Dead Take isn’t your average psychological horror game. It’s a morbid reflection of the darkest elements of an industry we’ve paid so much attention to over the years, but perhaps we’ve never seen the forest for the trees. In Dead Take, the smoke and mirrors are removed from Hollywood to reveal the seedy underbelly that swallows up all who enter.
Surgent Studios, hot off a publishing deal with Pocketpair, has produced Dead Take in just seven months, but the resulting title represents years of struggles, intense experiences, and sacrifice.
This is my full Dead Take review – minor spoilers ahead.
Dead Take Brought To Life
From the moment you start playing Dead Take, you’re riddled with a sense of unease. From the gaunt stillness of the Hollywood mansion where the game is set to the eerie, thumping, and at times disjointed soundtrack, everything in the opening of Dead Take is designed to make you feel very uncomfortable.
Something is wrong, and you’re going to find out what, for better or worse.
Enter Chase Lowry (Neil Newbon), a deeply emotional protagonist out to find his friend Vinnie, lost in the belly of the beast: a mansion belonging to a vicious Hollywood producer. If that makes you feel rather ill, then the game is starting to work its magic on you.
The harrowing beauty of Dead Take is split into two mediums, gaming and cinema. It’s a perfect duality, with the game’s puzzles and exploration elements playing out as a traditional survival horror title, while the cutscenes, collected footage, and revelation sequences are live-action in nature.
When I interviewed the game’s creative director, Abubakar Salim, he let me know exactly why this split was needed.
Some Secrets Must Be Told
Unravelling the story in Dead Take doesn’t take too long. I racked up just shy of four hours, and depending on how good you are at solving puzzles, you might take a little longer. There’s also a lot of lore to uncover throughout the game, littered around in the form of notes, emails, text messages, and other collectibles.
The power of Dead Take is in the simplicity of the thing. There are very few mechanics to understand, and getting to grips with the game takes seconds. That being said, the design of the mansion will have you doubling back from time to time, trying to remember where you saw a certain item or clue. It’s not taxing on the mind, but it’s no walking simulator.
It’s surprising that Dead Take took just seven months to develop. It might not be a meaty game, but the production value is off the charts. When I spoke to Abubakar Salim, I learned what it took to bring the darkness of Dead Take to light.
There’s enough in the visual palette to keep your eyes entertained, and some of the smaller details should be scrutinized to avoid missing any references. I had no performance issues playing Dead Take (in pre-release form) on PC, and the level of tweaks you can apply in the game’s settings is plentiful.
As a psychological horror game, Dead Take hits the nail on the head. I was on edge all the time as the game delivered perfectly timed jumpscares, and some of the more twisted, sinister scenes had me gasping as they were uncovered. This game is upfront about containing potentially offensive themes, and they’re delivered without any sugar coating.
It’s refreshing.
Is Dead Take Worth Buying?
One of the big wins about Dead Take is the price point – it’s just $14.99. The price reflects Surgent Studios’ desire to keep gaming accessible, and this title is more than worth the money. I had a blast and discovered the replayability element quite clearly – I’d missed some achievements on my first playthrough and wanted to give it a second go to see if I could snag them all.
That makes the game around $14.99 for something like 6 – 8 hours of gameplay, which I’ll take!
I can’t fault Dead Take. The acting in this game is jaw-dropping and seen from a perspective we very rarely get in this medium. Dead Take made me feel things that AAA games often fail to, and I was kept guessing about the story at all times.
There should be nothing stopping you from exploring this game, but be warned: it will have you feeling different about Hollywood and the games industry afterwards.
4/5 – Great
Do you agree with my Dead Take review? Let me know what you think on the Insider Gaming forum.
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
More from Grant Taylor-Hill
This game is so creative.