"The shocking horror gameDead Take, featuring stars from Final Fantasy and Baldur's Gate 3, left me startled; I haven't been this scared by a game since 2022."
In the world of horror games, Dead Take has made a striking entrance, joining the ranks of the most surprising new additions since The Mortuary Assistant. This psychological horror game transports players to a Hollywood mansion, where the protagonist, Chase Lowry, embarks on a harrowing quest to find his missing friend, Vinny Monroe.
Dead Take is more than just a haunted mansion game. It's a critique of the entertainment industry, delving deep into the dark side of Tinseltown. The game centres around Chase, an actor, who finds himself entangled in the web of power and corruption that lies within the industry. As Chase navigates the lavish yet eerie mansion, he uncovers clues hidden in USB drives, which players manipulate and splice together using the game's software program, SplAIce.
The narrative of Dead Take is a chilling exploration of themes such as coercion, abuse of power, manipulation, sexual assault, mental health struggles, and the occult (Satanism). Hollywood is portrayed as a glamorous yet terrifying world, where what is filmed never truly disappears but can haunt those involved indefinitely. Through fragments of auditions, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage, the game exposes the competitive, cutthroat nature of the industry, including the commodification of talent, blackmail, exploitation, and addiction.
One of the game's most distinctive features is its blurring of fact and fiction. The act of splicing video clips to reveal new layers of narrative mirrors how the entertainment industry constructs and distorts reality. This mechanic highlights themes of truth manipulation and the ambiguous nature of personal and professional relationships under pressure, where the line between performance, reality, ambition, and deceit is continually blurred.
Dead Take stars Neil Newbon, known for his role in Baldur's Gate 3, as Chase Lowry. Familiar voices from the industry, such as Ben Starr, Neil Newbon, Matthew Mercer, and Sam Lake, also lend their talents to the game. Duke Cain, the powerful Hollywood producer and industry mogul, is a central character in the game, starving for fresh talent and fresh blood to put before the camera lens.
The game's narrative is drip-fed to the player, leaving much to interpretation. The truth in Dead Take is a coiled, confused thing, hiding in plain sight yet completely camouflaged. The line between fact and fiction becomes blurred in Dead Take, as every character is an unreliable narrator. The game does not confirm anything, feeding into a creeping sense of dread.
Despite its dark themes, Dead Take is a relatively short game, with some players finishing it within five hours. It is a first-person point-and-click horror walking sim with puzzles, locked doors, and a twisted narrative. For those seeking a haunting exploration of ambition, artistry, and the sinister costs hiding behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Dead Take offers a chilling experience.
For those who relish the horror of the unknown, Dead Take is a must-play. It presents a near Frankensteinian cautionary tale where the tormented becomes the tormentor, alluding to instances of blackmail, extortion, and sexual favours in exchange for stardom. If you're looking for a game that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Dead Take is the one to watch.
- In the realm of gaming, Dead Take has made a remarkable entrance, joining the list of remarkable new additions since The Mortuary Assistant.
- This psychological horror game, set in a Hollywood mansion, is more than just a haunted mansion game; it's a critique of the entertainment industry, delving into the dark side of Tinseltown.
- The game's software program, SplAIce, allows players to manipulate and splice together USB drive clips, uncovering hidden narratives.
- The game's narrative, centered around Hollywood, exposes the competitive, cutthroat nature of the industry, including the commodification of talent, blackmail, exploitation, and addiction.
- Dead Take stars Neil Newbon, known for his role in Baldur's Gate 3, and features voices from the like of Ben Starr, Matthew Mercer, and Sam Lake.
- For those seeking a haunting exploration of ambition, artistry, and the sinister costs behind Hollywood's glitz and glamour, Dead Take offers a chilling experience.
