I am not embellishing in the slightest when I say that Maid of Sker, by developer Wales Interactive, is “up-next” in the canon of amazing survival-horror games. For me, I am not terrified by sensational gore and gratuitous violence seen in series such as Dying Light or Silent Hill, but rather find psychological horror games to be far more intimidating to play. Luckily (or unluckily as some may see it), Maid of Sker didn’t simply horrify the player nearly as much as it kept them in a constant state of suspense. When I had finally put down my controller after each gaming session I felt like every single muscle in my body relaxed at once. I’m actually fairly sure I burned as many calories from a few hours of playing this game as I would from a 30-minute walk.
The first thing to catch my eye about Maid of Sker was the fact that it had excellent 4K graphics, which made the world surrounding you seem even more lifelike (a trait I would come to have a love-hate relationship with as the plot thickened). That being said, every single pixel on my screen was delightfully detailed to make the world as bleak and nerve-wracking as possible. Before I’d even begun my journey into the Sker I knew that I was in for quite an experience because the finite details of the game, such as the grime in the metalwork around you, the gothic architecture, the moss intruding from every crack of rock, and the gloomy overcast sky, which all came together to form a perfect portrait of “bring a spare change of pants while you play this game.” While the graphics and visual splendor of Maid of Sker were certainly exceptional, it was only the beginning of what made this game so excellent.
The sound—my goodness—the 3-dimensional sound-based AI system in this game was what set it apart from so many other games that I’ve played before. The masked enemies who constantly stalk and torment you as you make your way through the hotel in an effort to save your beloved Elisabeth Williams from the clutches of these “Quiet Ones” are attracted only to sound as their eyes are covered. This creates a completely new gameplay dynamic that requires the player to cautiously plan their movements in order to avoid attracting their attention. Even breathing loudly can attract enemies and result in instantaneous death as a result of the no-weapon survival tactics that this game requires. There’s actually a control to hold your breath that has to be used in certain situations to avoid detection, but beware, if you let go of your breath at the wrong time you’ll end up gasping for air and attracting the attention of enemies.
I also loved that the game doesn’t have an auto-save feature, but rather saves at various increments depending on when the player encounters antique phonographs spread throughout the hotel. Once the player finds these phonographs, they are treated to a recording that furthers the plot of the story and sheds more light on the events leading up to the conversion of the hotel guests into the “Quiet Ones.” As a result of basically having to find your own save points, this particular gameplay mechanic motivates players to extensively explore the hotel and try to uncover as many secrets as possible as opposed to simply following a quick linear path of events and finishing 100% of the story as soon as possible.
Overall, I absolutely loved Maid of Sker and I cannot recommend it enough to fans of the horror game genre. Every jump-scare was genuinely terrifying because the developers at Wales Interactive did such a masterful job of creating an environment of pure suspense that kept me on my toes for every second that I was playing. The sound-based AI and general emphasis on the fact that any noise could result in your demise coupled with the weaponless first-person gameplay was just perfect for a horror game. The story was also fascinating, blending elements of real-life events, Welsh folklore, and gothic writing to create an almost artful game that wonderfully represented a period as much as a narrative. The multiple endings of Maid of Sker also created a sense of meaning to the decisions that the player made and overall increased the stakes of the game in terms of making choices. I cannot recommend this game enough for any fans of the horror genre (particularly those of you who like the Outlast series) and I will surely be on the lookout for future games made by Wales Interactive.
Rating: 8/10
Check Out the Maid of Sker Gameplay Trailer:
Maid of Sker releases today for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam. For more information, please visit: https://www.walesinteractive.com/games
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I've been playing video games since I got a Playstation 2 when I was about 5 or 6 years old. The original Star Wars: Battlefront series and the Spyro series initially ignited my interest in gaming, but it wasn't until I got older that I truly appreciated the subtle details that make video games such a unique form of entertainment. My favorite type of video game would have to be any lengthy and plot-driven open world game, with my favorite games of all time being Batman: Arkham City, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and Firewatch.
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