Surgent Studios’ next game stars Ben Starr and Neil Newbon
Dead Take is due for release on Steam later this year
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU developer Surgent Studios has announced that its next game, Dead Take, will star Neil Newbon and Ben Starr.
The horror game, which is set to be released later this year on Steam, will combine gameplay with live-action video.
“Set in a luxurious yet secluded Hollywood Hills mansion, Dead Take casts players as an actor searching for his friend gone missing after a lavish Hollywood party,” reads a description for the game.
“As they navigate escape-room-style puzzles and splice together videos they find along the way, players will uncover the darkest secrets behind the entertainment industry’s glittering facade.”
Starr and Newbon are two of modern gaming’s most recognisable faces. Starr was first brought to the attention of players when he was cast as Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI. Since then, he’s appeared in Warframe, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and more.
Newbon is best known for his role as Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3. He also appeared in Resident Evil Village as Karl Heisenberg, and in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
“As actors in games and beyond, Neil, Ben, and I have leaned on each other through some extremely gruelling times,” said Abubakar Salim, Creative Director of Dead Take.
“In those moments, we exchanged some of the horror stories that built the foundations of this game. Not only do they bring considerable talent to the project, but they also helped create a space in which we could all be truly raw and honest. I can’t wait for you to see the calibre of their performances in Dead Take.”
Salim spoke to VGC earlier this year about the game.
“A lot of what we do is build from experiences. We want to share experiences we have felt and deliver them artistically,” he said. “Last year, I felt extremely powerless; it got me thinking about where that power lies in the entertainment industry. What does that mean to people in art? I think I stewed on those thoughts and wanted to turn them into something.
“I straddle these worlds between being an actor and a developer. I’ve seen how that power can corrupt, and I’ve seen how those people in power react when confronted with people without power. This game is a response to that feeling of powerlessness.”
