Surgent Studios has announced a new horror game titled Dead Take, which features Neil Newbon of Baldur's Gate 3 fame and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Ben Starr. Dead Take is the second game to come from Surgent Studios, after the 2024 Metroidvania title Tales of Kenzera: Zau.
Among the current crop of voice actors in the gaming industry, Neil Newbon and Ben Starr are two very popular names, thanks to their starring roles in multiple hit titles. While Newbon made his mark through memorable roles such as Detroit: Become Human's Elijah Kamski and Baldur's Gate 3's Astarion, Starr's portfolio also boasts noteworthy credits, such as playing Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy 16 and starring as Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Courtesy of Surgent Studios, these actors have joined forces for an upcoming game.
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Posts 2Surgent Studios unveiled Dead Take, a psychological horror game coming to Steam in 2025, with Newbon and Starr in the lead roles of Chase Lowry and Vinny Monroe, respectively. Backed by Pocketpair Publishing, Dead Take has been described as a "twisted" tale of the entertainment industry's power and corruption. Its story takes place in the Hollywood Hills mansion, a lavish but secluded place, and follows the journey of an actor on the lookout for his missing friend. The freshly announced game will involve players making their way through escape room-like puzzles and splicing together live-action clips, as the "dark secrets" of the industry come to the surface. Dead Take Creative Director Abubakar Salim said that "some of the horror stories" shared between him and the aforementioned duo "built the foundations of this game."
Neil Newbon and Ben Starr Headline the Dead Take Cast
Dead Take's announcement also came with an accompanying trailer, which showed glimpses of Newbon and Starr in the game. It also revealed the in-game cinema where players will be able to view clips and splice them together. There were shots of a few different environments from the game as well, ranging from a dance club to a red carpet area. Intriguingly, the trailer also hinted at a third character, Willie, who seems to be connected to both Lowry and Monroe. It's worth noting that Dead Take marks the early days in the gaming industry for both its developer and its publisher, being only the second game built by Surgent Studios and the first game to be published by Palworld creator Pocketpair's label.
CloseIn October 2024, Surgent Studios and its financial troubles became known after Tales of Kenzera: Zau didn't sell well despite receiving good scores from critics and multiple award nominations. Hence, for the future of the company's gaming venture, Dead Take appears to be crucial, at least from a financial standpoint.
