The Midnight Walkis a delightful yet haunting tale told through a mix of digital rendering and traditional claymation that gives the world a whimsical and gritty feel that is ideal for the type of story it’s telling. This is also reinforced with unique gameplay elements and collectibles that keep you engaged throughout your entire playthrough.
In each of its six chapters you follow around one of the last living flames in a world long without its sun, escaping creatures obsessed with the light of fire. With each chapter telling a unique tale and introducing new mechanics to play with, there is a lot to love within each while also differentiating them enough to have a few favorites to replay every so often.
6The Tale Of The Dark
What is both the shortest and one of the most heart-wrenching chapters in The Midnight Walk, The Tale of the Dark is almost exclusively meant to add a dimension to Potboy. This comes after he accidentally sets fire to another character, causing the little clay pot to descend into grief and shame as he breaks apart before reaching your goal of Moon Mountain.
After retrieving Potboy’s broken piece, he is forever changed both physically and mentally, recoiling from you and running away. As you chase Potboy, you run into the Soulfisher and Auntie Murkle,as both charactersoffer you advice and foreshadowing as to a choice you must make for yourself and your new friend in the final chapter.
5The Tale Of The Burnt One
The initial chapter introduces you to the world and the character you inhabit, who is referred to as a Burnt One, while also establishing the importance of fire and the strength of darkness. After you grab your eyes and your ears from a couple of helpful clay creatures, you are able to explore the dim and dark world that has seemingly lost its sun.
This chapter is important for setting up the tone and atmosphere, introducing you to the creatures that gobble you up while also allowing you to meet Potboy, the best character in the whole game. The stealth in this section is very simple and is only just preparing you for greater challenges in later chapters, offering only a glimpse of the rest of the story.
This section introduces the listening mechanic which requires binaural audio. Luckily, there are accessibility options for those with hearing impairments.
4The Tale Of Coalhaven
Another of the forgotten or ruined villages you come across on your journey to Moon Mountain, Coalhaven is a frozen town gone cold due to a furnace that no one was able to light. This is because of a thief that stole all the matches, for which she was killed by the townspeople in their fear and rage.
This chapter also introduces a new monster, as well as being one ofthe scariest sections, forcing you to navigate tight tunnels and alleyways to open coffins while a ghost chases you. While a memorable and powerful part of the story, it’s also hard to feel bad for the townspeople for putting themselves in this situation and for choosing the outcome they did.
3The Tale Of The Loathsome Molgrim
Visiting the heads of Nobodyville is a very interesting tonal shift in The Midnight Walk that adds some levity to the story while still fitting into the themes of loss and fear. This chapter also sets up the molgrim as a frightening, mindless beast before removing the curtain on the tragic tale behind it, allowing you to repair the damage.
Gameplaywise, this section has some of the best stealth, with an open area where the molgrim regularly patrols, forcing you to keep track of nearby hidey-holes. This chapter also introduces the Moonbird, an interesting, reoccurring character that reveals the story of the molgrim during a fun puzzle challenge that engages you in the story directly.
This tale also introduces you to Housy, one of your two main companions on your journey and also serving as your safe house.
2The Tale Of The Craftman’s Heart
One of the longer and most involved chapters, The Craftman’s Heart takes place in a carefully crafted city made by a giant. Filling the city are identical-looking ragdolls, all saying the same things that hint at some kind of trauma linked to the Craftsman and his creations.
There is also a significant foreshadow before this chapter, as you see the Craftsman’s daughter walk away from the city before you even know why she exists in the first place. Also introducing new mechanics, enemies, and even a stealth section against a sniper, this chapter is one that has seen the most love in its design and tests your skills the most.
1The Tale Of Moon Mountain
The final chapter of the game and the culmination of all of your experiences so far, this chapter starts by walking you through vignettes of the previous tales, laying bare their lessons and outcomes. This chapter isfilled with environmental storytelling, allowing you to stop and look at the grand set pieces which are filled with revealing lore.
This tale also offers you a choice to make, which is the first time you are able to influence the game’s story. If you paid attention during the previous chapters, you will also realize that every lesson, character, and even some gameplay mechanics were preparing you for this moment, guiding you to a specific outcome.
