The Midnight Walk May Encounter Similar Challenges as South of Midnight

A standout during Sony’s recent State of Play was an intriguing game called The Midnight Walk. First announced back in 2024, this upcoming title is the latest endeavor from the creators of the celebrated 2021 deck-building action game, Lost in Random. The development is headed by MoonHood, a fresh indie studio from Sweden, while Fast Travel Games is on board as the publisher. In The Midnight Walk, players will team up with Potboy, a peculiar, lantern-shaped creature who leads them through a gloomy world teeming with terrifying monsters and vile adversaries. Though played in the first person, this game is more of an adventure with horror themes rather than a traditional first-person shooter.

What really sets The Midnight Walk apart, beyond its captivating storyline, is its unique gothic visual style. Drawing inspiration from animated classics like Coraline and Corpse Bride, the game employs a stop-motion animation technique. The characters and enemies in The Midnight Walk were meticulously crafted from clay models before being 3D scanned into the game. While this artistic choice is undeniably impressive, it might lead to some of the challenges already faced by another upcoming game featuring a similar style.

Interestingly, The Midnight Walk isn’t the only game sharing the backdrop of a spring 2025 release and the word “midnight” in its title. Compulsion Games is also rolling out South of Midnight around the same time, exclusively for Xbox. This game is a third-person action-adventure set in a mythical rendition of the American Deep South, drawing heavily from its folktales. It contrasts The Midnight Walk’s darker aesthetic with its vibrant and lively art style.

Despite the positive buzz surrounding South of Midnight, its stop-motion art style has been a point of contention. The game features animations running at a halved frame rate, reminiscent of the style seen in Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. To some, these animations might seem like they’re dragging, but the “stuttery” motion is a deliberate artistic choice.

Compulsion Games has addressed this potential issue by allowing players to switch off the stop-motion effect (apart from cutscenes) if they find it uncomfortable. This option is a thoughtful feature, especially since running the game at 60 FPS on Xbox won’t eliminate everyone’s discomfort with the particular art style. For some, the reduced frame rate animations might cause eye strain or even nausea, while others might simply prefer the smoothness of traditional animations.

As for The Midnight Walk, MoonHood has yet to confirm whether players will have the option to disable stop-motion. This lack of information raises concerns because the game’s virtual reality mode could exacerbate any discomfort caused by the animation style. For those unfamiliar with VR, the combination of this visual technique and the immersive experience may lead to increased motion sickness. While The Midnight Walk can be experienced on non-VR platforms, the ability to toggle the stop-motion effect could enhance the experience for a broader audience, much like Compulsion’s approach with South of Midnight.

In The Midnight Walk, players embark on a haunting dark fantasy adventure modeled from clay by the creative forces behind Lost in Random. As the Burnt One, you befriend Potboy and utilize his flame to navigate a world filled with both wonder and danger. This journey is wrapped in five stories of fire and shadows, each featuring an array of eccentric characters. Every detail, from fearsome creatures to towering trees, initially takes form in clay, producing a distinct visual experience through stop-motion animation, available on both traditional displays and VR.

The Midnight Walk promises an unforgettable journey of light battling darkness, while its handcrafted world offers a captivating visual and gameplay experience. Scheduled for release on May 8, 2025, for PlayStation, this dark and beautifully imagined realm awaits those brave enough to delve into its mysteries.