10 Times Horror Video Games Got Truly Twisted

When a game opens with a disclaimer warning of deeply unsetting content such as self-harm, disfigurement, and psychological trauma, hardcore horror fans know they're in for a devilish treat.

This is the case for Martha Is Dead, an indie title from Italian developers LKD. Set in Italy during World War II, the game sees players take on the role of Guilia who's returned to stay at her family's home. One night, however, she discovers the body of her twin Martha in the lake. And in a moment of confusion, she tells her grieving mother that she is Martha and that it's Guilia who's dead.

Now living with intense guilt and grief, Guila is faced with the psychological torment of what's just happened as her mental health begins to decline. Meanwhile, news of the ongoing war further amplifies Guilia's volatile situation.

From the outset Martha Is Dead dives straight into its gruesome material. However, it's an early dream sequence in which players must carve the face off their dead sister's corpse which has earned this title well-deserved notoriety.

Requiring players to fully engage with the grizzly act, the sequence's graphic nature is matched only by its macabre symbolism; it's simply grim from all angles.