As I settled into my initial dive into The Midnight Walk, a thought suddenly crossed my mind: Is this the game, or am I still watching a cutscene? What unfolded before me seemed like a beautifully crafted stop-motion animated film, but it dawned on me that MoonHood Studios was treating me to actual in-game footage in real-time.
The game’s visuals instantly conjure memories of stop-motion cinema, reminiscent of works by Phil Tippett like Mad God or even those iconic old Tool music videos. This uncanny resemblance is partly because the talented folks at MoonHood Studios used real physical materials to construct the characters, creatures, and settings. Klaus Lyngeled from MoonHood explains that over 700 objects were painstakingly sculpted, 3D-scanned, and transformed into polygonal models. The animation style mimics a classic stop-motion stutter, complemented by a camera setup with a shallow depth of field, enhancing the overall effect.
According to Lyngeled and writer Olov Redmalm, their game, a narrative-led puzzle adventure, is best described as a “cozy horror experience” teeming with peculiar characters and friendly creatures. As players traverse through various fairy-tale-like chapters, they’ll discern an overarching theme: rekindling light and warmth in a shadowy world.
The Midnight Walk’s story kicks off with the protagonist, known as the Burnt One, clawing their way out of a grave and piecing themselves back together. During their journey along the ethereal Midnight Walk highway, a delightful, quirky creature named Potboy accompanies them. Potboy, sporting a small brazier on its head, helps guide adventurers. Armed with Potboy’s flame and matches, players will illuminate the Midnight Walk and fend off adversaries.
Expect to engage in puzzle-solving and stealth tactics, along with an intriguing feature where you can close your eyes simply to listen — a move MoonHood recommends experiencing with headphones for the binaural audio they’ve crafted. There’s even a unique take on gunplay, as the Burnt One can wield a weapon that fires lit matches, extending reach when battling creatures or solving puzzles.
Though the game leans into its “cozy” atmosphere, thanks in large part to the lovable Potboy, it certainly doesn’t shy away from creepy, unsettling elements. The monsters and bosses encountered here are quite the freakish roster: think scuttling cyclopean mutants, gigantic spider-like beasts, eerie figures with eyes sewn shut, and furious slug-like entities.
You can’t help but notice the creative inspirations behind The Midnight Walk (think Over the Garden Wall, The Nightmare Before Christmas, David Lynch, and Half-Life 2) as I discovered during my preview. Yet the way these influences coalesce makes this game stand out with a unique identity all its own. Let’s just say I’m eagerly anticipating MoonHood’s latest offering, particularly since it wasn’t even on my radar until recently.
Luckily, we don’t have to wait too long to get our hands on it. The Midnight Walk will be gracing PlayStation 5 (and notably supporting PlayStation VR2) and is set to make its Steam debut for Windows PC on May 8.
