Dead Take

Dead Take too often dips into the surreal but is otherwise an authentic and terrifying view into the trauma of being an actor.

Dead Take features Ben Starr and Neil Newbon as opposing actors fighting for a seat at an auteur's table

Dead Take clearly wants players to focus on uncovering its story, and the mansion is built in a way that makes exploration feel rewarding even without much resistance. The atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, with sound and lighting creating an ever-present sense of tension that kept me leaning forward the whole time. Dead Take might not break the escape room genre wide open, but it finds a creative way to pull players into its world, and it's worth seeing through to the end.

Dead Take combines stellar acting and a sharp, satirical script to create a memorable, if short, psychological horror experience. While the puzzle mechanics and video editing features can feel shallow, the atmosphere and visual presentation are top-tier. It is a must-play for fans of narrative horror and FMV games.

Dead Take understands that true fear comes not from monsters, but from the reflection of our own doubts and desires. It’s elegant, unnerving, and utterly captivating. With its breathtaking visuals, emotionally charged performances, and a story that prioritizes slow-burn tension over cheap scares, Dead Take stands as one of the best psychological horror titles in recent memory. A few technical flaws and punishing puzzles slightly dull its polish, but its mastery of atmosphere and storytelling make it a haunting experience worth exploring.

Dead Take isn't trying to out-monster anyone. It's interested in something scarier: how performance and power warp people, and how easy it is to mistake a good cut for the truth. The house is empty, but the screens are crowded with ambition, with compromise, with the awful clarity that comes when you choose which version of someone to believe. Imperfect puzzles and a few cheap jolts aside, this is a confident, claustrophobic horror piece that sticks because its actors do. When the credits roll, you're left with exactly what it set out to give you: not a scream, but a shiver.

Yes, Death Take has an interesting plot and an excellent cast. However, as a game, it is absolutely mediocre, and what's more, it can be completed in just two hours.

Dead Take is a game about actors, made for actors by actors. While the plot and mystery surrounding the narrative turns shoulder the burden of keeping up interest throughout, sound puzzle design and a blanketing atmosphere make it a worthwhile play for horror fans.

Dead Take is a fascinating experiment in blending video game and cinematic language. With an escape room feel and a psychological thriller atmosphere, Surgent Studios' experience fails to fully realize the potential of an intriguing concept.

Dead Take is a very good cinematic escape room with elements of psychological horror. Great acting, a well-crafted atmosphere, and interesting puzzles make for an interesting departure from Surgent Studios' first title. I hope the creators don't abandon this direction and stay with the horror genre in their future productions.