Oct 052022
For our first spooky review this October, I’m actually going to discuss three games, a trio of short adventure games in a series called Midnight Scenes.
Midnight Scenes is framed as a fictional TV show, with each game presented as a new episode.
Each is fairly short and can be completed in a single sitting. They’re completely standalone, with no connections between them (aside from the fictional show).
Let’s go through each of them in turn.
Midnight Scenes Episode 1: The Highway
The first game is titled The Highway and follows a woman stranded along the highway. It is a fairly basic adventure game with a few simple puzzles to solve and takes about 10 minutes to complete. It has a creepy atmosphere, but I found the end to be somewhat underwhelming.
Midnight Scenes Episode 2: The Goodbye Note
Though the Steam version doesn’t list its full title, the second game is called The Goodbye Note. This one puts you in the shoes of a scientist getting on a plane, with a frame story from the perspective of a letter he’s writing, in which he apologizes to his wife for not telling her the terrible truth about his trip.
I found the suspense in this one to be much stronger. It has an interesting story and a gripping build-up. I did feel like the letter gave away a bit too much a bit too soon, which dampened some of the horror, but overall it’s my favorite of the three. It was also longer, taking me around 25 minutes.
Midnight Scenes: The Nanny
The first one without a number, probably because each game is a standalone story, the third and so far final Midnight Scenes game is titled The Nanny. It’s the longest of the three at around 30 minutes long.
While this one starts out fairly calm, it builds a creepy atmosphere quickly. It also has the strongest ending, with some truly unsettling moments. I’d hoped for more story details to build toward the conclusion, which is why the second game is my favorite, but The Nanny is quite a good little horror story nevertheless.
Conclusion
None of the three games feature complex puzzles or complicated mechanics, but they’re simple slices of horror aiming to deliver an unsettling atmosphere. Strangely, only the second game allows you to save; I’d hoped to see that carry over to the third game, but at least they’re short enough that it doesn’t matter too much.
As of now, these are the only games in the series, but due to their format, I wouldn’t be surprised if the developer makes more Midnight Scenes episodes in the future. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a bite-sized horror adventure game, the three Midnight Scenes games are worth checking out.
Now our spooky celebration is in full swing! Join in by leaving a comment below, and check the introductory post to learn more about the event and this year’s contest!
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Sounds like an interesting concept to have multiple shorts. Sounds like it was very much inspired by The Twilight Zone. Is there any connective tissue or worldbuilding that links episodes or are they truly standalones with just the frame of them being episodes connecting them?
Definitely going for a Twilight Zone feel. As far as I can see, they’re truly standalone. The only connection is “The Eye,” the host of the fictional TV show. Since that itself has a supernatural edge, I could see it expanding into something if more games are made, but the actual episode stories themselves are all entirely separate.
“None of the three games feature complex puzzles or complicated mechanics”
Phew thank god. That means I can play this right? J/k, but hey Resident Evil has gotten me used to them…slowly
Haha, well if you want a real test of puzzles in a classic horror game, try Silent Hill. Silent Hill is much more in love with riddle-type puzzles.