Horror game Martha is Dead will be censored on PlayStation platforms

Martha is Dead, the upcoming game from Wired Productions and LKA has had content removed in the PS5 and PS4 versions of the game, it has been announced.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the team claimed that the Xbox and PC versions of the game would be unaffected. However exactly, which content has been removed from PlayStation platforms was not disclosed.

“Martha is Dead is a narrative adventure recommended for adult audiences only, with play consisting of potentially discomforting scenes and themes that may distress some players.”

The statement continues: “It is with regret that we have had to modify the experience on the PS5 and PS4 versions with some elements no longer playable.

“After over four years of passion and hard work, Developer LKA now requires extra time to make these unplanned changes. Martha is Dead, as a result, will still launch digitally on both PS5 and PS4 on Thursday, February 24th, but the physical release will be delayed to a year to disclosed date.”

Martha is Dead is described as 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!”

In our hands-on last year, we called Martha is Dead a “striking and atmospheric psychological thriller – one that won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but should be an intriguing adventure for those who don’t mind things getting very dark.”

Our preview read: “As long as you’re able to cope with the mature and frequently macabre themes that appear to be infused throughout the entire plot, then this has the potential to be one of those games that sticks in your mind long after the credits roll.”

While the removed content hasn’t been disclosed, even from our preview, it’s clear Martha Is Dead plans to push the limits of what’s been done in console horror games beyond what’s already available on PlayStation. In an example from our demo: “During one particularly disturbing dream sequence, the player has to physically cut off someone’s face (in unflinching, graphic detail) and wear it as a mask.”

The game also requires the player to take pictures of your sister’s body as she lies in her open casket.