Idea Factory is responsible for a fair number of the hardcore Japanese games that make it to the West. Compile Heart, the designers of Mary Skelter: Nightmares, is actually a subsidiary of Idea Factory, but they stand in their own right as a fantastic design studio. Now, Compile Heart and Idea Factory have released a sequel to that little-known but excellent game in the form of Mary Skelter 2.
The original Mary Skelter told the story of Jack and his friend Alice, imprisoned by the Marchens in a Jail that appeared out of the ground and enslaved a major Japanese city. Jack and Alice were joined by a full complement of storybook characters including Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and more. They are all Blood Maidens, able to absorb pink Marchen blood to perform vicious attacks and healing with the power of that blood.
Mary Skelter 2 starts off similarly to the original, which makes sense because instead of a true sequel, it’s a fully realized optimization of the original game, with some story tweaks for added surprise. This time around, you’re playing Otsuu, a new Blood Maiden who made a promise of matrimony to the Little Mermaid as a child, and as such, acts the part of a prince, even going so far as to bind her chest and appear more male. Otsuu and the Little Mermaid join Little Red Riding Hood in liberating prisoners and rescuing Alice and Jack, which is where things take a bit of a twist. I don’t want to ruin the plot because it’s fairly engaging, especially in the beginning, but suffice it to say that as much as the game is the same, it’s fresh and new as well.
Compile Heart has done a wonderful job reimagining Mary Skelter: Nightmares as Mary Skelter 2 for the Switch. Graphics are clean and crisp, and the game looks great both on the big screen and docked. If you’re not familiar with the original, Mary Skelter tosses characters from fairy tales, mythology, and classic children’s stories together, mixes them up as anime tropes and waifu girls, and has them plunge into first person dungeons to free humans from the Marchens. Along the way, they’ll have to escape (and sometimes fight) unstoppable Nightmares which pursue you through the dungeon, adding an element of tension to the turn-based RPG style gameplay. Nightmares are nearly invulnerable except under certain circumstances, and the only real option is to run. They’re also creepy as hell and their appearance makes your map disappear on all but the easiest setting of the game, making it important to know where you are in the dungeon at all times.
Combat is traditional turn-based RPG combat with enough twists to make it fresh and interesting. While you have spells and attacks like normal RPGs, you also gain other abilities. You can lick the blood from other Blood Maidens in your party to heal (yes, I said lick). You can also continue to store up blood from combat which will eventually activate Massacre mode, vastly powering up your characters and allowing them to obliterate the enemy. Finally, there’s Blood Skelter mode, where the Maidens are overcome by bloodlust and their Corruption gauge is full. Blood Skelter mode massively powers up a Maiden, but she attacks indiscriminately, brutalizing friend and foe alike. On top of all that, there’s a lot more to keep track of too. Jack can go insane if his stress levels get too high by using abilities, and if he rampages three times, the game is over. Even the dungeons themselves go through cycles of sleep and activity where they are more or less active and the dungeon effects have an effect on what your characters can and can’t do, including escaping the dungeon itself.
In point of fact, Mary Skelter 2 is one of the most complex first person dungeon RPGs I’ve ever played. With multiple blood, dungeon and character effects to manage and complex dungeons with ingenious traps and clever puzzles, there’s constantly something around the next corner to surprise you. Even your home base has another layer of gameplay, allowing you to upgrade weaponry, and actually lower your characters’ levels in exchange for permanent buffs to their abilities. This can set you back a while, as once you’ve lowered levels, you have to earn them again. Chances are good that at a low level you won’t survive very long, so you’ll have to slowly grind your way back through earlier dungeons in exchange for those buffs. It’s definitely useful down the road though, as without them, you’d never reach those power levels. Oh, and don’t forget the blood crystal farming within the dungeons (blood crystals are for modifying weapons and adding character skills) at points covered in Marchen blood or the ability to shift the jobs of each character with Job points which allows for more tactical party configurations. Each Maiden also has her own bedroom and Otsuu has the ability to gift each of the other Maidens with new décor for their rooms, much like Moero Chronicle Hyper. Sets of décor raise the affection level of the Maidens and deepen your connection to them, affecting progress in the game and story elements. Each Maiden prefers different décor, so finding the right set of items can present a challenge. Whew. I probably even missed a few other things on top of that. Like I said, complex.
Expect a fair amount of backtracking and exploration as you work your way slowly through the dungeons of Mary Skelter 2. Just surviving can be a struggle, and you’ll be using Jack’s Rabbit Hole ability more often than you think, crawling back injured and near death to the Liberators’ home base to lick your wounds (literally). You automatically heal to full health and magic when you return, so don’t hesitate to drag your way back, as money and health items are sparse throughout the dungeons and expensive from the stores and vendors. Weapons and armor are plentiful however, and you’ll find yourself upgrading constantly to survive the onslaught of Marchens, many of whom can hit your entire party at once. As you progress, you’ll slowly piece together what’s happening to the Blood Maidens and what Blood Skelter mode is all about in your attempts to save the city, rescue your fellow Maidens, and save your friends.
Mary Skelter 2 is the pinnacle of what a first person dungeon RPG can be. With a solid (if somewhat odd) storyline, a wild cast of characters, fantastic graphic design, and complex and innovative gameplay, there’s a lot here to love. Once you get past the first dungeon, the storyline pacing slows down a bit and you only get the occasional conversation or story sequence, but it’s more than enough to hold your interest as the game progresses. Don’t think the dungeons will be easy either. You’ll definitely be scratching your head and closely examining the map for a pathway you might have missed now and again. That’s to be expected for a game that’s going to take you a good 40-50 hours. At $39.99, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth with Mary Skelter 2, both in quality of content and the length of the experience. Honestly, there’s really no downside to the game other than whether the content is appropriate for age groups below teen (it definitely isn’t). Mary Skelter 2 is easily the most engaging first person dungeon RPG I’ve ever played. But hey, don’t just take my word for it. Go check it out!
This review was based on a digital copy of Mary Skelter 2 provided by the publisher. It was played on a Nintendo Switch in both docked and undocked modes. All images in this review are actual screenshots of in-game play. What are you waiting for? Go lick up some blood!