Brave the nightmares of the Quiet Ones! Maid of Sker is an upcoming survival horror game from Wales Interactive, the developer/publisher behind the live action, cinematic interactive sci-fi thriller The Complex, Late Shift, and the VR survival shooter Time Carnage. And now, after a delay, it’s got a new July release date confirmed.
The background on the official website reads as follows, “Set in 1898 and inspired by the haunting Welsh tale Elisabeth Williams, this is a story of a family empire driven by torture, slavery, piracy and supernatural mystery that suffocates the grounds of the hotel.” After doing some research, Sker House is a historical building in Wales that was constructed over 900 years ago as the grange of a nearby monastery. Legend has it that two ghosts haunt the Sker House – one in the form of a sailor who had wrecked his ship near the house and the other of Elizabeth Williams, a young woman who had reportedly died of a broken heart after her father locked her in a closet to prevent her from running off with a lover. The Maid of Sker, written by R.D. Blackmore and published in 1872, is responsible for the house’s infamy.
Maid of Sker combines several features from other games in the genre with its own unique twist. Wales Interactive heavily advertises this sound-based nudge system, where dynamic environment sounds from nudging an object in the area will alert enemies in your general vicinity.
Story and music are inspired by Welsh culture to deliver a chilling narrative fusing psychological, gothic and British horror. Similar to Alien Isolation, the player must cover their breathing when near enemies, but can also wield sonic weaponry to aid in their defense. Serving as more of a deterrent than an actual lethal force, the weapon blasts out a strong force of energy to stagger the enemy. Judging from the latest gameplay trailer seen below, the player will need to scour the environment to find ammunition vials for this device – similar to battery scavenging in the Outlast series – while also managing their inventory.
The writing talent behind the scenes is also promising with those hailing from the likes of SOMA and Battlefield 1. Do not panic…don’t even breathe! Maid of Sker launches on July 28th for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC.
