Maid of Sker

Brave the nightmares of the Quiet Ones. Do not panic…don’t even breathe!


The survival horror inspired by Scottish and British folklore Maid of Sker is free, for Windows, 100% free to keep, in a time-limited Epic Store’s giveaway offer. Go get it! Maid of Sker can normally cost US$44.98!

Maid of Sker is an independent survival horror game inspired by Scottish and British folklore, set in a mysterious hotel in 1898, which is discovered to be under the control of dangerous cultists. It was developed by Wales Interactive and released on July 28, 2020.

The game draws similarities to Outlast, The Evil Within 2, and Silent Hill. Its save system is also compared to Resident Evil, but with typewriters replaced by gramophones in the save rooms.

Published by Wales Interactive itself and available on Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PlayStation 5, Maid of Sker received mixed reviews from critics. Despite this, it boasts thousands of very positive reviews on Steam, while it is rated 3.5/5 on GOG, at least as of the time of this publication. A spiritual successor in the form of a co-op FPS, Sker Ritual, was released in 2024.

You can get the game here!

Trailer

About the game

Brave the nightmares of the Quiet Ones. Do not panic…don’t even breathe!

Maid of Sker is a first-person survival horror, set in a remote hotel with a gory and macabre history from British folklore. Inspired by the haunting tales of Elisabeth Williams, discover a suffocating family secret with stealth tactics amongst sound-based AI enemies.

Set in 1898 and inspired by the haunting Welsh tale of Elisabeth Williams, this is a story of a family empire driven by torture, slavery, piracy and a supernatural mystery that suffocates the grounds of the hotel.

Developed by Wales Interactive with a plot crafted by the writing talent and designers behind the likes of SOMA, The Bunker and Battlefield 1.

Gameplay

Maid of Sker is a game that falls mainly into the survival horror genre, with strong adventure elements. It is not categorized as an action-adventure, as the emphasis is more on survival, exploration and puzzle solving than on combat and direct action. Gameplay focuses on avoiding enemies and utilizing stealth tactics rather than engaging enemies directly, which is typical of the survival horror genre.

This survival horror has strong exploration elements. In the game, players need to investigate Hotel Sker, solving puzzles and finding key items to unlock new areas. Exploration is an essential part of the gameplay, as it is through it that the player discovers clues, collects important resources and advances in the story. Furthermore, the atmosphere and design of the environment encourage careful and meticulous exploration, typical of games in the survival horror genre.

Maid of Sker creates a very dark and scary atmosphere. The setting of the abandoned and mysterious Hotel Sker, along with the presence of enemies called “The Quiet Ones” who hunt the player based on sounds, makes for an intensely atmospheric and suspenseful experience. The combination of survival horror elements, such as the need to avoid direct confrontation and the reliance on stealth and distraction tactics, further increases the tension during the game.

This game features a manual save system that involves finding “safe rooms”. These rooms have doors with a greenish pattern, and inside them are gramophones that the player must use to save the game. As mentioned earlier, this saving system is similar to the Resident Evil series. Additionally, Maid of Sker‘s gameplay has been compared to Outlast in terms of play style, and to The Evil Within 2 and Silent Hill for its atmosphere. It’s also fair to compare it to Amnesia.

It’s worth noting that the similarity to Resident Evil extends beyond the save system. Both games share elements such as the need to explore detailed environments and solve puzzles to progress. Furthermore, both Maid of Sker and early Resident Evil titles emphasize managing limited resources like ammunition and healing items, while facing powerful enemies and making strategic decisions about when and how to confront them. Despite these similarities, Maid of Sker takes a more stealth-focused approach to enemy encounters, whereas Resident Evil, especially in its early editions, combines survival horror elements with more direct action against a variety of enemies.

Features

  • 3D sound-based AI system as the core survival mechanic.
  • Fusing psychological, gothic and British horror.
  • Realistic visuals, immersive environments and eerie atmospherics.
  • Famous Welsh hymns from the spine-chilling voice of Tia Kalmaru.
  • Re-imagining of the Welsh folk song “Y Ferch o’r Sger” (The Maid of Sker).
  • Realistic visuals with 4k uncapped on PC (1080p 60fps minimum).

More info and survival horror

Overview

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