There is little point in asking if you are ready to play Martha is Dead because simply put, you are not ready. This dark, first-person psychological thriller from developer LKA became one of 2022’s most talked-about indie games and another strong piece of evidence for the ‘video games are art’ debate.
Whether you have a horse in that race or not, we have everything you need to know about this game so you can experience it for yourself.
Experience a Tale Set in War-Torn Tuscany
The backdrop for Martha is Dead is the Tuscan countryside in 1944, at the height of World War Two. What pushes those tensions to the forefront even further is that you play as Giulia, the young daughter of a German soldier and a drug-addicted mother. She treats you poorly and saves all her kindness for your deaf twin, the titular Martha. After discovering your sister dead in a lake and being mistaken for her, you must discover how she died without giving away your identity.
This level of detail is felt in every aspect of the game. From the importance of Giulia’s camera reflected in the depth of the photo mode to the breathtaking realisation of the Italian countryside, Martha is Dead is a game soaked in its own vision. The prominent influence of the war and the approach of Allied Forces helps bring themes such as loss and relationships to the surface.
An Uncompromising Authentic Italian Experience
Developers LKA deliver a faithful recreation of their native Tuscany just as they did in their previous game The Town of Light. Their commitment to authenticity does not stop there. The deeply evocative soundtrack is composed to reflect the Italian music of the era, even featuring reimagined versions of classics of the 1940s.
It’s not just the music that is faithful to the Italian roots of this game, but the voice acting as well. Rather than even having it dubbed for an international release, all the original Italian vocal talent has been kept so as not to compromise on the developer’s vision for their narrative. And if Squid Game taught us anything it’s that a language barrier won’t turn an audience away.
Martha is Dead Content Warning
It’s important for us to highlight that the developers issued a description of the game’s content. If you have any concerns regarding particular themes in video games, we encourage you to read it first. The description is as follows;
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.
LKA
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 cause discomfort. It explores the complexities of the human mind, psychological trauma, and self-harm.
The game is not recommended for players who may find depictions of mature scenes containing blood, dismemberment, disfigurement of human bodies, and self-harm disturbing.
Some of the content in question was removed by Sony for the PS4 and PS5 releases of Martha is Dead. The game is unabridged in its PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series iterations.
Martha is Dead Official System Specifications
So, are you excited to try this gripping, first-person thriller? First, you need to be sure your gaming PC is ready for it. We’ve got the official system requirements for Martha is Dead right here for you.
| Component | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 or equivalent AMD | Intel Core i7 or equivalent AMD |
| Memory | 8GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 670 AMD R9 270X | NVIDIA GTX 1060 AMD RX 5500 |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 30GB available space (SSD recommended) | 30GB available space (SSD recommended) |
The Best Gaming PCs for Martha is Dead
Need a new gaming PC to play Martha is Dead, or even just looking to upgrade? At Overclockers UK, we have plenty of awesome systems and gaming laptops for you to play all your favourites on! Check out a few of our picks below, all of which meet the official system specifications, or explore the full range with just a click of a button.
Refract Gaming Jade Pre-Built PC
Experience the woes of war set amongst the beauty of Tuscany with the Refract Gaming Jade. This pre-built PC has been designed by our tech team of experts to effortlessly facilitate 1080p and 1440p gaming. Armed with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, you can live this psychological horror in thrilling detail. Plus, the 32GB DDR5 RAM and SSD storage will provide near-zero latency and fast loading speeds – no one wants lag to break this immersive experience!
The Refract Gaming Jade comes pre-built, fully tested, and ready to simply plug in and play. What’s more, it is covered by our comprehensive three years parts and labour warranty, for that extra peace of mind.
ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop
Game on the go, with the ASUS ROG Strix G16. This gaming laptop is packed with all the hardware you need to experience immersive gaming wherever your travels take you. The Intel Core i7-13650HX CPU is powered by hybrid core architecture, assigning specialised cores to single- or multi-threaded work to optimise efficiency. Bringing Martha is Dead to life is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, utilising Ada Lovelace architecture, real-time ray tracing, and AI-enhanced upscaling to render every frame in impeccable detail on the 16” WUXGA display.
To keep the ASUS ROG Strix G16 cool, this gaming laptop features ROG Intelligent Cooling technology. The chassis and motherboard have both been redesigned to accommodate a full-width heatsink with the fins moved closer to the exhaust fans. Thanks to a 71% increase in surface area and maximised airflow paths, the ASUS ROG Strix G16’s thermal solution is incredibly efficient for whisper-quiet gaming.
OcUK Gaming Katana Configurable PC
Level up your gaming with the OcUK Gaming Katana. Armed with an Intel Core i7-14700KF CPU, this gaming PC will expertly handle all your workflows, from gaming to streaming and more! The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super GPU will render Martha is Dead and all your favourite horror games in thrilling detail, with the help of advanced RT and Tensor cores. Plus, with 32GB DDR5 RAM at 5600MHz, all your PC operations will be smooth and efficient.
The OcUK Gaming Katana is one of our configurable gaming PCs, meaning you can change the base spec to better suit your needs. Choose from a pre-selected list of PC cases, CPUs, memory kits, GPUs, coolers, storage drives, cables, and operating systems to craft the perfect Katana for your gaming. Please note that changes to the spec will affect the pricing.
Have You Experienced This Harrowing Tale?
Let us know what you thought of Martha is Dead in the comments below.
PC specs are subject to change.
- 6 min read
Jacob Smith
Author
Jacob is a passionate gamer, plus a noted Pokemon and LEGO nutjob, who emerges only when doing the words here at Overclockers UK. Since starting at the tail end of 2021, Jacob has gone on to write dozens of blogs on everything from the latest games to whimsical Dickens-inspired poetry. Outside of creating content and being the one person in the office daring to champion Nintendo, he is often found fawning over his Pokemon card collection and his trio of lovely doggos.
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