling at times adding that other layer of tension. The violin scratching audio that plays during the spooky moments really adds to the element of fear that is happening in the game.

In conclusion, Martha Is Dead is an excellent spine-chilling and gripping thriller that will have players on the edge of their seats as you will start to lose track of what is a dream and what is true to the eye. You will quickly start to question the sanity of the character and what her dreams and secrets will hold for the rest of the story. There are moments where you will feel a slight discomfort while performing an action but it really adds to the overall eerie tone that the game delivers. This will be a great experience for lovers of thriller and horror and is definitely a game worth checking out in 2022.

Written by: Shane Walsh