Maid of Sker doesn’t have terribly complex gameplay, but it’s a tightly-made game that succeeds in more than enough areas to make it worth checking out. The Sker hotel is haunting, filled with detail and character that makes it a joy to explore. The choral soundtrack is absolutely beautiful, befitting both the game’s plot and atmosphere. Horror fans have been absolutely spoiled with high quality games over the last few years, and genre fans would do well to add Maid of Sker to their list of must-plays.

Maid of Sker proves an enjoyable survival horror to play in one breath, paying particular attention to the care with which the story was developed. The presence of two different finals also highlights the intent to take it a step further, although it concerns only one choice during the final beats of the game. The fans of the genre will certainly appreciate it. Make sure you give it a chance.

Maid of Sker had a few jump scares here and there, but it was the tension and curiosity of the unknown that kept me invested in moving forward. After the first hour or so of my playthrough, it stopped being quite as scary, and had me hooked into the narrative, struggling to piece together what was real. Like the beautifully haunting siren’s song that persists throughout Maid of Sker, I was lulled into a trance, needing to see Thomas’s journey through to the end. There are few games that have captured my attention as much as Maid of Sker, and I think for any fan of the horror genre, especially those that love to explore, it would be an absolute disservice not to give this game a try if not for the story alone.

Maid of Sker comes with all the features of a good survival-horror game, such as a well-designed eerie location, a great atmosphere, an engaging story, fearsome enemies, well-implemented 3D audio and the right amount of scares, but it does not try to break from the mold of the Resident Evil formula in any significant way. The lack of any real innovation may put off some, but if expectations are kept in check, Maid of Sker can provide a few hours of enjoyable horror fun.

Maid of Sker is a great addition to the survival horror genre and offers a wonderfully intimate and local threat that takes its influences from Welsh folktales. Eschewing the combat and weaponry of many entries into the genre, its gameplay loop of sneaking and hiding proves compelling and successfully manages to keep you feeling in danger at all times. When you add in some excellent sound design and atmosphere you have a Victorian horror that deserves a rousing reception. There may not be a welcome in these valleys but this is one vacation that genre fans should have no reservations about taking.

Maid of Sker was at its best when I was navigating dark corridors unsure of what awaits me around the corner, while unsettling noises of the dreary hotel literally gave me goosebumps. Unfortunately, skillfully built atmosphere evaporated immediately whenever I met one of bland enemies and had to engage in a lame game of cat and mouse that quickly becomes a chore. [10/2020, p.72]

Maid of Sker has very strong visuals and the hotel itself is well designed. But everything else, from its gameplay systems to its progression and foes, is so weak and ill-considered that I can't imagine most people enjoying what little it has to offer.