Their previous game barely made a splash, but now two stars—Astarion and Verso—take the lead in a new title. The team behind Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is heading in a radically new direction, and Dead Take is already making waves among gamers. Here’s what you can expect from the studio’s bold new project!

In one of gaming history’s strangest coincidences, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU dropped just after Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Even though many considered it a standout of the year, disappointing sales led to the closure of Ubisoft’s internal studio, while the success of The Lost Crown completely overshadowed Surgent Studios’ metroidvania, leaving its creators in the dark.

But Surgent Studios hasn’t thrown in the towel: they’ve just revealed more details about their new project, called Dead Take, and it features two familiar faces—Neil Newbon (Astarion from Baldur’s Gate 3) and Ben Starr (Verso from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33) in starring roles.

After a string of teasers, a brand new 48-second trailer has landed, spotlighting both actors: Starr as Vinny Monroe and Newbon as Chase Lowry. At the heart of the game is a “reverse escape room” set in Hollywood, as described by studio founder Abubakar Salim.

Although few details have leaked out, we do know it’s a psychological horror title that delves into the dark side of fame, with all signs pointing to a boundary-pushing blend of film and interactive gaming—much like the works of Sam Barlow (Her Story, Immortality). Salim, also known for playing Bayek in Assassin’s Creed, explains: “Within Hollywood and acting, I’ve experienced and heard many stories of people willing to do anything for fame… It’s actually pretty terrifying.”

Salim told Eurogamer that no one will miss out on seeing Newbon or Starr onscreen: “You’re going to see Ben and Neil acting on camera, not just hiding behind animated or 3D characters. I wanted to show their real selves—because usually we only see them as Astarion or Clive. What are they like when you actually see their faces?” Dead Take doesn’t have a release date yet, but it already has its Steam page.

Source: Eurogamer