Martha is Dead Reviews
Martha is Dead is best appreciated from a distance, because while its narrative premise and setting are certainly impresses, the game itself is slow as molasses and frustratingly clunk.
While certainly an accomplished piece of storytelling, Martha Is Dead's gameplay is such blatant artifice that it does the narrative a disservice to partake in it. That sounds extremely damning, but there's a lot here to like: the languid pace and detailed nature of the photography sequences are a standout, the graphics are often impressive, and the sheer bloody chutzpah of the whole thing is appealing in a grand guignol sort of way. The game can be shocking in what it shows you, but it doesn't feel exploitative. Horror should be horrific, and Martha Is Dead is certainly that. Unfortunately, perhaps not always in the way it was intended to be.
If only Dalcò, rather than honouring his heroine by smothering her search for truth in confounding gloom, had abided by her love of illumination.
LKA made the best recreation of an Italian setting I’ve ever seen in a game and I wanted nothing more than to enjoy it. However, LKA’s love of Italy is the only warmth I felt in Martha is Dead. The rest left me feeling as cold as Giulia’s dead sister.
If the developers had reigned in some of the more grotesque aspects of the story (and sped up the gameplay) this could have been far better. As it is, Martha is Dead is a game that is sometimes easy to admire but often hard to like.
At the core of Martha is Dead there is an acceptable and sometimes enjoyable psychological tale but nothing else in this package is worth writing home about.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Shock connoisseurs may enjoy Martha Is Dead's body horror and gore, but there is a lot of muck to wade through in the game's short playtime.
Deep psychological drama diluted by hours of shallow walking.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Martha is Dead is probably the most disturbing game I have ever played. What I have witnessed is unheard of. This game deserves massive praise for bringing awareness to mental illness and trauma and the effects they can inflict on a human mind. The story contained enough horror, shock, and twists to leave me with much to think about and create theories.
Martha is Dead isn't a bad game, it may not even be an average game, but it's another example of wasted potential.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Overall, while I felt Martha is Dead was a decent experience, I don’t think it’s for everyone. There are a lot of disturbing themes and images in this one that would certainly turn off some players. While the team did a great job crafting this world and the sound design is top notch, some of the gameplay elements need a bit more polish. That being said, this is still a unique experience that fans of these types of games would likely really enjoy.
Martha Is Dead will no doubt move forward with a cloud of controversy looking overhead. Whilst the graphic depictions of violence felt earned and fitting to me, they will feel gratuitous and unnecessary to others. Where it may lack engaging or innovative gameplay that sometimes bordered on frustrating, it excels in the core element of any media format – storytelling meaning that the investigation into Martha’s death is, overall, is well worth your investment. Think of it as an interactive film and you’ll have a hell of a time, in more ways than one.
Martha is Dead’s compelling narrative is let down by some dull gameplay that just can’t support it in any meaningful way. It does deal with themes of loss in a uniquely told story that had me guessing what was happening every step of the way, but the sheer amount of monotony annoyed me more than I could stand. If what you are looking for is a proper horror experience, this will not be for you. With that being said, if you want a compelling narrative, then, as long as you can get past some tedious lack of proper gameplay, I can recommend picking this game up.
Martha is Dead is a horror game that had everything to hold the player's attention. Although the story is really strong, there is a very slow pace, which ends up causing exhaustion before even halfway through the game.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Martha is Dead was a tough title to review. The game does a lot of things really well and feels extremely authentic, and it also makes good use of the next-gen hardware to conjure up beautiful visuals on the screen. But at the same time, there are plenty of bugs that pull you out of the immersion and make you realize, once again, that you are playing a game.
Martha is Dead has an interesting idea, but not enough to be considered a great game in spite of its flaws. If you're a fan of thrillers or the setting of Martha is Dead appeals to you, it is worth a check. It's not a life-changing horror game, but it's immersive enough to keep you hooked for a while.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
All in all, Martha is Dead, despite struggling to hold my attention at times, is a well crafted game, with incredibly detailed visuals and models, an interesting cast of characters, and an unsettling but highly intriguing story to tell. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers and horrors, then Martha is Dead will undoubtedly be your cup of tea.
Martha is Dead tells a deeply personal and complex story that strikes at some complex issues that are only held back from greatness due to technical struggles.
In the end Martha is Dead feels like an arthouse movie, when you have to decipher the game yourself, while having all kind of emotions. Whether you'll like it or not is very hard to tell.
Review in Russian | Read full review
A highly original, dark gothic thriller whose lack of compromises will restrict its audience but are hard not to admire.