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Ballads at Midnight

Ballads at Midnight Game Cover
96%Game Brain Score
story, music
gameplay, grinding
96% User Score Based on 337 reviews

Platforms

PCMac OSWindows
Ballads at Midnight Game Cover

About

Ballads at Midnight is a single player action game with a drama theme. It was developed by Synstoria and was released on July 15, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

When a sarcastic bard is arrested and exiled to an abandoned castle, she expected to be at the mercy of a hungry, blood-thirsty vampire. She soon discovers that the vampire, Lucius, is not starving: he is gravely bored. She may just survive on borrowed time, one ballad each midnight.

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96%
Audience ScoreBased on 337 reviews
story122 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions

  • Beautiful art and music that enhance the gothic-fantasy setting.
  • Engaging story with well-developed characters and a satisfying romance.
  • Multiple endings that provide replay value and a sense of choice.
  • Relatively short playtime, which may leave players wanting more.
  • Limited choices throughout the game, making it feel more like a visual novel than an interactive experience.
  • Voice acting quality is inconsistent, with some performances feeling lackluster.
  • story
    249 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Ballads at Midnight" is a beautifully crafted otome experience that intertwines romance, mystery, and emotional depth, featuring charming characters and a gothic-fantasy setting enhanced by stunning art and a fitting soundtrack. While some reviews note the narrative's brevity and limited choices, many players found the storytelling engaging and well-developed, with surprising plot twists and a satisfying exploration of the protagonists' backstories. Overall, the game is praised for its heartfelt writing and immersive atmosphere, making it a memorable visual novel despite its short length.

    • “Beautifully written otome game that weaves romance, mystery, and emotional storytelling into an unforgettable experience.”
    • “It’s not just about falling in love — it’s about trust, healing, and finding light in unexpected places, which makes the story feel deeper and more impactful than a typical romance.”
    • “The story itself was surprisingly deeper than I would have imagined for such a short visual novel and I really enjoyed it.”
    • “The story skims over any real emotion or depth, focusing instead on overly detailed actions that don’t add much.”
    • “There's hardly any options to steer the story; you're just kind of watching a poorly written book.”
    • “The pacing of the story is very odd and the romance comes out of nowhere; I was really getting 'new best friends' vibes.”
  • music
    80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the gothic-fantasy setting, while others criticize its repetitiveness and occasional low quality, particularly in vocal performances. Some players found the soundtrack immersive and fitting for the narrative, while others noted that it could be tedious or poorly executed at times. Overall, the music is appreciated for its contribution to the game's ambiance, despite some inconsistencies in execution.

    • “The art style is gorgeous and atmospheric, enhancing the gothic-fantasy setting, while the soundtrack perfectly supports the emotional tone of the story.”
    • “The artwork and music were very immersive, and I loved the banter between the two characters.”
    • “Beautifully written, perfect art, mesmerizing music, even the effects are good.”
    • “The music is halfway absent and what music there is drones on.”
    • “The same music is on loop throughout the entire play.”
    • “For a game about a bard, it seems like the vocalist and instrumentalists were literally not reading off the same sheet of music.”
  • graphics
    45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning and atmospheric art style, which enhances the gothic-fantasy setting and captivates players. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful character depictions and immersive visuals, noting that the artwork is a significant draw for the game. While the soundtrack and voice acting receive mixed feedback, the overall visual presentation is considered a standout feature, contributing to a compelling storytelling experience.

    • “The art style is gorgeous and atmospheric, enhancing the gothic-fantasy setting, while the soundtrack perfectly supports the emotional tone of the story.”
    • “The artwork for this game is devastatingly beautiful and the story was far above my expectations.”
    • “The art is a tapestry of enchanting visuals where every glance and gesture from the characters is rendered with such finesse, it feels like they might step out of the screen and onto your lap.”
    • “I didn't spend time figuring out what caused the issue, but it was weird in that the d-pad and button controls worked fine, there were seemingly no graphical issues, and this is a very short visual novel so it's not like there's anything intensive going on in the background.”
    • “The writing and artwork are fine, though the two main characters look very wholesome considering one is a prisoner condemned to a fate worse than death, and the other a troubled vampire.”
    • “My only few gripes with the game were that at times it felt like there were not really many choices given for the player; it could have been just a novel with pictures, and the second was that I wished there would have been scene artworks like in general otome/visual novel games.”
  • humor
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty banter, sharp dialogue, and a blend of snark and charm that keeps players engaged and entertained. Users appreciate the balance of humor with deeper emotional themes, noting that the interactions between characters are both funny and endearing, often leading to genuine laughter. Additionally, clever achievements add an extra layer of humor, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The narrative is poetic and mature, balancing humor and melancholy with ease.”
    • “The interplay between them is a melodic duet of snark and charm that keeps you chuckling even as you navigate a world painted in eerie, moonlit hues.”
    • “To my surprise, I've been laughing quite a lot - the protagonist has a sharp tongue; it's nice to play a character this witty.”
  • emotional
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautifully crafted storytelling, which combines romance, mystery, and heartfelt dialogue that keeps players engaged throughout. Users appreciate the depth of the characters and the impactful moments that evoke a range of feelings, from joy to heartbreak, enhanced by the atmospheric art and soundtrack. Overall, the game is described as an immersive experience that resonates long after playing, with a balance of lightheartedness and emotional weight.

    • “Beautifully written otome game that weaves romance, mystery, and emotional storytelling into an unforgettable experience.”
    • “Overall, Ballads at Midnight is a heartfelt and immersive experience — a story that lingers with you, full of emotional depth, charming characters, and beautifully crafted writing.”
    • “It tells a compelling story with endearing characters and knows when to have moments of levity to make the most heart-wrenching parts more impactful.”
  • gameplay
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in the reviewed titles is largely criticized for its lack of depth, often reduced to clicking through poorly written dialogue with minimal interactive elements. While some players appreciate the presence of multiple endings and choices that enhance replayability, others express a desire for more engaging mechanics, such as puzzles or riddles, to enrich the experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as simplistic and underwhelming, with potential for improvement.

    • “As for the gameplay, 'Ballads at Midnight' has multiple endings, so there are choices presented throughout the story that determine which ending you get.”
    • “From a gameplay point of view, there is something in the way this is told that could potentially reward the attentive player to dig further for a greater story/gameplay experience.”
    • “In terms of gameplay, this also made replaying it worthwhile, which can’t be taken for granted.”
    • “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
    • “There wasn't much gameplay (obviously), but I think it could have had more small riddles and stuff like that!”
    • “Music is enjoyable, even though it practically doesn't change at all during gameplay.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in this visual novel is highly praised for its natural and engaging dynamics, particularly between the main character and love interests, with meaningful interactions and well-paced growth. The character designs are noted for their thoughtfulness, effectively reflecting personalities, while the overall storytelling captivates players who appreciate slow, character-focused narratives. Overall, it stands out as one of the best in the otome genre for character exploration.

    • “The dynamic between the main character and the love interests is natural and engaging, with well-paced character development that makes every interaction meaningful.”
    • “Their chemistry was lovely to read through and their character development and character exploration were beautifully paced with some sudden good voice acting and singing along the way.”
    • “In terms of character development, this visual novel is definitely one of the best as far as otome goes.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “Despite the interesting premise, the characters don't evolve in meaningful ways, leaving their growth feeling unfulfilled.”
  • grinding
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of visual novels to be tedious, often likening it to the slow pace of reading with constant clicking to progress. While some appreciate the storytelling, the repetitive nature and lack of variety can detract from the experience, leading to a sentiment that extensive grinding may require an excessive time commitment. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some still enjoying the game despite the grind.

    • “However, it can get tedious as there is no change in perspective or scenery.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This game essentially served as my introduction to the world of visual novel games, and as much as the constant reading does get tedious, I still thoroughly enjoyed this game.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its gorgeous art style and gothic-fantasy setting, complemented by a fitting soundtrack that enhances the emotional tone. Players appreciate how the visual and auditory elements, including the font, contribute to an immersive experience, fostering a strong connection with the characters.

    • “The art style is gorgeous and atmospheric, enhancing the gothic-fantasy setting, while the soundtrack perfectly supports the emotional tone of the story.”
    • “Nice and atmospheric music.”
    • “Great art, style, and music; even the font adds to the atmosphere.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has limited replayability due to its short length and lack of additional content to encourage multiple playthroughs.

    • “It's not very long, and there isn't a ton of replay value.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of the game is well-received, as it is a free visual novel that avoids excessive ads and time gating, offering enjoyable art and a compelling story without financial barriers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ballads at Midnight is a action game with drama theme.

Ballads at Midnight is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

Ballads at Midnight was released on July 15, 2022.

Ballads at Midnight was developed by Synstoria.

Ballads at Midnight has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Ballads at Midnight is a single player game.

Similar games include Marie's Room, Please Be Happy, Kindred Spirits on the Roof, Highway Blossoms, Cardinal Cross and others.