Hello Puppets: Midnight Show

About

In "Hello Puppets: Midnight Show," set in 1987, you play as Owen Gubberson, a puppet maker trying to save his failing show. After accidentally bringing his puppets to life with a magic spell, you must reverse it and escape the sound stage before being caught by the evil puppets. This stealth-puzzle horror game features three large, intricate levels filled with secrets, puzzles, and evolving environments to keep you on your toes. Be prepared for a scary and challenging adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 96 reviews

story14 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game features great gameplay with a variety of mechanics, power-ups, and engaging puzzles that keep the experience fresh and entertaining.
The voice acting and character design are charming, adding humor and personality to the game, making it enjoyable to interact with the puppets.
The story is interesting and well-told, with a good amount of lore and collectibles that encourage exploration and completionism.

The gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of variety in objectives and the difficulty of certain sections.
There are numerous bugs and glitches that disrupt the experience, including issues with hitboxes, item interactions, and unfair deaths.
The game lacks a difficulty setting, which has led to complaints about the overall challenge being too high and punishing for players.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
55%
8%
The game's story features distinct characters and an intriguing premise centered around the puppets' origins, with engaging storytelling delivered through cutscenes and collectible tapes. While many players appreciated the lore and found the gameplay enjoyable, some noted that the plot can be vague and not particularly engaging, leading to a mix of enjoyment and confusion. Overall, the narrative is described as simple yet captivating, with a twist ending that leaves players wanting more.
- “Fun and increasingly challenging gameplay that works perfectly with the story it's telling, and with all the collectibles to find, it gives you incentive to continue playing after the ending.”
- “Great storytelling: the storytelling between the in-game cutscenes and the collectible cassette tapes is delivered really well; the dialogue is entertaining and intentional.”
- “Having distinct characters between Owen himself and each of the puppets, as well as an interesting premise overall, lends to a captivating story.”
- “It attempts to show the story of how the puppets came to life and what happened at the studio, but the game's story isn't too engaging.”
- “- Vague lore in places: while I enjoyed every scrap of story the game had to offer, I found myself coming away from the game with a bit of confusion about certain points of the plot.”
- “The whole design is more captivating than the characters or the story themselves, as happened in Bendy and the Ink Machine, FNAF Security Breach, and many more.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players finding it repetitive and unfairly difficult, particularly in the later levels. However, many appreciate the variety of mechanics, engaging puzzles, and the balance of challenge and exploration, which keeps the experience enjoyable without overstaying its welcome. While there are some bugs and performance issues, the overall design and attention to detail have garnered praise for creating a fun and immersive gameplay experience.
- “Great gameplay: with the many power-ups, minigames, and stage-specific twists on the formula, there is a great variety of mechanics that continually spice up the hide-and-seek format.”
- “Between the main level objectives and the optional collectible chests, every level feels perfectly filled to the brim, neither tiring nor short-lived, and the difficulty curve over the course of the game drip-feeds new mechanics exactly right, so that you're never too comfortable.”
- “This game is absolutely oozing with love and care from Otherworld Interactive, in the gameplay, in the storytelling, in its core design even, and I felt like I wasn't respecting it properly until I'd explored every inch of it.”
- “There's definitely stuff to like here, but it's weighed down by gameplay that often just feels flat out unfair.”
- “I found the actual gameplay loop almost agonizingly repetitive.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly hard in the last couple of levels that I just can't finish the game!”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably poor, with numerous bugs and glitches reported, particularly in the VR mode, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some players find the overall game enjoyable, the lack of updates and persistent issues can significantly hinder progress and enjoyment. Overall, players should be prepared for a challenging experience due to these stability concerns.
- “There's no more updates to the game and it's still extremely buggy and funky, especially the VR game.”
- “I also should mention that one part of the game (chapter 7/9) was giving me so much stress and wasted time in the levels due to many glitches slowing things down.”
- “I also encountered several bugs and glitches; some merely annoying, while others were almost game-breaking.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
50%
38%
Overall, players report mixed experiences with optimization; while some encounter persistent audio issues related to puppet performances, others have experienced no significant performance problems. Adjustments to controls may be necessary for a better experience, but the game runs smoothly for many users.
- “You might need to adjust the buttons to your own liking, but overall I’ve had zero performance issues on deck and I’m decently into it.”
- “One time I was stuck so long in a locker that it was the performance event that finally made the puppet leave.”
- “More commonly, if I was near a puppet when it teleported away after its performance, I would hear the heartbeat indicator consistently for the longest time, no matter how near or far the puppet actually was.”
- “To be clear, the area time is for when the puppets do a 'performance'; there isn't a mission timer overall.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with witty dialogue and charming character designs that elicit genuine laughter, often juxtaposed with darker themes. Players appreciate the clever use of rhymes by the puppets and find the overall comedic elements to enhance the engaging gameplay experience, despite some criticism regarding repetitive gameplay. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a recommended choice for players seeking both fun and depth.
- “The humor and characters are absolutely wonderful, I can't believe I waited so long but it has been worth it :) Definitely recommend this game ^^”
- “The dialogue is funny, and the puppets often speak in rhymes.”
- “The dialogue is witty, funny, and actually made me laugh a few times while making me feel horrified on other occasions.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in the later stages, where repetitive tasks and poor controls contribute to a frustrating experience. The reliance on fetching objects and a monotonous gameplay loop leads to a sense of fatigue, making the overall experience feel stale and unoriginal.
- “But this comes at a price as the later stages of the game (let's just say the last 3/4) are so consistently tedious that you will be moving at a very painful snail's pace.”
- “Controls are absolutely terrible, and the whole game is a loop of doing the exact same thing over and over, which gets tedious very quickly.”
- “As a gaming experience, it's a stealth game with mini-games (lots of fetching objects involved), and the whole routine can become a bit tedious and repetitive because the same formula has been tried and tested several times in the past.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with users noting their charm and overall quality. Many appreciate the visual style, which complements the engaging story.
- “The graphics are charming in their own way.”
- “The game is graphically well done.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players noting issues like overlapping tracks when returning to the title screen and persistent heartbeat sounds in certain situations. However, these bugs are generally considered non-intrusive and do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “The game's music plays over itself when returning to the title screen, which can be quite jarring.”
- “Sometimes the heartbeat music keeps playing even if there are no puppets nearby, creating an odd atmosphere.”
- “There are instances where the music doesn't seem to sync well with the gameplay, leading to a disjointed experience.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its impressive character designs and engaging dialogue that balances humor with horror. The story is rich and cryptic, encouraging exploration and rewarding players with secrets and collectibles, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the depth and detail that contribute to a compelling narrative and character journey.
- “The character designs and look of the game are on point and absolutely wonderful to look at. The dialogue is witty, funny, and actually made me laugh a few times while also making me feel horrified on other occasions. The story is interesting, detailed, and cryptic enough to leave questions, making the gameplay very fun and engaging.”
- “The character designs are stunning, and the levels are filled with secrets that make exploration enjoyable. The puzzles strike a perfect balance between challenging and rewarding, and the dialogue adds a layer of humor and horror that enhances the experience.”
- “The character development is rich and engaging, with a story that keeps you guessing. The combination of detailed character designs and clever dialogue creates a memorable experience that resonates long after playing.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized as slightly creepy, enhancing the stealth experience and immersing players in a tense and engaging environment.
- “Slightly creepy and atmospheric stealth game.”