Dead Take

Neil Newbon (eternal Astarion in {Baldur's Gate 3}) and Ben Starr (known for being Clive in {FFXVI}, but now more praised for playing {Verso} in {Clair Obscur: Expedition 33}) were delighted to join Abubakar Salim's project, who after {Tales of Kenzera: ZAU} and its lukewarm reception wanted to find a new approach with a more intimate story but less attached to his experiences. The world of acting was his inspiration. But beyond combining acting and directing talents, {Dead Take} is an exercise in introspection into the depths of the human being. That little corner of the soul we all have that's darker and usually chained up, here is unleashed to show us what a man is capable of in order to get what he wants.

There's not much to say on a technical level about {Dead Take}. It's presented as a psychological horror 'escape room' title, in which we control an aspiring actor who has lands the biggest role of his life called Chase (voiced by Newbon), all as he goes on a date to the mansion of the producer of a big Hollywood movie. But when he arrives, he realises that his friend and also rival for the lead role Vinnie (Starr) is present. As players we move in first-person through the different rooms of the mansion, looking for clues about the invitation that has brought us there and, incidentally, about the fate of the other characters we learn about through cassette tapes, pre-recorded videos, and still images. This is how we see, for example, Matt Mercer, Sam Lake, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, Jane Perry, and Alanah Pearce.

It's clear that Salim has surrounded himself with friends and like-minded people for his project, but also with a more personal involvement, as the theme of the game is related to their own professions in the real world. I don't want to say that there is anything real in {Dead Take} (I hope not), but the performances of all those involved (and, of course and above all others, those of Newbon and Starr) are impeccably crafted. They are, for me, the main reason to enter the oppressive gloom of {Dead Take}.

I'm not a big fan of this type of puzzle game, because I've always felt that a puzzle requires thought and calm to tackle, and operating on the premise of stress doesn't fit with my current idea of enjoying video games, but the experience in {Dead Take} is more narrative than puzzle solving. If you are sufficiently involved in the plot and carefully follow the character's own clues and internal dialogue, you won't have a hard time tackling the 12 main objectives of this adventure. The stress here, rather than being due to gameplay factors or timers, is due to the very atmosphere that is generated around you and that you yourself exude.

I think {Dead Take} could have taken advantage of this a lot more by giving some more soul to the setting, being as important as it is. The mansion is a vacuous and modernised place, in keeping with what (I imagine) will be the fashion in decoration nowadays. Paying more attention to textures and small details of the environment would have given the place itself more of a sense of atmosphere, rather than turning it into a "getting from point A to B". As for the puzzles, apart from a couple of moments of looking back a little more, they won't be much of a problem.

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 perhaps facing your own inner demons, {Dead Take} offers you an all-star cast in their roles and a story that grips you from start to finish.