Midnight Caravan
- August 24, 2020
- Gamera Interactive
"Midnight Caravan" is a visual novel that follows the leader of a caravan in Italy, facing moral choices and managing resources in a world of crime, politics, and vengeance. With a focus on consequences and multiple endings, players must balance the needs of their group and their own desires in this replayable dark tale. The game features a unique narrative arc and rich illustrations, immersing the player in an age where nothing is as it seems.
Reviews
- The game features a beautifully hand-drawn art style and an engaging atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience.
- There are numerous choices that impact the narrative, allowing for a unique experience with each playthrough.
- The story is intriguing and well-written, with a diverse cast of characters that contribute to the overall charm of the game.
- The game is overly difficult, with a lack of adequate save points and the potential for players to reach dead ends, requiring restarts.
- The English translation is poor, leading to confusion and a lack of clarity in the narrative and choices presented.
- Bugs and software errors, including crashes and unresponsive options, detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- story28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and intriguing, featuring a diverse cast of characters and multiple decision-making opportunities that impact the narrative. However, players have noted issues with clarity in choices, a lack of adequate saves, and a somewhat convoluted plot that can lead to frustrating dead ends. Despite its flaws, including translation errors and a portrayal of politics that some find inaccurate, the overall atmosphere and art style contribute to a unique experience that many still recommend.
“It has an over-the-top story with an incredible lineup of characters, including crime bosses, cardinals, princes, princesses, rebel leaders, and so on.”
“While you won't necessarily receive total freedom, especially when it comes to fixed main story events, most of your decisions are respected and are permanent, including life or death choices/mistakes.”
“The story is very intriguing and it's made to be played multiple times.”
“The weakest link in the plot is the mystery behind Cassini and his motives; it's an inaccurate portrayal of politics, to say the least.”
“I doubt I will find the mood to replay a game with so much (terribly translated) text, having to go through the same story and just guessing around the right choices.”
“At one of the very first major story sections, the situation and therefore the choices I was presented weren't clear, leading me to restart the game entirely.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance immersion and complement the romantic setting of leading a caravan in 19th century Italy. Reviewers note that while the text is not voiced, the music significantly enriches the experience, alongside the beautifully hand-drawn art style and engaging story. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features of the game.
“I would call the idea of leading a caravan full of criminals in 19th century Italy 'romantic', and the art/music complements this feeling perfectly.”
“The music choice contributes to further immersion into the story.”
“A choose your adventure visual novel with lots of choices, a beautifully hand-drawn art style, and although none of the text is voiced, the music more than makes up for it.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their beautifully hand-drawn art style and attention to detail, creating a unique atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience. While the translation may be lacking, the diverse character designs and overall visual presentation contribute significantly to the game's appeal. The music complements the visuals well, making it a recommended experience for players who appreciate artistic design.
“The atmosphere, story, and art style just combine to create this really unique experience.”
“A choose your adventure visual novel with lots of choices, a beautifully hand-drawn art style, and although none of the text is voiced, the music more than makes up for it.”
“The art style is amazing and it has a lot of attention to detail; I really like how all of the characters seem very diverse.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its unique combination of story and art style, effectively creating a gritty, amoral revenge tale. However, the portrayal of characters as unpleasant and untrustworthy may detract from the overall experience for some players.
“I bought it the day it came out and though the translation does leave a little to be desired, the atmosphere, story, and art style just combine to create this really unique experience.”
“It's trying so hard to build the atmosphere of a gritty, amoral revenge tale, but every character is unpleasant and untrustworthy.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, with users highlighting solid mechanics that complement the game's impressive art, engaging story, and captivating music.
“Great art, great story, great music, good gameplay mechanics.”