Mary Skelter Nightmares

About

Mary Skelter Nightmares is a single player tactical role playing game with horror, fantasy, romance, anime and others themes. It was developed by Idea Factory and was released on July 19, 2018. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Beware! The Nightmare monster stalks you as you navigate this dungeon-crawling RPG. Stand your ground, or use traps to slow down the insatiable monsters and escape to fight another day. You’ll fight in turn-based battles and can boost up your allies with blood transformations. If you solve the dungeons’ mysteries and satisfy the prison’s desires, you just might make it out alive!"

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81%Audience ScoreBased on 398 reviews

story101 positive mentions

grinding47 negative mentions

Intriguing dark story blending fairy tales with horror elements and psychological tension
Engaging and strategic turn-based combat system with unique blood and corruption mechanics
Large varied dungeons with atmosphere-rich design, supported by a strong soundtrack and anime-styled character art

Frequent crashing and technical issues especially on PC port, causing loss of progress
Excessively large and repetitive dungeon maps leading to tedious exploration and grinding
Weak story delivery with predictable twists, shallow character development and overused anime tropes

story
267 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The story is a dark, atmospheric dungeon-crawling narrative centered on fairy-tale-inspired characters trapped in a living prison called the Jail. While it offers intriguing worldbuilding, character interactions, and twist-filled plotlines, many find its pacing slow with predictable twists, uneven writing, and a somewhat anticlimactic or unresolved ending. Fans of anime-style storytelling and complex JRPGs tend to appreciate its unique blend of horror, fantasy, and mystery despite some repetitive dialogue and occasional narrative flaws.
- “The further players descend into the jail, the more the story twists expectations, uncovering unsettling truths about the world, its inhabitants, and the nature of the blood maidens themselves.”
- “The story is unique and has many different hints to the real 'marchens' that the characters are from as well as an excellent voice acting cast.”
- “It's a fantasy story with a clear structure following Jack and Alice, two people trapped within a living prison called the Divine Prison Tower or the Jail for short.”
- “The post game story ends too suddenly without resolution. I heard this is remedied in the remake, but I am not sure I want to slog through that all over again because I heard that one has even worse difficulty issues.”
- “The post-game was not handled well story-wise, as it's placed in the middle of the story after finishing the story, making the player not too motivated to play it as there are not really any stakes in it.”
- “As the story progresses, it becomes very clear what plot twist will await you, and so when it happens, you just shake your head and laugh, because the game tries to sell it as a mysterious thing when, in reality, you knew it since the game started because the game gives you a million hints.”
gameplay
178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
68%
3%
The gameplay of Mary Skelter combines classic turn-based JRPG and grid-based dungeon crawling with unique mechanics like the blood meter, corruption states, and nightmare chases, offering a blend of strategic planning and tension. While some find the combat engaging and the mechanics well-integrated, others criticize repetitive combat, balance issues, and occasional frustrating or poorly explained systems. Overall, it appeals most to fans of traditional dungeon crawlers who appreciate deep customization, challenging difficulty modes, and atmospheric, if sometimes grind-heavy, gameplay.
- “Gameplay centers on traditional first-person, grid-based dungeon exploration, a structure that will feel familiar to fans of classic dungeon RPGs.”
- “While the overall class structure is fairly defined, the interaction between characters, skills, and blood mechanics allows for experimentation and tactical planning.”
- “In addition to the standard dungeon-crawling mechanics and uncovering parts of the map as you explore, there's an interesting feature where you're hunted by "nightmares." During these sequences, the minimap disappears, and you're under pressure to put distance between yourself and the pursuing threat.”
- “And gameplay like all jrpgs is really grindy.”
- “Even the cool blood splatter system and the jail reward system (which in itself is also unrewarding, which is why I haven't even touched on that) don't make up for the weak gameplay that just devolves into AoE spamming before the tenth hour is over - and the game is thirty hours long.”
- “The multi-floored dungeons are overly huge and filled with long convoluted pathways that often lead to numerous dead ends, frustrating traps and mechanics like timed switches and balancing minigames, and hidden rooms and corridors that are blocked by breakable walls.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The game's graphics feature a distinctive dark, gothic, and anime-inspired aesthetic praised for its unique art style and colorful, vivid dungeon designs, which enhance the horror and fantasy atmosphere. While visuals are generally smooth and pleasing, some users note graphical glitches, limited customization options, and that the graphics feel like a direct port from lower-powered consoles, resulting in occasional technical issues and a lack of polish compared to modern PC standards. Overall, the art direction is a strong highlight appreciated by fans despite some technical shortcomings.
- “Walls pulse with unnatural textures, enemy designs feel deliberately uncomfortable, and the overall aesthetic reinforces the idea that this world is hostile and alive.”
- “The animation and visuals are smooth allowing for the movement to not disorient the viewer and making it so that the viewer can notice what can be done and where it's possible to go at any point of the exploration.”
- “The visuals also help with the horror aspect, with focus on uncomfortable shapes and features rather than being overly gory or dark (except for the nightmares which bring darkness with them).”
- “- Random graphics crashes, very upsetting that there isn't a proper fix for this.”
- “Another minor bug that the dev is aware of (check the known issues thread) but never bothered fixing is that sometimes the graphic for chests, collection points, & encounters stay on the map after completing them (until you reload).”
- “- Graphically a downgrade compared to the Vita/Switch versions.”
music
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The music in this game is widely praised for its high quality, atmospheric compositions, and perfect alignment with the gothic fairy tale theme, featuring prominent violin elements that enhance both exploration and combat. Many players find the soundtrack enjoyable and memorable, with some citing it as a major reason to play, although a few mention some repetitiveness in dungeon loops. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the immersive and moody ambiance, earning consistently positive feedback from fans and music enthusiasts alike.
- “The soundtrack complements this tone with moody, sometimes haunting compositions that heighten tension during exploration and escalate appropriately during combat.”
- “I've already hinted about the game's music, but I need to give extra kudos to the quality, direction, and the perfect match of music for each zone.”
- “From the story telling to the soundtrack, everything fits the theme of the game perfectly.”
- “The only low point I'd say the game has is probably the music sometimes can feel just a bit monotonous or trying to get the travelling merchant to show but overall just a great game that's sadly overlooked and I'd call pretty underrated.”
- “It's very repetitive and you'll hear the same song looping constantly in each individual dungeon.”
- “Dungeon crawler with weird music.”
grinding
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Grinding in this game is a significant and often divisive aspect, with many players finding dungeon exploration and backtracking tedious due to large, unrewarding maps and repetitive farming. While some enjoy the steady progression and RPG-style grinding, others feel it slows down the experience, especially for casual players or those not fond of routine dungeon crawling. Difficulty can vary widely depending on how much grinding is done, making preparation and team-building important for challenging modes.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I'm on normal mode, and it's not grindy by any means; it just requires you to have good coordination with some strategy in mind.”
- “On the other hand, the dungeon crawling part was really tedious. The maps are too big and pointless to fully explore, with no great hidden rewards—just padding out your playtime.”
- “Almost all of the game's time is spent slogging through unnecessarily complex dungeons and grinding, grinding, grinding.”
- “The base random encounter rate is extremely low, which makes grinding for experience and gold an absolute chore, although there are items and equipment that raise the encounter rate to become annoyingly frequent.”
atmosphere
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
44%
12%
The atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, gothic fairy tale aesthetic that blends horror and whimsy, creating a unique and unsettling fantasy world. Players appreciate the immersive dungeon environments, thematic music, and distinctive visual design, which together enhance the tension and mood throughout the game. While some find the atmosphere exceptional and a key strength, others note it may not fully compensate for gameplay shortcomings, but it remains a standout aspect overall.
- “From its opening moments, it establishes a heavy atmosphere that sets it apart from more traditional fantasy RPGs, signaling that this is a journey meant to be unsettling as much as it is adventurous.”
- “Its blend of strategic combat, oppressive atmosphere, and twisted storytelling ensures it stands out within its genre as a bold and unapologetically dark adventure.”
- “The game's visual design, audio, sound effects, and overall atmosphere blend into a fascinating experience that draws you in to reach the goal.”
- “I love the setting and atmosphere, but it fails as an RPG and it fails as a dungeon crawler.”
- “The game is a dungeon crawler first and foremost. If you're not doing fights, in the district, or doing some story stuff, you'll be face-first in a dungeon completing puzzles and exploring a mess of assets loosely related to something in the real world but also unrecognizable to the norm. It adds to the game's overall atmosphere.”
- “The second part is probably the main deciding factor whether or not you want to play the game: the gameplay and atmosphere.”
character development
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
8%
23%
The character development in the game is supported by charming and expressive character designs that enhance the story's dark, gothic atmosphere, though some dialogue and development moments can feel rushed or overly obvious. While the designs are often praised as memorable and aesthetically appealing, character progression sometimes lacks balance, but overall the narrative buildup and distinct personalities contribute positively to the experience.
- “The character designs are expressive and memorable, while the jail’s interiors are oppressive, often organic, and disturbingly imaginative.”
- “I'm quite satisfied with how the writer handles character development. As the story progresses, you don't know who to trust and the reason why we even fight with those monsters becomes clearer.”
- “The character designs are pretty amazing and there's a variety of designs for each character per job.”
- “Almost all dialogues serve no real purpose, making character development feel shallow despite charming character designs.”
- “Some character development is too rushed, with characters stating lessons they've learned in an overly obvious way that feels unnecessary.”
- “Character designs are solid but somewhat reused between the same classes, which lessens the uniqueness of development.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game’s stability is mixed, with several reports of bugs, crashes, and freezes—particularly in the post-game and certain abilities—making some sections frustrating or unplayable on PC. While the Steam version is notably buggy, the GOG version offers a more stable experience. Despite these issues, many find the core game generally stable and enjoyable overall.
- “I love Mary Skelter Nightmares but the Steam version is super buggy and basically unplayable; get the GOG version instead, that version doesn't crash or have any bugs.”
- “The post-game dungeon is so buggy and annoying, you need to save every 2-3 minutes or it freezes your PC.”
- “I'll get the biggest flaw out of the way - I can't beat the post-game because of glitches.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is highlighted by funny character interactions, entertaining scenes, and amusing mini-games, adding charm to the overall experience. Despite some tropes, the story balances humor with depth, making the gameplay enjoyable and engaging with both lighthearted and darkly comedic moments.
- “As funny as it is, that's actually the best thing about this game.”
- “Also there are genuinely funny scenes with the characters when you get them and each character does get reasonably defined by the end (but yeah trope central).”
- “Had fun playing through the story, the character interactions were funny too.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The game's optimization receives mixed feedback, with some users praising its smooth performance even on low-end systems, while others report stutters and inefficient CPU/GPU usage leading to subpar performance despite strong hardware. Overall, the port is considered decent but could benefit from better optimization to fully utilize system resources.
- “The port overall is good in my opinion, the game runs really smooth and has great performance.”
- “Performance was perfect.”
- “Finally, it has good optimization and game mechanics.”
- “The game has dishonest system recommendations and doesn't properly utilize the CPU/GPU, which remain at low loads despite poor performance.”
- “Its biggest problem is very bad optimization, causing lots of stutters in some places; this is annoying given the strength of my computer.”
- “Performance itself is generally okay; this runs easily on a toaster.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers emotional depth through meaningful character relationships and story revelations that justify the player's time investment. While it features a mix of horror and heartwarming moments, the relationship events provide wholesome development alongside fan service. However, some players felt the emotional impact, especially from the ending, was limited.
- “These revelations give emotional weight to the long journey and help justify the time investment required to see the experience through.”
- “Outside of combat are many 'relationship events' that reward you with fan service CG when you get deep enough in them, but they are mostly wholesome and help you get to know your characters more.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game offers a fair amount of content for the initial playthrough, but its replayability is limited due to repetitive dungeon crawling and minimal variety in gameplay.
- “There's enough content to get your money's worth, although there isn't much replay value.”
- “Dungeon crawling and essentially doing the same thing with little variety (exploration with hard-to-avoid encounters) doesn't leave a lot of room for replay value.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the monetization strategy, involving relentless and unavoidable challenges, disrupts the gameplay experience by making it feel intrusive and frustrating.

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82%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews

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Mary Skelter: Nightmares
€20.99
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8h Median play time

6h Average play time

1-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Mary Skelter Nightmares is a tactical role playing game with horror, fantasy, romance, anime and others themes.

Mary Skelter Nightmares is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation and PlayStation Vita.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing Mary Skelter Nightmares.

Mary Skelter Nightmares was released on July 19, 2018.

Mary Skelter Nightmares was developed by Idea Factory.

Mary Skelter Nightmares has received positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked Mary Skelter Nightmares for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Mary Skelter Nightmares is a single player game.

Similar games include Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk, Death end re;Quest, Agarest: Generations of War, Mary Skelter 2, Octopath Traveler and others.

Mary Skelter Nightmares

Platforms

story

gameplay

graphics

music

grinding

atmosphere

character development

stability

humor

optimization

emotional

replayability

monetization

Review: Mary Skelter: Nightmares