Does The Midnight Walk Risk Repeating South of Midnight’s Mistakes?

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Among the captivating games showcased during Sony’s latest State of Play event, one that piqued my interest was “The Midnight Walk.” First unveiled in 2024, this upcoming game is the brainchild of the team behind the 2021 deck-building action title, “Lost in Random.” Developed by MoonHood, a fresh independent studio situated in Sweden, and published by Fast Travel Games, “The Midnight Walk” invites players to embark on a journey with a mysterious lantern-shaped character named Potboy. This creature guides you through a shadowy land teeming with monsters and unsavory adversaries. Unlike traditional first-person shooters, this game is an adventure title with horror undertones, played from the perspective of the protagonist as they navigate through this eerie landscape.

Besides its captivating plotline, what sets “The Midnight Walk” apart is its unique, gothic visual aesthetic, reminiscent of stop-motion animated films such as “Coraline” and “Corpse Bride“. This game employs a stop-motion animation method where each character and adversary is meticulously crafted with real clay models before being 3D-scanned into the game. While this is quite remarkable, it may lead to similar challenges that another upcoming game might encounter.

The Midnight Walk’s Stop-Motion Animation Could Be Problematic for Some

South of Midnight’s Stop-Motion Art Style Has Been the Subject of Criticism

In spring 2025, “The Midnight Walk” is due for release, interestingly enough, there’s another game, titled “South of Midnight“, slated for launch in the same season that shares the word “midnight” in its name. Remarkably, this upcoming Xbox exclusive from Compulsion Games, like “The Midnight Walk”, boasts a unique stop-motion art style. However, unlike “The Midnight Walk”, “South of Midnight” is a third-person action-adventure game set in a fictionalized American Deep South. This game draws inspiration from the folklore of the region and features a more vivid, lively visual aesthetic compared to “The Midnight Walk”.

As a dedicated fan, I must admit that the overall vibe of South of Midnight has been quite promising, as suggested by both critics and fellow gamers alike. However, there seems to be one particular point of contention among many fans regarding its art style. The unique selling point of South of Midnight lies in its use of stop-motion animation, which means the game’s flora, fauna, and non-player characters move at half the usual frame rate – somewhat reminiscent of Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. To the uninitiated observer, this may appear as if the game’s animations are lagging, but in truth, the seemingly “stuttery” effect is actually deliberate.

Like South of Midnight, The Midnight Walk Should Give Players the Option to Toggle Stop-Motion Off

Developers at Compulsion Games have announced that the game South of Midnight will operate at a smooth 60 frames per second on Xbox consoles. However, despite this, some individuals might find the stop-motion art style off-putting due to potential issues like eye strain or nausea. Other players may dislike games with intentionally reduced frame rates and might prefer smoother animations. Fortunately, Compulsion Games has confirmed that players will have the option to disable the stop-motion animation (except during cutscenes) within the game’s settings.

In contrast to Compulsion Games, MoonHood hasn’t disclosed whether the stop-motion animation in The Midnight Walk can be deactivated. It’s regrettable that there’s ambiguity about this feature, given that The Midnight Walk might particularly benefit from having this option more than South of Midnight. Since it’s designed for virtual reality, not being able to turn off this feature could be a deciding factor for some players. New VR gamers, who may already struggle with motion sickness while playing the game, might find the stop-motion animation exacerbating their issues. However, The Midnight Walk will still be playable on regular screens. MoonHood should offer players the choice to turn off the stop-motion feature, similar to how Compulsion Games has with South of Midnight.

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2025-02-18 22:58