Martha Is Dead Critic Reviews

By immersing the player into this woeful world, LKA has created a beautiful, contemporary work of visual art that is a must for casual players and learned historians alike. Characterized by innovative storytelling and a determination to push the boundaries, the game is not for the faint of heart. Beautifully animated and contemporary in its chaos, it taps into the darkest parts of the human soul in a way that hits hard but entices the player to keep coming back for more – even if you know you really, really shouldn't.

This game will not leave you feeling indifferent. It’s a gripping narrative that has a great world to enjoy. Not for the faint of heart, but sometimes the best stories aren’t.

Martha is Dead meets every expectation and exceeds most of them. It is a true ghost story, perfectly designed to demand you keep playing while making you want to stop. Its near-flawless design sets a new benchmark in the quietly, weirdly, horrible.

A brilliantly narrated thriller, coupled with stunning photorealism, that brings us to the border between reality and the supernatural, for the best and nothing but the best.

Martha is Dead very impressively combines visual beauty, psychological horror and the tragedy of war in the "walking simulator" subgenre.

Martha is Dead is not a surprise, but a confirmation of what LKA had already shown it can do in The Town of Light.

Martha is Dead captivates and always leaves you wanting more. It is also, without a doubt, one of the hardest and most deeply themed games I have ever played, bordering on the unbearable at various points. A story like few others, a universe not so explored and unexpected and original twists.

The story of Martha is Dead reflects upon the horrors of war. It's a magnificent psychological thriller, that makes historical events evident. It also attempts to voice the quiet terror that women experience in fascist countries.

Intriguing and often disturbing, Martha is Dead makes for a worthwhile narrative experience, barring some issues.

Even with some hiccups which are normal coming from a tiny studio, Martha Is Dead has a strong personality and it offers a story that will soak our brains for a long time. It's not for the faint of heart, that's for sure.

This is a hard moment to experience and there are many more throughout Martha is Dead, but none of these are implemented for shock value. All of these moments are carefully thought-out and relevant to the story and exploration of Giulia's mental deterioration. Ultimately, Martha is Dead is a game with simple mechanics that tells a difficult but important story that's well worth experiencing. That said, those interested in playing this game should consider doing so on Xbox or PC if possible, as these platforms are offering the game in the way it's intended to be experienced.

Martha Is Dead lives or dies by its core narrative and ability to immerse the player in it. I like the way it mixes the personal with the historical. I appreciate the care with which the developers have constructed the game world and I even like most of the photography-focused challenges. But, for me, the individual elements do not come together to form a coherent video game. Inconsistencies exist because the narrative needs to move forward. There’s frustration around the mechanics. Martha Is Dead is worth playing for its narrative but I want developers LKA to focus on a more streamlined experience for their next project.

We repeat: approach Martha is Dead with the right awareness. It is a work that thrives on illusions, which often changes appearance, which suggests playful stimuli and then moves elsewhere, in a schizophrenia that deceives but involves. It is a cruel game, narratively imperfect, and at the same time quite courageous, as well as not very lenient towards the (very difficult and very delicate) subject it deals with. Get closer to Luca Dalcò's creature knowing that an adventure awaits you where lies and truth move in symbiosis, in a whirlwind of verbal, physical and mental violence. It hurts. Martha is Dead hurts a lot.

While a terrible murder is what sets the events of Martha is Dead in motion, the real focus of the game is Giulia’s psyche and how it was affected by past and present thraumas. LKA’s new adventure might not be suited for everyone due to the brutality of certain scenes, but it is certainly courageous and competent.

LKA has created an initially very solid mystery that gradually sinks into incomparable morbidity and an unfortunately more dispersed conclusion.

Martha is Dead is a suggestive adventure game: the narrative plot is very interesting, as well as the way the story is told. Too bad about the gameplay not being too in-depth.

Mix between a Walking Simulator and a slightly more gameplay-oriented production, Martha is Dead is a narrative adventure reminiscent of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice for the psychiatric theme, What Remains of Edith Finch for the neat and engaging subject, and the many games horrifying to the gory scenes that we find everywhere. The story of Giulia and Martha is shocking, while the game mechanics with the camera will especially delight photography enthusiasts. A remarkable adventure!

Martha Is Dead has an interesting story full of disturbing themes and uncomfortable moments. It may suffer from the monotony and has several technical issues, but the story is worth it; if you can stomach that is.

Martha Is Dead is a good adventure thanks to its deep look into the mind of a character under stress. Aside from performance issues and missed opportunities, the game has great attention to detail and careful pacing.

In contrast to the sunny Tuscan countryside, Martha Is Dead is a melancholic drama with few bright aspects, but it adheres to the norms of interactive storytelling games more that we would like. Although it makes some small steps forward compared to the developers' previous game, they are not enough to make it stand toe to toe with the top representatives of the genre.