A few moments into my initial dive into The Midnight Walk, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was watching an in-game scene instead of a cinematic. The visuals unfolding before me appeared to be a stunning stop-motion animation, reminiscent of an exquisite short film. However, it quickly became clear that the talented minds at MoonHood Studios were showcasing actual gameplay footage.
The Midnight Walk enthralls with its stop-motion film aesthetic. It channels the spirit of works like Phil Tippett’s Mad God or classic Tool music videos, and a big reason for that is the game’s use of real-world materials. MoonHood’s Klaus Lyngeled shared that the team meticulously crafted around 700 physical objects, which they 3D-scanned and transformed into digital models. Adding to the charm, the characters move with a delightful stop-motion jitter, and a shallow depth of field is used to enhance the cinematic feel.
Lyngeled, alongside writer Olov Redmalm, describe their game as a first-person, narrative puzzle adventure with a cozy yet eerie vibe, sprinkled with oddball characters and friendly monsters. The game unfolds through fairy tale-inspired chapters, yet each underscores the idea of warmth, contrast, and the quest to restore light to a shadow-shrouded world.
The journey begins with our protagonist, known as the Burnt One, clawing their way out of a grave, working to mend their body. Accompanying them on their adventure along the eerie Midnight Walk is Potboy, a quirky and endearing ally. Sporting a tiny brazier on its head, Potboy helps players illuminate their path, with torches and matches serving as tools to fend off the lurking darkness and adversaries.
The gameplay blends puzzles and stealth, with quirky features like a button to close your eyes and just… listen, elevating the immersive experience with binaural audio. (Plus, a friendly nudge from MoonHood recommending headphones for full effect.) In a unique twist on traditional combat, you’ll find the Burnt One wielding a weapon that fires lit matches, expanding your tactical options against foes and puzzles alike.
While there’s an undeniable coziness—largely thanks to Potboy—The Midnight Walk isn’t without its truly eerie moments. The game presents a gallery of grotesque adversaries: think cyclopean mutants darting about, massive spider-like horrors, creepy figures with stitched-up eyes, and slug creatures brimming with fury.
Influences such as Over the Garden Wall, The Nightmare Before Christmas, David Lynch, and Half-Life 2 are woven through the game, yet The Midnight Walk forges an identity all its own. Witnessing the craft and influences collide was a revelation that left me eagerly anticipating MoonHood’s next offering—one that wasn’t even on my radar until recently.
The good news is, you won’t have to wait long. The Midnight Walk is set to release soon on May 8 for PlayStation 5 (with PlayStation VR2 support) and Windows PC via Steam.
