‘Midnight Walk’: A Stop-Motion Inspired Cozy Horror Game

A few moments into my initial dive into The Midnight Walk, I caught myself wondering, “Is this genuinely the game itself and not just a cutscene?” What unfolded before my eyes resembled a beautifully crafted stop-motion animated film. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the folks at MoonHood Studios were actually showcasing snippets of real-time gameplay.

The Midnight Walk’s striking similarity to stop-motion films, such as Phil Tippett’s Mad God or even those classic Tool music videos, can be attributed to the way its world is crafted using real, tangible materials. Klaus Lyngeled from MoonHood shared that the team painstakingly sculpted around 700 objects, 3D-scanned them, and transformed them into digital models. The characters move with that characteristic stop-motion jerkiness, and the camera employs a shallow depth of field to nail the cinematic style.

Lyngeled and writer Olov Redmalm describe their creation as a first-person, story-centered puzzle adventure – a “cozy horror” many-laned journey filled with quirky personalities and amiable monsters. Spanning several captivating fairy-tale-inspired chapters, the core of the narrative revolves around themes of warmth, contrast, and the quest to cast light upon a shadowy world.

You kick off the adventure with the protagonist, the Burnt One, clawing their way out of a grave and embarking on a path to restore their physical form. As they traverse the Midnight Walk, they encounter an endearing sidekick named Potboy. With a small brazier atop its head, Potboy helps the character illuminate their journey by kindling torches with his flame and overcoming whatever adversities they face.

The game cleverly intertwines puzzle-solving and stealth mechanics, even introducing a unique feature that allows players to close their eyes for a focused auditory experience. With MoonHood’s promise of immersive binaural soundscapes, headphones are highly recommended for a full sensory dive. And for those who enjoy a little action, there’s “gunplay” too—the Burnt One wields a curious weapon shooting lit matches, useful for dealing with monstrous foes and overcoming obstacles.

While Potboy infuses much of The Midnight Walk with a cozy atmosphere, the game doesn’t shy away from horror. It embraces the eeriness with all manner of twisted creatures: from one-eyed mutants darting about and massive spider-like abominations to leathery beings with sewn-shut eyes and irate slug-like beasts.

The creative influences drawn from sources like Over the Garden Wall, The Nightmare Before Christmas, David Lynch, and Half-Life 2 are evident as I reflect on my preview. Yet, the artistry and innovation seen in MoonHood’s work make The Midnight Walk stand on its own, distinct from anything that inspired it. Honestly, it’s become a title I’m eager to explore—an anticipation that wasn’t there before my recent deep dive into its world.

Luckily, the thrill of experiencing it firsthand won’t be long in coming. The Midnight Walk is set to release on May 8 for PlayStation 5, complete with support for PlayStation VR2, and will also be available on Windows PC through Steam.