Review of The Midnight Walk VR – Artfully Grotesque Experience on SteamVR & PSVR 2

Okay, let’s dive right into this glorious mess of thoughts about "The Midnight Walk." I’m not gonna lie, this game feels like rummaging around in Tim Burton’s abandoned attic—spooky and kinda fabulous, if you’re into that sort of thing. But wait, do you actually get to do anything interesting while wandering around? I mean, that’s what we’re here to chat about, right? Spoiler alert: it’s mostly about the views.

Whimsical Detour

Before I get lost—oh hey, did I mention who put this together? Fast Travel Games teamed up with MoonHood to toss this gem onto Steam and PS5 (VR is just an option for the adventurous types). Reviewed it on Quest 3 via Steam Link, because why not complicate things? Price tag is decent… $40 feels kinda okay? Well, maybe. Anyway, moving on.

Gameplay Chaos

Right, let’s get into it. Or out of it. "The Midnight Walk" is as straightforward as it gets in the ‘walking simulator’ genre. Think of it as a late-night ramble with some brain-teasers and possibly a monster or two popping up like an uninvited guest at your cozy bonfire. It’s a bit… well, basic, but let’s face it—it’s all about gawking at the scenery.

The art? Heck, developers are saying they DIY’d all these artsy assets and tossed them through some 3D scanner. Result? A dark wonderland straight out of Burton’s wildest dreams. Almost painfully beautiful, and yet grotesque. Seeing this in VR? Totally mind-bending. You’re literally mouse-sized against these towering artistic wonders, admiring textures like you’ve never seen a cracked wall before.

Oh, almost forgot—animations are supposed to have that ‘stop motion’ vibe. But, err, some parts just flow too smoothly, as if the style glitch-shifted mid-ballet. It’s like watching a movie reel skip and you wonder if the cinema guy just spilled his coffee on the controls. Seriously though, what was going on there?

Tangent: Monster Peek-A-Boo

The hide-and-seek with creatures is in there, but nothing that gets the pulse racing. And those puzzle moments—if you can even call them that—are more like "Wait, that was it?" No triumphant ‘aha!’ moments here, folks. It’s just sort of meh with a side of gorgeous underworld scenery. Not scary enough to merit nightmares, sadly. More like an odd, slightly gothic stroll through your subconscious on a foggy night, after too much cheese.

Narrative Ramble

The story, if we can twist it into something resembling one, is a cryptic patchwork told by nameless narrators. No idea who they are, not like they’d stick around for small talk. If you’re hoping for emotional attachment, you might be meandering for a while through poetic fog, only to emerge less than moved. Did I keep playing? Sure. Why? To gawk at whatever visual snack was up next, honestly.

Immersion Snapshot

Right, so you wanna deep dive into VR with this, huh? It’s nifty seeing everything up-close, but let’s not pretend it’s revolutionizing gaming. Let’s chat missed opportunities: when you nab a key, you don’t get the satisfying click of it turning in a lock—you just ‘Press A’ and poof, door opens like you’ve got a magic wand. Realism took a little nap there, didn’t it?

And you’d think flying machines would let you hang on for dear life with your virtual hands, right? Nope. ‘Press A’ again and you’re magically swooped away. Immersive like a lukewarm bath, if you ask me.

Sensory Stray Thoughts

VR lets you ‘close your eyes’ to listen for environmental cues, but on PC, it’s a button hold. Feels more "bleh" than brilliant. It’s kinda like closing your eyes in a dream but still hearing the dog barking outside. On PSVR 2, sure, eye-tracking might make it cooler, but still… meh.

Comfort Corner

VR is generally smooth sailing here, thanks to laid-back movement. Yet there are some ‘whoops, there goes my head’ moments when the game decides to nudge your view around like you’re on a lazy river on a breezy day. It tilts your horizon occasionally—it’s a thing. Not mind-blowing, but hey, jarring enough to make you notice.

So there you have it. The Midnight Walk is mostly a looker, content to hang its hat on its visual flair while offering lukewarm gameplay refreshments. But it’s not the horror ride through Tim Burton’s brain you might be expecting. More like visiting Wonderland after everyone’s packed up and gone home.