Dead Take

Dead Take is a fantastic psychological horror that pulls no punches, delivering superb acting and some great puzzles that keep you engaged until the very end.

If you want to see some stellar performances, or experience some chilling horror, or simply find solutions to fiendish puzzles, then do it with Dead Take, and do it in one sitting. Because the four hours I spent wandering the darkened halls of this mansion will haunt me for some time yet.

Dead Take has got some great atmosphere, wonderful voice acting, and a real creepy story, slightly hampered by simple puzzles and an over-use of jumpscares.

Great performances all around in a game that doesn't try to be perfect. Dead Take is about the imperfections in art, acting and the movie industry, so it's fitting that there's a few hiccups here and there. Things may not make sense and you’ll probably have a lot of questions when the credits start rolling, but the vibes are immaculate, and that's what matters.

Dead Take isn’t trying to out-monster anyone. It’s interested in something scarier: how performance and power warp people, and how easy it is to mistake a good cut for the truth. The house is empty, but the screens are crowded with ambition, with compromise, with the awful clarity that comes when you choose which version of someone to believe. Imperfect puzzles and a few cheap jolts aside, this is a confident, claustrophobic horror piece that sticks because its actors do. When the credits roll, you’re left with exactly what it set out to give you: not a scream, but a shiver.

Dead Take is a game about actors, made for actors by actors. While the plot and mystery surrounding the narrative turns shoulder the burden of keeping up interest throughout, sound puzzle design and a blanketing atmosphere make it a worthwhile play for horror fans.

Dead Take works as a message, as a personal anecdote, as a performance showcase. It may not present a wholly unexpected take on the first-person horror genre nor dazzle with complex puzzles. But this dissection of power and the ones who wield it feels especially timely in our constantly-changing world that seems to reward ambition through viciousness. As an eerie, moody look at Hollywood, players may grow uncomfortable at Dead Take‘s honesty but remain enraptured by the phenomenal talent of its acting and direction until its final, stark moments.

The surrealistic nature of Dead Take reaches a fever pitch in the game's final half hour, and it loses me a bit there. Overall, however, this is a great game, and I would have loved to chase down more USB drives and watch many more FMV recordings--these performances left me rapt and I was always eager to search out more. But even beyond this gameplay loop, Chase's efforts to delve deeper into a bizarre mansion and splice together corrupted recordings of people is rewardingly symbolic in a narrative sense. You're going into a person's twisted and guarded psyche and unearthing the painful truths hidden within to not only beat a video game, but also witness, as Cain so often puts it, "something real." Those truths are sickening and scary and it propels the experience of Dead Take into one of the most harrowing I've experienced this year. These are not five hours I'll easily forget.

When this game coalesces, there's no denying that it really sings. The performances are elite, the atmosphere is perfect, and when that aligns with the gameplay in a satisfying way, it feels like a proper statement of intent from Surgent Studios.

Dead Take‘s consuming conclusion overshadowed any problems I had with the design, however. The developers gave me a brilliant reason to see the world through a radically new lens. My fresh perspective transformed my luxurious surroundings into a house of horrors, growing darker with every step. The performances, disturbing and spectacular, ensured I’d walk away replaying them in my head.

Dead Take is a sublime horror game filled with some phenomenal performances expertly heightened by the live-action nature. It's unique, fun, and fantastically paced.

A well-executed psychological horror game that looks beyond the glossy surface of the film industry to reveal its compromises.

Dead Take is an interesting proposal, very satisfying in terms of gameplay and with a good approach to psychological horror, although its narrative is less impressive than its setting.

It’s messy, as it should be, because life is messy, and creating art is messy. I’d probably stop short of saying that Surgent Studios has created a masterpiece, but if ever there was a need for proof that games can be art – something that has been proven countless times before and will be countless times again in the future – then Dead Take is as good a proof as any. It’s an unmissable, tense experience, and one I’m glad I got the opportunity to have.

A short first-person psychological horror game, Dead Take cleverly incorporates full motion video footage to explore the lengths that some will go to in order to achieve success. It's not particularly scary but it does go to some dark places, making it definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.

Dead Take clearly wants players to focus on uncovering its story, and the mansion is built in a way that makes exploration feel rewarding even without much resistance. The atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, with sound and lighting creating an ever-present sense of tension that kept me leaning forward the whole time. Dead Take might not break the escape room genre wide open, but it finds a creative way to pull players into its world, and it's worth seeing through to the end.

If you like the current and famous guard of voice actors then Dead Take is basically a must. Both Newbon and Starr are stellar. None of the other actors have to hide behind those two though and it is a joy to see people like Jane Perry, CDawg or Alanah Pearce bringing full performances to the screen. The puzzles in the game are logical and fit well with the whole theme of the game but aren’t outstanding or new in any shape. The game is very linear and the mechanic of splicing two unrelated videos together is conceptually cool but rather boring to actually do.

Combining a slick presentation, unsettling vibes, and an impressive list of talented actors, Dead Take is a solid FMV thriller with a unique Hollywood spin that would benefit most from an alternate ending.

Dead Take is a decent puzzle game, an enjoyable horror title, and an excellent narrative adventure that intrigues us with its characters, all perfectly portrayed in high-quality FMV sequences, and captivates us with a parable about the world of cinema and the pain felt by those who create art, which we all feed on, crying out for more and more, regardless of the cost to those behind the cameras. It's a shame that the puzzles don't hit the mark and that the horror sometimes takes the wrong direction, but considering that it only costs €14 and a few hours of our time, we suggest that anyone who is intrigued give it a try.

Dead Take is a fascinating experiment in blending video game and cinematic language. With an escape room feel and a psychological thriller atmosphere, Surgent Studios' experience fails to fully realize the potential of an intriguing concept. The added value offered by a top-notch cast—the performances of Neil Newbon, Ben Starr, and Jane Perry are particularly impressive—is offset by the decision to allocate a truly limited amount of screen time to each actor. At the same time, the choice to delve into the dark side of Hollywood loses some of its effectiveness when the narrative paths abandon realism to grapple with supernatural allure. Overall, Dead Take remains an engaging experience, capable of maintaining player interest and curiosity. The tension remains palpable, although we would have appreciated less use of jump scares, or at least more contextualization.

This short narrative horror game offers solid puzzles, an engaging story with well-acted live-action sequences, and creative editing mechanics, but its familiar mansion exploration, uneven performance, and limited innovation make it feel repetitive despite its personality and concise pacing.

Where Dead Take distinguishes itself from Layers of Fear 2, however, is through its inventive blend of FMV splicing sequences and environmental puzzles which, in the spirit of classic Resident Evil, occasionally feature fiendishly difficult scenarios that push the player’s powers of observation, intuition, and recollection to the test.

Dead Take is a solid four or five hours of classic horror puzzle fun, mixed with some excellent (and some mediocre) live-action scenes. It isn’t looking to break any ground, instead targeting a good, scary time, and nailing it.

Dead Take is a solid adventure for the FMV genre that provides an eerie and moody atmosphere set in the Hollywood hills. What’s there is an intriguing exploration of the powers that be and the dog-eat-dog nature of the film industry, and how it can consume people. It may not contain the deepest or most complex puzzle, nor does it make replayability easy for optional objectives, but you don’t stay for that. What you’re there for is the stellar performances; the likes of Ben Starr, Neil Newbon, Laura Bailey and more giving it their utmost all to deliver you a sufficiently chilling horror experience. There are horrors in that mansion, and though not all in there may delight, it’s a worthwhile and memorable jaunt behind Hollywood’s closed doors.

Dead Take succeeds in harnessing terror by means of anticipation and stellar environmental horror. The performances of the cast are on point, delivering interesting themes, but that aren’t always tied up in the end. Even with a bit shallow of a narrative, Dead Take kept me on my toes from beginning to end, a commendable effort from Surgent Studios.

Dead Take experiments with narrative triggers already masterfully employed in previous first-person horror titles and draws players in with well-developed scenarios that represent the emptiness of fame, but it relies on the excellent performances of Ben Starr and Neil Newbon to really take flight.

I have no doubt that the more players share their experiences after finishing the game, the more different approaches to their journey and its conclusion will be seen. If you don't mind having to deal with a tense scenario and perhaps facing your own inner demons, Dead Take offers you an all-star cast in their roles and a story that grips you from start to finish.

Dead Take is a unique glimpse into the indie horror genre through the lens of an actor desperate to stay relevant in the ever-changing landscape of the film industry. Its use of atmosphere and film craft drives home a narrative that is both captivating and compelling. However, the combination of poorly lit environments and heavy shadows can make certain puzzles feel cheap, and the lack of clear direction may be too much for some players to overcome.

Dead Take surprises with its successful format, solid storytelling and cast, even if the writing is sometimes a little clumsy.

Dead Take is a bold game that tells a relevant story about abuse of power in the entertainment industry that is worth hearing. Its greatest triumph is the outstandingly acted and staged FMV sequences, which create an oppressive, voyeuristic tension that lingers long after the game is over. Here, the game unfolds its full, uncomfortable force and becomes a powerful indictment. Unfortunately, the gameplay framework cannot always support this brilliant core. The puzzle mechanics are often too conventional and seem disconnected from the psychological depth of the narrative. Especially in the first half, the game relies too heavily on worn-out horror clichés and slow pacing, which weakens the otherwise dense, surreal atmosphere. Despite these weaknesses, Dead Take is recommended for players looking for a horror experience with substance and a provocative message. Can Dead Take spark discussion despite its weaknesses? Absolutely!

Are you willing to tolerate a blatant lack of resources, very 2014 mechanics, and a relatively esoteric narrative? If so, then Dead Take might appeal to you. Surgent Studios doesn't break any new ground, but it does craft a nice little plot by using a few directorial levers wisely, without relying on horrible, hackneyed chase sequences, as is often the case with these types of projects. There's no low-brow monster to get around to prolong the ride. The fact remains that the ending collapses a little on itself, and our benevolence then reaches its limits.

Dead Take is brimming with atmosphere, with the Cain mansion being an absolute joy to explore (at least for those who like to be scared). If the story were longer and there were more live-action sequences, then the game could have been something truly special. However, what’s here is still worth checking out, especially for horror aficionados who are looking for something a bit different, and a little more real. For that low cost, it’s worth the price of entry.

Dead Take isn’t a perfect horror game, but it’s a solid interactive drama full of ideas, atmosphere, and – most importantly – great acting. If you’re looking to experience a short, cinematically styled psychological thriller with a touch of experimental flair and escape-room gameplay mechanics, this is definitely the right place to be.

Putting aside the passionate performances from the cast and some notable concepts, the game's overall quality as a work of horror feels quite poor. Its ability to convey its message and atmosphere—the most vital element of popular art—is especially disappointing, overshadowing its few merits.

Dead Take is an ambitious commentary on the state of a dark and often desperate industry. While its stellar performances are let down by some less imaginative horror troupes, it remains an intriguing take on the world of entertainment.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU developer Surgent Studios enters the vastly populated psychological horror pool with Dead Take, a unique take on the 'figure out a way of an eerie mansion, haunted by personal trauma of a disturbed artist' concept. While Dead Take tries its best to convince the player with decent acting, some effective puzzles and the nifty 'splaicing' feature, it also confuses needlessly with a convoluted story that has more loose and remaining questions ends than necessary. Maybe Dead Take is like some of those obscure movies made by often misunderstood directors; if you get it, you get it. If you don't, you don't.