Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 28
  2. Negative: 5 out of 28
  1. Feb 24, 2022
    95
    Martha is Dead is unique. A rare pearl in the gaming landscape, dealing with tough issues and immerses us in a raw and real World War II Tuscany, painting a horror story that is truer than ever. It is not for everyone, and if you are overly emotional it is definitely not for you, but if you love authorial and story-driven games, it's absolutely recommended.
  2. Feb 28, 2022
    90
    However, slight technical issues aside I feel confident in saying that Martha is Dead is one of the best titles I’ve played this year. Its gameplay mechanics are simple but put to use effectively, but it’s the narrative, themes, and the way this is all tied together that really stand out. It’s gruesome, grim, and will be hard to stomach for some people, but if you’re up for a truly gripping and thrilling tale, then Martha is Dead is a must play.
  3. Feb 24, 2022
    90
    Martha is Dead is a brilliant era-based thriller. The headlines will focus on the sections that have been censored by Playstation, but that would be a shame because there is so much more to this game than those moments. Experience Martha is Dead and it will stay with you for some time to come.
  4. Mar 15, 2022
    80
    Martha Is Dead proves that an independent studio has the ability to develop a video game with the same graphics as a AAA with an excellent detail line. This is an intense journey while Giulia navigates through the topic of mental health, putting everything in perspective during an extremely heavy psychological drama. Martha Is Dead is not a game for those looking for a horror experience focused on jump scares, massacres or horror/spiritual activities; nor is it for those who want to see a finite outcome. Martha Is Dead requires an open mind, a strong stomach and a mighty power of reflection.
  5. Feb 24, 2022
    80
    Martha is Dead is a game that looks to throw you off balance at every turn, to seduce you with picturesque scenes before forcing you to witness Hell on earth. Aside from its 4K/30fps performance, Martha is Dead is a well-polished and appealing ride from start to finish, offering those looking for a dark thriller game filled with rich details an entertaining ride. Horror fans looking for an adrenaline rush, though, won't find anything here to sate their appetites, unfortunately, but some fairly gruesome scenes certainly lean into the psychological horror tropes, and never cheap out on the gory details.
  6. Feb 24, 2022
    80
    As long as you can withstand its often extremely disturbing content, Martha is Dead is a absorbing and atmospheric adventure with a brilliantly realised setting and a beautifully haunting soundtrack. We can’t stress enough that it won’t suit all tastes, however.
  7. Apr 24, 2022
    75
    Martha is Dead is a walking simulator with touches of psychological horror that manages to turn its most controversial section into an element capable of enhancing what it intends to show, although there are times when it unnecessarily overdoes it. Although it has a somewhat clumsy gameplay and a deficient technical section, the story of Giulia is worth living.
  8. Apr 14, 2022
    75
    Martha is Dead has scenes that will stick with you long after you turn off the game making it a very memorable experience.
  9. Feb 24, 2022
    75
    Martha is Dead is a solid choice for horror fans… as long as they’re happy with some disgusting moments.
  10. Feb 24, 2022
    75
    Martha is Dead is a complex first-person narrative adventure, a story of traumatic experiences that could upset the sensitivity of those who play. Anyway LKA depicted in a brilliant and compelling way the discomfort of the main character, even if sometimes narration lingers in the spectacularization of the most gory elements. The Italian studio did a great job creating an accurate historical stage, but technically the game has significant ups and dawns, which, anyway, don't undermine too much the overall experience.
  11. Feb 24, 2022
    75
    LKA has created an initially very solid mystery that gradually sinks into incomparable morbidity and an unfortunately more dispersed conclusion.
  12. Feb 24, 2022
    75
    Martha is Dead deals with losing loved ones and losing your own self through a powerful narrative that can be quite uncomfortable at times.
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  1. Feb 24, 2022
    Martha is Dead is a successful dive into the abyss of a family drama filled with mysteries. Within a historical context that is as interesting as it is gripping, its careful and controlled narrative easily keeps the audience on their toes. One needs to see whether the clumsy movements, the sluggish gameplay and the frequent back and forth will not obstruct the immersion, even if they are far from overshadowing the game’s myriad of qualities.
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 32
  2. Negative: 3 out of 32
  1. Feb 26, 2022
    6
    Good-
    The narrative's premise and the story it sets up is one of the most inriguing I have played in years. The setting feels really
    Good-
    The narrative's premise and the story it sets up is one of the most inriguing I have played in years. The setting feels really authentic and immerses me in it's world. The game looks really really good. One of the best looking indie horror games that I have seen in years.

    Bad-
    The gameplay feels very clunky. There are weird moments in the game and sections that just are not fun or scary and feel pointless. It feels so slow-paced even for an atmospheric horror game. I am waiting for the game to pick up the pace but it never seems too.

    Thoughts-
    Martha Is Dead has a lot going for it, but it often gets in its own way. The narrative premise is unique and makes its distinct elements work together surprisingly well, but it’s pacing might very well turn you away if you don’t have the patience (or inclination) to stick with it. The setting is beautiful and lovingly crafted, but actually playing the game often feels like a chore for one reason or the other. There are some good ideas here that deserved to be in a better game, but as it stands right now, Martha is Dead is a frustrating experience that fails to do justice to those ideas.
    Full Review »
  2. Feb 26, 2022
    10
    An excellent game. I've been missing a REAL horror game. The amount of detail is out of this world. Congrats to the developers, better thanAn excellent game. I've been missing a REAL horror game. The amount of detail is out of this world. Congrats to the developers, better than the most big developers we see. We should give an aplause for them! Congrats! Full Review »
  3. Jan 3, 2023
    10
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