I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first tried Midnight Murder Club. Another online game, one would think, but this is different. Sony Interactive Entertainment silently went about taking the game out of early access, giving it a feeling of full release now. The same developers who were behind Knockout City have come up with this, and they really seem to love turning simple childhood games into something deeper and intense.
At its core, Midnight Murder Club is nothing more than hide and seek, only this time, I have never seen it played that way. You are put inside a huge mansion where the lights are turned off. The only way to keep up with folks is to follow the sound. The creak of a floor, occasional noise, even the sound of breathing, can all betray someone. Half strategy and half luck, and honestly, I laughed and panicked at some point.
This style reminds me of how Knockout City redefined dodgeball. Midnight Murder Club does something similar, hiding and hunting in the shadows instead of throwing balls. Being in the dark for most of the game, you’d just have to trust your ears and instincts-and that itself makes for great unpredictability. One moment, you’re feeling safe; the next instant, someone pops right from the shadows in front of you.
The first appearance of this game on PC was early access on March 13 for very few players who tested it, and even the number of players was very low back then. I tried it and found it fun, although not entirely polished. It is now out of early access and feels a lot more full-fledged. I think a lot of people still don’t know about it; hence, it feels like a little gem waiting for the world to recognize its brilliance.
Villain Studios, the prize-winning team behind it, did put in serious effort focused on intertwining fear and fun. Every round is different. Sometimes you are laughing at something silly, and sometimes your heart is racing because you know someone is right behind you. But it’s that oscillation between tension and humor that I find really special.
Sony’s choice to issue a full release shows that they are willing to invest in experimental multiplayer game design. This is not your average shoot-em-up or generic party game. Midnight Murder Club is a calculated risk, a good one. It juggles suspense, strategy, and social chaos. That’s simply appealing to the demographic of players who’re so over the usual set of online games.
What I appreciate about the game is that it feels so unpredictable. The dark holds treasures of surprise. Maybe it’s a friend peeking around the corner, or maybe it’s some enemy. And perhaps next, nothing happens for a while, and that’s just terrifying. The sudden shifts of calm and chaos are what made me glued to it.
The game is now opening up full mansion doors; the test is to see how many people will follow. It feels to me that it could very well ascend to cult status, especially with circles of friends looking for something new. If your interests are piqued and you think you’d enjoy game mechanics that straddle the divide between fun and fright, then step into the Midnight Murder Club for sure. You may also be interested in: Silksong Demo At Gamescom And Hints About Release Date
