Upcoming horror drama, Martha Is Dead, has had to censor "some elements" of the game in order to release it on PS4 and PS5 as planned.
While the PC and Xbox versions of the game remain unaffected, publisher Wired Productions took to social media to confirm, "with regret", that "some elements [are] no longer playable" in the game on Sony's hardware.
Neither Sony, Wired, or developer LKA have confirmed what, exactly, these elements are, or how it'll impact the game for players on PS4/5.
"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," Wired Productions said in a statement via Twitter.
A statement on Martha Is Dead pic.twitter.com/bXDZu2hRP9February 11, 2022
"Both Wired Productions and LKA have always been open and honest about Martha Is Dead content, with the sensitive depictions in play consistently communicated to the media since the game was announced in 2019. The content is also flagged clearly and repeatedly within the game itself before play begins.
"It is with regret that we have had to modify the experience on the PS5 and PS4 versions, with some elements no longer playable," the publisher continues. "After over four years of passion and hard work, developer LKA now requires extra time to make these unplanned changes."
The statement ends by confirming that because of these changes, the horror will launch as planned on February 24, 2022, digitally, but the physical PS4/PS5 version has been delayed "to a yet to be disclosed date". The studio hopes this will only result in a delay of "a small number of weeks".
"I don't think I've played anything that's quite as hot a mess of stuff happening as Martha Is Dead in a long while," Leon said when he previewed Martha Is Dead for 12DOVE game last year. "After two hours playing the game's opening, I feel like I need more time to digest everything this psychological horror game tries to do.
"There are long, text-heavy plot expositions, or strange first-person endless runner forest sections where you spell out story points by chasing words through the trees. Then there are dreamy, surreal, heavily metaphorical cutscenes inspired by the Italian horror style of Dario Argento and Giallo films. And, sometimes, you get to play a bit of the game."
Read up on our new games 2022 guide for a complete look over all the other games launching over the next few months.
