Martha is Dead Review: A Brutal & Tender Look at Loss and Trauma
Martha is Dead is attempting to take on the monumental task of exploring and representing a variety of different traumatic experiences that will challenge players. As is the case with any piece of art that tackles a topic as complex and personal as trauma, it will not be suited to some players who may find its content more triggering than intriguing. For those that are able to go through this experience in a way that is equal parts healthy and open-minded, Martha is Dead is an honest look into how one's surroundings can affect their grip on reality.
Martha is Dead sets its story in 1944 Tuscany, in which Italian dictator Benito Mussolini has been removed from power and the country is in a state of a spiral of anger and death. This psychological thriller starts off spectacularly with an eerie retelling of an old folktale in which the spirit of a murdered woman lures the young and heartbroken to her lake before killing them. Only moments after this does the player take control of Giulia as she is photographing said lake, only to see the dead body of her twin sister, Martha, floating in the water. Giulia is now tasked with finding the truth behind Martha's murder, deal with the fallout, maintain a lie, and do it all while the Italian antifascists get closer and closer to her German father.
Related: Hidden Deep Preview: An Underground Sci-Fi Horror Thriller
The gameplay mainly revolves around exploration, whether it be the Tuscan countryside or various dream sequences and other surreal moments. Developer LKA added some interesting side activities, the biggest being photography and photo development. Despite the game's lengthy tutorial segment on how to set up the camera, take photos, and develop them, the act of doing so is
Read more on screenrant.com
