Rating
Dead Take
Find your missing friend. Uncover the secrets within. Brave a luxurious and haunting mansion in Dead Take, a first-person psychological horror crafted by Surgent Studios. In Dead Take, you play as an actor who becomes uneasy when your friend won't answer the phone. Delve into the gilded rot of the entertainment industry and show up at the last pla...
Details
- Released
- July 31, 2025
- Developer
- Surgent Studios
- Publisher
- PocketPair
- Platforms
- PC
Player pulse
Similar Games
Dead Take Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
Dead Take is a fantastic psychological horror that pulls no punches, delivering superb acting and some great puzzles that keep you engaged until the very end.
Dead Take has got some great atmosphere, wonderful voice acting, and a real creepy story, slightly hampered by simple puzzles and an over-use of jumpscares.
Dead Take doesn’t announce itself with cheap shocks. Instead, it creeps in like a bad memory, pulling you through the corridors of an opulent mansion where every locked door feels like it’s hiding something rotten. It’s less about what jumps out at you, and more about what lingers when the screen goes black.
Dead Take is a surprise standout experience from Surgent Studios. It's got a stacked cast with a focus on storytelling over anything else, using the allure of Hollywood as the gateway to unconventional horror. While there are some predictable moments, the environment, the performances, and immersion make up for it. It is an emotionally charged horror experience that punches well above its weight and serves as a commentary on ambition and exploitation.
This short jaunt through a haunted mansion leads you through entertaining puzzles, even if you're not quite sure why you're there, but will entice you further with a deeper mystery about the abuse of power in the entertainment industry.
A short first-person psychological horror game, Dead Take cleverly incorporates full motion video footage to explore the lengths that some will go to in order to achieve success. It's not particularly scary but it does go to some dark places, making it definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.
Combining a slick presentation, unsettling vibes, and an impressive list of talented actors, Dead Take is a solid FMV thriller with a unique Hollywood spin that would benefit most from an alternate ending.
Dead Take is a unique glimpse into the indie horror genre through the lens of an actor desperate to stay relevant in the ever-changing landscape of the film industry. Its use of atmosphere and film craft drives home a narrative that is both captivating and compelling. However, the combination of poorly lit environments and heavy shadows can make certain puzzles feel cheap, and the lack of clear direction may be too much for some players to overcome.
As I don't want to and shouldn't delve into the story, except to say that if you're a fan of any of the familiar names I mentioned earlier, this game should interest you, I must admit that the almost four hours Dead take has lasted has made me reflect not only on walking simulators, but on how far a human being is capable of going to achieve what he (thinks he) wants. I have no doubt that the more players share their experiences after finishing the game, the more different approaches to their journey and its conclusion will be seen. If you don't mind having to deal with a tense scenario and pe...
Dead Take stands out in the genre of horror walking sims with its intriguing story, talented cast and FMV elements. Unfortunately its horror aspects are where it falls flat, as it tries to cram itself into the genre with the use of cheap jump scares and horror clichés.
Overall, Dead Take was a fascinating experience, but it still felt as if it lacked just a little something. The anonymous text messages with the names of the other stars that Duke was connected to didn’t quite make sense, and the side stories didn’t seem to bear any relevance, except for Lia Cain’s footage.
Dead Take is brimming with atmosphere, with the Cain mansion being an absolute joy to explore (at least for those who like to be scared). If the story were longer and there were more live-action sequences, then the game could have been something truly special. However, what’s here is still worth checking out, especially for horror aficionados who are looking for something a bit different, and a little more real. For that low cost, it’s worth the price of entry.