Surgent Studios, fresh off their debut title Tales of Kenzera: Zau, is making a significant directional shift for their next project. Stepping away from their previous genre, the studio is diving headfirst into the realm of psychological horror with their upcoming game, Dead Take. This new venture aims to immerse players in a tense, atmospheric experience, centered around a Hollywood mansion and the sinister undercurrents of fame.
At the core of Dead Take`s intriguing premise is a unique gameplay mechanic: players will be tasked with piecing together fragments of live-action footage. This interactive element is set within the confines of a sprawling Hollywood mansion, suggesting a narrative deeply intertwined with the glitz, glamour, and inevitable rot found behind the silver screen facade. It`s an ambitious concept that promises a distinctive approach to horror storytelling.
Adding considerable weight to Dead Take`s atmospheric ambitions are its lead actors, Ben Starr and Neil Newbon. Starr, recently acclaimed for his role in Final Fantasy XVI, and Newbon, widely celebrated for his performance in Baldur`s Gate 3 (among others like Detroit: Become Human), are stepping into entirely new territory with this project.
An exclusive first look at footage from their live-action segments, presented as unsettling audition tapes, has recently surfaced. These clips show the actors embodying their characters, exhibiting nervous energy that is abruptly shattered by disturbing supernatural intrusions. For fans accustomed to Newbon`s distinct, velvety tones (you know who we mean), his sudden adoption of a deep American accent in the preview footage is, in itself, a notable, perhaps even slightly jarring, transformation – though certainly effective in establishing the character.
The glimpses provided, showcasing the actors` commitment to the unsettling nature of the game`s world, offer a promising indicator. Shifting genres and relying heavily on live-action integration is a significant challenge for any studio, but the initial look at Starr and Newbon`s performances suggests that Surgent Studios might just be hitting the right, chilling notes for Dead Take. The dark side of Hollywood awaits.
