Dead Take

I don't normally write negative reviews of a game. If it's not worth my time I drop it and move on. I am making an exception here because I feel confident in saying I think this game used gen AI without disclosing it to the steam audience, and likely to everyone involved in making it. In particular, the codex entries overwhelmingly have the same artificial voice that repeats the same kinds of sentence constructions over and over. Two serious tells are how they use em-dashes and, even more strikingly, how often "it's not just x, it's [abstract metaphor]" is used. Many of the fake film names also feel artificial. If it was just writing it'd be one thing, but I have real reservations about some of the 2D art in the game (one recurring figure of a burning man in particular) and quite frankly the overall design structure is itself rather incoherent, which makes me think it was a lot more prevalent. I don't want to belabour the point, because it may just be poor design that is genuine, but the overall design feels like a jumble of psychological horror tropes mixed in with outdated Hollywood cliches rather than a focused, authentic narrative. Even if it's not AI, it feels lazy. It's sad, because there's some solid 3D work here, good sound design, a good lighting trick towards the end, and I always want FMV games to do well. There is some real effort from the other departments. I also feel sad knowing how outspoken some of the talent attached to this are about AI in creative industries, and I don't think they would have signed off on their participation had they seen what the final product would be.

[h1]DEAD TAKE[/h1] Now that was such a neat psychological horror walking simulator! The story is good and that was an interesting take in the movie industry! This was a longer than expected walking simulator, contrary to the hour-long ones that are plentiful on Steam. This game have puzzles that aren't too complicated but you can always look at a guide too (for walkthrough and achievements), a few objectives related to achievements and the bulk of the story can be interacted with once you reach an end (the game has two endings). I found the visuals very good, a strong voice acting by the cast, great ambient music with spooky sounds at times. Level design consist of navigating inside a luxerious mansion and each part has more story to unfold! No technical issues nor bugs encountered in my playthrough. Perfect UltraWide monitor support. HOWEVER, I'd like to point out that the game is not that well optimized and kept pushing my GPU at full throttle on default settings. Once I fixed the FPS to 120, the game ran better and my GPU wasn't a rocket engine no more. You are warned. Honestly, I can't think of a real negative in this game. I was invested in the story while being in a simplistic mansion setting. [h1]RECOMMENDATION:[/h1] [b]Of course! I do recommend this game right this instant! If you seek longer playtime of an horror walking simulator, you're in the right place with DEAD TAKE. I hope Surgent Studios will make more games like this in the future since I will gladly support them![/b]

10/10 honestly. If you enjoy Remedy titles, please play this, even if Sam Lake's cameo is relatively minor (his character is important, but he has very little FMV). If you are a Warframe fan it's also worth noting that Ben Starr (Arthur Nightingale) and Neil Newbon (Viktor Vodyanoi, but of course also Astarion Baldur's Gate 3) play the two main characters of the game, and do a FANTASTIC job with it. All of the other actors are impeccable and all of the FMV in this game is an absolute treat, but it's elevated incredibly by it's presentation to the point that I cannot recommend going to Youtube and watching it all individually. I am somewhat wholly of the opinion that this game does, also, link in quite heavily to the Remedy Connected Universe- not in such a way that you need to play it to understand those games, but I think engaging with it when already familiar with things like the way Quantum Break's echoes present in Control (2019) and the way Max Payne and Death Rally continue to contribute to the studio's work to this day makes it infinitely easier to understand what *might* be happening here. It's honestly so good. Cannot recommend this game enough if you're a Remedy fan- but also there's some treats for Warframe fans in here as well. The whole thing feels like a love letter to all present actors' histories (I would have more input on the Crit Role/Darrington Press related actors that are present as well, but I'm somewhat unfamiliar with their work) in a way that is hard not to enjoy if you know anything about where they're coming from to work on this game. Begging Surgent Studios to make another horror game. One thing I will suggest for the future is maybe better optimization - I had no frame drops or anything, but the game (visually) is not where it should be for the strain it did still put on my system. My computer was VERY hot running this game. My biggest recommendation would be for this studio to move away from UE5 if they do not have the technical skill to use it properly- this, visually, looks on par with Unity games, and absolutely did not need UE5 under the hood. Only thing I really saw that was 'Unreal' was the lighting, which WAS very good and very well placed, but such effects can still be very easily achieved in other engines if they're utilized properly. It would be incredible if Surgent could somehow license Northlight from Remedy, but they are quite protective of that engine from what I know. Still a 10/10 game though, if you can run Alan Wake 2 or Control you can probably run this game just fine but maybe close your browser first for your CPU's sake. May edit this later with more collected thoughts when I do repeat playthroughs ;) Edit 1: Seconds after posting this, I found an AMA with the Creative Director stating this game was made in only 7 months. INSANE work honestly, that changes my opinion of the optimization *a little bit* but I do still think UE5 was a poor choice for this game's engine, especially given such short devtime. Edit 2: Rereading the above, I want to emphasize that this game is not *ugly*. It looks on par with Unity engine games but it is liminally GORGEOUS in spite of that, the environments are very mindfully crafted and the atmosphere is top notch as a result. It very much reminds me of P.T. Playable Teaser or certain indoor-focused sections of Resident Evil or Silent Hill, just with some crust to certain models and areas that give it a very home-y, itch.io vibe. The visuals are not a problem, my only problem is again, that the visuals did not need UE5 under the hood to achieve this!

I could see the premise but it lacked player engagement and proper story telling to make me care out the main characters. I was never fully invested enough to slog through the puzzles, and found myself quitting after an hour because my interest in the game just nose dived. The performance of the game is pretty bad, I kept running into frame skips and laggy areas, but it was okay enough to play with a little discomfort. All in all, I think it's good for a first project; but it just couldn't keep my attention. I do look forward to seeing what else these devs come up with, but I can't recommend the game in it's current state.

Dead Take is a very different kind of horror game—and I mean that in both good and bad ways. It leans heavily into its story and puzzle-driven design, offering a unique experience that stands out from typical horror titles. The narrative is engaging and keeps you curious, but the gameplay can feel slow and, at times, outright boring. With no real jump scares or sense of danger, the tension never fully builds, making it feel more like a quiet puzzle adventure than a true horror experience.

Dead Take is a psychological horror experience developed by Surgent Studios and published by Pocketpair Publishing that blends cinematic storytelling, environmental exploration, and emotional tension into a disturbing narrative centered around fame, obsession, and personal collapse. Instead of relying heavily on combat or constant jump scares, the game builds fear through atmosphere, fragmented storytelling, and psychological discomfort. The result is a slow-burning horror experience that focuses more on emotional unease and hidden trauma than traditional survival horror mechanics, creating a story that feels haunting long after it ends. The narrative follows Chase Lowry, an actor searching for his missing friend after a mysterious Hollywood gathering held inside a remote mansion. What begins as a relatively straightforward investigation gradually transforms into something far darker as players uncover hidden recordings, abandoned evidence, and disturbing fragments tied to the entertainment industry and its destructive obsession with success. The mansion itself becomes almost like a living reflection of emotional decay, hiding secrets behind luxurious rooms and glamorous appearances. As the story unfolds, the line between reality and psychological breakdown begins to blur, creating an increasingly unsettling atmosphere filled with paranoia and emotional instability. One of the game’s strongest achievements is its atmosphere. Every part of the mansion feels layered with tension even during moments where nothing overtly frightening is happening. Dark hallways, abandoned decorations, strange audiovisual distortions, and eerie silence constantly create the feeling that something terrible has already occurred within the building. Rather than overwhelming players with nonstop scares, Dead Take focuses on slow psychological pressure, allowing dread to build naturally through environmental storytelling and subtle emotional cues. This restrained approach makes the horror feel far more intimate and effective. Exploration forms the core of the gameplay experience. Players investigate the mansion room by room, solving environmental puzzles, examining clues, and piecing together the larger mystery through scattered recordings and hidden documents. The game avoids excessive action sequences, instead emphasizing immersion and narrative discovery. This slower pace allows players to absorb the unsettling atmosphere while gradually uncovering the disturbing truths hidden throughout the mansion. The focus remains firmly on storytelling and emotional tension rather than mechanical complexity. One of the most memorable aspects of Dead Take is its use of FMV sequences and live-action performances. Instead of feeling disconnected from the gameplay, these scenes integrate smoothly into the narrative and greatly enhance the emotional realism of the story. The performances themselves are strong and believable, helping the increasingly surreal events feel grounded in genuine human emotion. Fear in Dead Take often comes not from monsters or supernatural threats, but from watching emotionally unstable people unravel under pressure, obsession, and desperation. Visually, the game is extremely polished. Built using Unreal Engine 5, the mansion environments are filled with realistic lighting, detailed interiors, and cinematic visual direction that reinforce the game’s oppressive atmosphere. The contrast between wealth and decay becomes one of the central visual themes throughout the experience. Elegant rooms slowly reveal signs of corruption and emotional ruin hidden beneath their surface beauty. The lighting design in particular deserves praise for how effectively it guides the player’s emotional state during exploration. The sound design is equally impressive. Environmental sounds, distant voices, subtle distortions, and carefully placed silence all contribute heavily to the psychological horror. The soundtrack is used sparingly, allowing tension to emerge naturally from the environment itself. When music does appear, it often amplifies moments of emotional collapse or revelation rather than functioning as constant background noise. Combined with the strong performances and immersive visual presentation, the audio design creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere that remains effective throughout the entire experience. Another major strength is the game’s thematic depth. Dead Take is not simply trying to scare the player through horror imagery alone. Instead, it uses horror as a way to explore the emotional damage caused by ambition, fame, exploitation, and personal insecurity. The entertainment industry serves as the backdrop for a story about people sacrificing their identity and humanity in pursuit of recognition and success. The mansion itself becomes symbolic of this corruption, where glamour and emotional destruction exist side by side beneath carefully maintained appearances. However, the game’s slower pacing may not appeal to everyone. Much of the experience revolves around exploration, clue gathering, and gradual narrative buildup rather than direct gameplay challenges. Players expecting action-heavy horror mechanics or frequent scares may find certain sections too quiet or deliberate. The puzzle design is also relatively simple compared to more gameplay-focused horror titles, and some story elements remain intentionally ambiguous by the conclusion, which may frustrate players seeking completely clear answers. Despite those limitations, Dead Take succeeds because of how confidently it commits to psychological horror and cinematic storytelling. The game understands that fear can emerge from emotional instability, hidden truths, and human desperation just as effectively as from violence or supernatural threats. Its strongest moments come from atmosphere, character breakdowns, and the realization that the horror is rooted in human ambition and emotional collapse rather than traditional monsters. Dead Take ultimately stands out as a haunting and emotionally intense psychological horror game that combines atmospheric exploration with powerful cinematic storytelling. Its oppressive mood, strong performances, and disturbing themes surrounding fame and identity create an experience that feels deeply personal and unsettling. While its slower pace and limited gameplay systems may not satisfy players looking for traditional survival horror action, fans of narrative-driven psychological horror will likely find Dead Take to be a memorable and emotionally disturbing experience that lingers long after the credits roll. Rating: 8/10

it had a lot of loveable faces, but the game design fell short for me. the cassette case puzzle in particular left me with zero patience for the rest of the game. i didn't realize i could interact with the case and thought the lyrics were trying to hint at a code for the two locked doors in the mansion at the time. i looked up a walkthrough after an hour of walking and looking around, trying to enter codes only to realize i had the solution the whole time. i also really disliked the flashlight not being centered with the player's point of view, there where multiple times where i couldn't see into drawers i had opened because it was too low and i feel like it made it confusing to find things like the sickle in the planter, for whatever reason i couldn't see it after circling the pool multiple times until eventually looking at the walkthrough again. the story also fell a bit flat for me, i just felt like there wasn't a lot there for a game thats design is supposed to be centered around the drama and interplay of their stories. ironically it feels like a story that's simple enough that duke would be mad with it. i was also completely jaded with the horror part of this game after the first gameplay loop. they did a really good job of creating an unsettling tone with the sound design especially that had me on edge, but once i realized that there was no danger or fail state, i knew i could walk through the mansion unbothered by any attempts to scare me, which really didn't help when the other design elements left me frustrated all in all it's a fine puzzle game, i just feel like the world needed more visual elements to guide the player in the right direction because that and the lackluster horror elements ruined the fun for me.

Dead Take has left me feeling sorta disappointed If I'm honest. Think my main issue is you spend way too much time watching the live action video clips. They are well acted for sure and I like the cast a lot that's why I wanted this game but I just couldn't get invested into the story enough. The horror elements are also extremely lackluster, no real tension because there's no actual danger, cheap pop up scares are dated and annoying, weak atmosphere ect idk, it barely meets the minimum requirements for a horror game and isn't scary in the slightest. It's actually more of a puzzle game which is why i'm just barely giving this one a pass, it's hard to nail that balance of not being difficult to the point of frustration while not being so easy it's no longer satisfying to complete. The puzzles are what kept me interested. The story is just kinda simple and predictable I expected more, I just couldn't get invested into it. Some of the sound design is solid but the consistency isn't there. The game just lacks atmosphere and feels like a very basic Steam indie horror game attached to some live action clips of some talented actors. The puzzles are well designed though and luckily there's plenty of them. Performance wise the game kinda runs poorly especially considering it's mediocre visuals and lighting, shouldn't have to use DLSS/FG to reach high fps for such small simple environments. Overall It's passable enough I guess but it's pretty forgettable, plenty of better options out there but the cast and puzzles are good. 6/10

Плюси: + Акторська гра + writing; + Дуже добре витримана атмосфера напруги і відрази (бо розумієш, що згадані в грі речі можуть цілком існувати в реальному житті). Мінуси: - Зважаючи на те, що це коротка гра, події якої відбуваються в одному маєтку (який, якщо бути відвертими, не вражає в плані насиченості і пропрацьованості інтер'єру), я не бачу причин, з яких мій ноутбук мав шуміти, наче літак на злітній смузі. Вердикт: особисто на мене гра справила враження. Якщо хочете провести вечір за похмурою історією про темний бік шоу-бізнесу - вам теж може зайти.

good game