Adventure · February 24, 2022

Martha Is Dead (2022)

calendar_todayAge 17+trophy22 achievementsextension2 DLClocal_offer-73% current discountgroup100k–1M ownersrecommend2.4k recommendations
Martha Is Dead is a dark first-person psychological thriller, set in 1944 Italy, that blurs the lines between reality, superstition and the tragedy of war. As conflict intensifies between German and Allied forces, the desecrated body of a woman is found drowned… Martha! Martha is dead, and her twin sister Giulia, the young daughter of a German soldier, must alone deal with the acute trauma of loss and the fallout from her murder. The hunt for the truth is shrouded by mysterious folklore and the extreme horror of war that draws ever closer. What will prevail? FEATURES Unashamedly authentic voice acting in Italian The first Indie game to launch using the native Italian language as the default setting – for full immersion into the story and the characters. From the creator of The Town of Light The second game from LKA, the award-winning developer of “The Town of Light” and specialists in reality-based narrative games focused on tough subjects. Deep and dark multi-layered narrative Martha Is Dead is an exploration of loss, relationships, and the psychological undertones of a dark period of history through the eyes of a young woman who seeks the truth, but who also has secrets of her own to hide. Explore a detailed recreation of the Italian countryside Freely explore the breathtakingly realised Tuscany countryside on foot, by boat, or by bike. Grounded in reality, Martha Is Dead’s setting and historical context are inspired by real facts and places that have been faithfully reconstructed in true LKA fashion. Play with dolls Play with numerous marionette sequences in the puppet theatre to remember repressed memories. Mixing folklore with superstition Unlock symbols and use tarot cards to unveil new aspects of the game and summon the spirit of The Lady. A backdrop of War Collect newspapers, and telegrams and listen to the radio to keep updated on what is occurring in the world during the war. Virtual photographic greatness Take pictures for the sheer pleasure of doing so, and also to progress through the story and discover more about the game world. A simulator will guide you through 1940s photography, where you’ll be able to develop your actual photos through a fully working in-game darkroom! Authentic Italian music of the era Immerse yourself in a deeply evocative and atmospheric soundtrack containing underwater music specialists Between Music and their Aquasonic project; The Town of Light composer Aseptic Void and his moody yet spinetingling tones; and held together in true vintage style featuring reimagined versions of classic tracks including Schubert's Ave Maria, O Bella Ciao, with original tracks written and sung by Francesca Messina, AKA 90s disco star, Femina Ridens.

Adventure releases from 2022

91 Adventure titles launched in 2022 — top 6 by review volume.

Peer Adventure titles

Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.

Community Tag Signals

Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.

  • Psychological Horror · 293
  • Story Rich · 284
  • Psychological · 283
  • Female Protagonist · 270
  • Horror · 265
  • Adventure · 258
  • Atmospheric · 242
  • Cinematic · 238
  • Thriller · 233
  • Narration · 232
  • World War II · 224
  • Mystery · 218
  • Dark · 218
  • Drama · 213
  • Dynamic Narration · 206

Position in Adventure

MetricThis titleGenre position
Review volume3.1k Steam reviewsTop 68% in Adventure
Positive rating80% positiveGenre average: 87% — this title sits in top 84%
Metacritic73/100Genre average 77 — top 78% of Adventure titles
Engagement hours6 h averageTop 49% for session depth among Adventure

Localization Coverage

Interface / Subtitles (12)

  • English volume_up
  • Italian volume_up
  • French
  • German volume_up
  • Spanish - Spain
  • Simplified Chinese volume_up
  • Japanese
  • Portuguese - Brazil
  • Russian
  • Korean
  • Polish
  • Traditional Chinese

Full audio (5)

  • English
  • Italian
  • German
  • Simplified Chinese
  • Turkish

Reception Metrics

Steam community

80%Mostly Positive · 3.1k reviews

2.5k positive · 629 negative

Metacritic

73/100 critic aggregate

Open Metacritic page

Curator recommendations

2.4k

Press Quotes

“Martha is Dead seems to be an immersive, exciting and sometimes brutal psychological thriller thanks to the use of strong images capable of upsetting more than a player” Everyeye “Martha Is Dead … wants to share its deep, painful story with you.” Eurogamer “This has the potential to be one of those games that sticks in your mind long after the credits roll.” VGC

Engagement Profile

All-time avg

6h

short (5–15 hours)

Median

7h

Typical completion time

Achievements

22

Steam unlocks available

Release & Availability

Release dateFeb 24, 2022
DeveloperLKA
PublisherWired Productions
Base price$8.09 -73%
Required age17+
DLC / Add-ons2 released
PlatformsWindows
Estimated owners100k–1M
External linksOfficial site · Metacritic page · [email protected]

Features & Capabilities

Community

  • Steam Achievements
  • Steam Trading Cards
  • Steam Cloud

Input & Comfort

  • Full controller support

Other

  • Single-player
  • Family Sharing

Content Notes

The story of Martha Is Dead and its featured characters are a work of fiction, the game contains potentially uncomfortable scenes and covers topics that may distress some players. The game is recommended for an adult audience and carries the appropriate age rating. As an adult narrative drama, the game uses artistic interpretations that can be visually unsettling and may…

Editions & Packages

  • Buy Martha Is Dead