Dead Take Review (PC) – Psychological Horror at its Finest With an A-List Cast Performing at Their Best

The new psychological horror game from Surgent Studios is finally here in the form of Dead Take, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on the title before its release and try it out. For those who are looking to go into the title with no spoilers, do not fret, as this review will be spoiler-free, but I will be talking about the actors who showcase their talent within Dead Take while also talking about the overall atmosphere and gameplay of the game itself.

Dead Take’s Atmosphere is a Mix of Haunting and Dread All at Once

To keep this review spoiler-free, I am going to start by talking about the general atmosphere of Dead Take, which, for me as a major horror fan, was fantastic. When it comes to horror games, most gamers feel a reliance on jump scares to keep them on their toes and shivers down their spines, and this is partly true; however, other aspects can increase the horror aspect within a game, which Dead Take nails in every way.

One aspect that Dead Take uses to instill fear within its players is sound. Whether this be the general music of the game or the sound effects that take place as you roam around, there are plenty of unsettling moments that the sound amplifies as the player attempts not to wet themselves.

A large aspect within horror games is setting, and this is something that Surgent Studios seems to have focused on, as it seems to be a rather mundane location that, when you think about it, shouldn’t be spooky or scary, but thanks to the design choices from the devs, there are plenty of details within the game’s location that add to the unsettling nature of the game’s story, as well as its dark tones.

Another aspect that I rather liked within Dead Take that not many players will notice, or even in some cases care about, is how, within the pause menu, there are psychological taunts that are there to deter the player from leaving the game and continuing their playthrough of Dead Take. Although this isn’t exactly horrifying, it does slightly add to the psychological side of the game as it gets in your head and attempts to persuade you to carry on, rather than leave.

Since the genre of Dead Take is psychological horror, it is fair to enter this title expecting some psychological scares, and players will not be disappointed, as I definitely wasn’t. To avoid spoilers, I won’t go too far into detail, but I will say that there are numerous moments within the title that had me second-guessing what I had seen, heard, or even done, as each moment had me unsure and weary.

Although these aspects enhance the horror experience within Dead Take, the game also employs a few jump scares that will shock players to their core. Even for me, as someone who doesn’t find jump scares overly scary per se, I was often shocked by these jump scares and even had numerous shivers down my spine as I experienced the numerous horrors waiting around each corner.

Combining all of these aspects and the overall story of Dead Take, there are plenty of psychologically scarring moments that stayed with me for a very long time after my time with the title. The key aspect here is the story of Dead Take, as the story touches on some very deep-cut topics that feel even more daunting thanks to the brilliant performance of the numerous actors employed throughout the game.

We Couldn’t Ask For a Better Show of Talent From the Cast of Dead Take

Although a big part of Dead Take is the exploration of the game’s unique setting and the solving of escape room-like puzzles to gather information about the game’s story, there is one part of Dead Take that deserves special mention, and that is the performance of the numerous actors and actresses.

One feature that is shown off within the game’s trailers is the ability to watch videos of actors like Neil Newbon and Ben Starr, as well as a few others, to help piece together the story of Dead Take. This in itself is a unique mechanic that I will talk about later, but the best part about this feature is the performances that the player will witness.

Again, avoiding spoilers as best as I can. During my time with Dead Take, I was able to witness these performers pour their hearts and souls into Dead Take, as each scene they are involved in feels incredible and full of life.

What really impressed me regarding Dead Take was how it allowed these performers to express their talent in so many ways that regular games wouldn’t allow them to. In a standard video game, players would witness a character model essentially mimic the performance of these actors in a rather lifeless way, or at least in certain circumstances.

However, within Dead Take, these performances aren’t just voices relayed by a character model but are also the actual performers in all their glory. This allows us to see every piece of emotion and gravitas that these performers possess as they blow us away, and that they did, as I was constantly finding myself in awe at their performances.

The Puzzles and Exploration are Fun but Not Overly Complicated

Throughout Dead Take, the player will be tasked with exploring a rather large and, albeit, odd mansion as they search for their friend Vinny, played by Ben Starr; however, this isn’t as easy a task as it seems, as whoever built this mansion looks to have taken a page out of the Resident Evil book of home security. Do not panic; there are no chess puzzles within Dead Take, but there are numerous puzzles that will have players scratching their heads as they search for answers.

As I played through Dead Take, I found myself enjoying the different puzzles that were laid out in front of me, as they weren’t overly hard or complicated, but they also weren’t super simple either. When it comes to making a game like this that leans into escape room-like puzzles, it is very easy to go too complicated or too easy, but luckily, Dead Take seems to have found that sweet spot.

For bonus points, Dead Take has also managed to keep its puzzles fairly relatable to the game’s story itself, as there are no puzzles that seem to bring the player out of the mindscape of being in this location or this story, but instead make the player sit there and think, “Yeah, I can see this being in some rich guy’s house.” This, for me, was a big positive, as keeping players connected to the story is very important, and it seems Dead Take took notice of this and has ensured players don’t feel disconnected at any moment.

In terms of gameplay, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about, as it is essentially a walking sim, fairly similar to games like Layers of Fear, in which players are just searching for solutions to puzzles as they slowly creep their way around a spooky location with no other alternative but to open the door and see what’s behind it.

Dead Take

Liam Magee

Dead Take is a new psychological horror story from the developer Surgent Studios that puts the player in the shoes of Chase Lowry as they search for their friend Vinny Monroe, who has gone missing at a Hollywood party.

Gameplay

Graphics

Performance

Audio

Story

Summary

For me, Dead Take was a unique and haunting psychological experience that stayed with me for a long time, even after completing it, while also being an enjoyable puzzle-solving escape room-like game filled with mystery and intrigue that had me guessing the entire playthrough. The best part for me was the acting, as each moment felt full of personality and passion for the craft by each actor.

HOURS PLAYED: 5
PLAYED ON: PC

5

For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out our article on a new feature that has arrived for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora or our review of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers.

Liam Magee

Liam is a Senior Editor, Writer, and Critic for Thumb Wars and has been working with the team since day one. Liam is a big fan of all things gaming, as you will catch him playing all of the new releases from every genre you can imagine. Whether you find Liam gaming just for fun or spending his free time streaming, you will always find a smile on his face when it comes to all things gaming.