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.
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 only necessary a handful of times. While this does make the moments these mechanics are used feel tense and rewarding, it's ultimately a bit disappointing that such a detailed and fun feature is underused in the main story.
The main story itself is phenomenal but, as previously mentioned, is also going to be inaccessible to some players. The topics addressed range from murder, familial abuse, gore, paranoia, and impending doom. Martha is Dead was explicitly designed to not be a horror game, so jump scares and other such tropes aren't present, but it is psychologically challenging and that is by design. All of this has already led to PlayStation censoring Martha is Dead, with the main example as to why being a moment in which the player, in a dream sequence, removes the face of Martha and puts it on.
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 is available on February 24, 2022 for PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Screen Rant was provided with a digital PC code for the purpose of this review.