Midnight Carnival

About

Midnight Carnival is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by Delusional Games and was released on November 22, 2016. It received negative reviews from players.

"Midnight Carnival" is a dark and disturbing visual novel following Brandon, a deeply depressed and antisocial young man. Hoping for a change in his life, Brandon is confronted with a miracle that comes at a steep price. The game explores themes of mental illness and the consequences of desperate actions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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31%

Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews

humor8 positive mentions

story9 negative mentions

The premise of the game is intriguing, exploring themes of mental health and loneliness through a dark visual novel format.
The art style, while rough, adds to the eerie atmosphere and complements the game's somber tone.
There are moments of genuine psychological tension that resonate with players who appreciate introspective storytelling.

The game is unfinished, with only the first chapter available, leaving many plot threads unresolved and the story feeling incomplete.
The writing is riddled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, detracting from the overall experience and immersion.
The soundtrack is poorly executed, often described as irritating and distracting, which undermines the game's intended atmosphere.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
82%
10%
The story of "Midnight Carnival" is criticized for being poorly executed, with numerous grammatical errors and an abrupt, incomplete ending that leaves key plot threads unresolved. While it attempts to explore themes of despair and delusion through the protagonist Brandon's internal struggles, many players find the narrative lacking depth and coherence, ultimately feeling like a half-finished project. Despite some moments of atmospheric storytelling, the overall consensus is that the game fails to deliver a satisfying or engaging experience.
- “Midnight Carnival by Delusional Games, published by Back to Basics Gaming, is a dark visual novel that explores the fragile line between despair and delusion through the story of a young man named Brandon.”
- “The story’s pacing is deliberate and melancholic, relying on slow reveals and internal monologue to draw the player into Brandon’s unraveling consciousness.”
- “For players drawn to introspective storytelling, there are moments when the game’s atmosphere feels genuinely haunting, conveying an authentic sense of psychological tension without relying on jump scares or gore.”
- “The story pretty much leads to nowhere; your choices don't matter, and it doesn't even have an actual ending.”
- “What could have been an engaging descent into madness feels truncated, ending just as the story begins to build momentum.”
- “The story feels half-finished, like a promising idea that got abandoned midway.”
music
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
60%
33%
The music in the game has been universally criticized as unbearable and glitchy, often described as irritating noise rather than actual music. Many reviewers noted that it is repetitive, poorly produced, and lacks the ability to be turned off, contributing to an overall negative experience. While a few users found some tracks to be acceptable, the overwhelming sentiment is that the soundtrack detracts significantly from the game.
- “In spite of its flaws, I was interested in seeing where it would lead, and some of the music was actually alright.”
- “The music really felt like something was supposed to be happening, but I guess not.”
- “I guess the music doesn't make me want to tear my ears off.”
- “The 'music' sounds like an old CD when it skips; it is not music at all, it is a very irritating glitchy noise that sounds like stuttering you get when a game is broken and glitching out.”
- “The music is horrendous and the gameplay is like reading 50 Shades of Grey written by a 5-year-old.”
- “Actually, let's not call it music; that's a major insult to music.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
37%
50%
The graphics in the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as low quality, bland, and poorly designed. The artwork is criticized for being painfully bad, and the overall visual experience is marred by a lack of coherence and movement. While a few users noted some immersive gameplay, the general consensus is that the graphics significantly detract from the game's value.
- “Intense and immersive gameplay with incredible graphics and a heart-stopping story of betrayal and despair.”
- “The artwork is painfully bad.”
- “Low quality visuals, no coherent design, garbage music, horrible writing, and on top of that - abandoned in early access.”
- “The visuals are crap.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding moments genuinely funny, particularly with unexpected elements like the skip button, while others criticize the attempts at edgy humor as falling flat or being cringe-worthy. Overall, the humor seems to appeal to a niche audience, with some appreciating the quirky animations and expressions, while others feel the game tries too hard to be funny without succeeding.
- “The skip button was flipping hilarious when I found out what it did.”
- “There's a lot of angst too, which can be funny, but also cringe-worthy, and sometimes a little sad.”
- “Now clearly, this is the epitome of humor.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its dark visual presentation and carnival setting, which reflect the protagonist Brandon's internal struggles. While the developers aimed for a deeply resonant journey, the execution falls short, leaving the emotional impact feeling fragmented despite a sincere effort to tell a personal story. Some players feel the narrative lacks depth, reducing it to mere complaints rather than a compelling emotional experience.
- “The visual presentation complements the tone, with dark backgrounds and muted palettes that echo Brandon’s emotional state.”
- “The carnival setting serves as both a physical and emotional labyrinth, with each encounter peeling away another layer of Brandon’s self-perception.”
- “Despite these shortcomings, there’s a sincerity in its execution—a sense that the creators were genuinely invested in crafting a personal, emotional story rather than a commercial product.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's atmosphere is described as haunting and introspective, effectively reflecting the protagonist's psyche through its metaphorical carnival setting and unrefined art style. While the visuals may lack polish, they contribute to an eerie ambiance that enhances the psychological tension, offering players genuine moments of emotional depth without relying on typical horror tropes. Overall, the atmosphere is a compelling aspect for those who appreciate raw and personal storytelling.
- “The carnival itself feels like a metaphorical construct, its strange performers and haunting atmosphere reflecting fragments of the protagonist’s psyche.”
- “While the art lacks the refinement of high-budget visual novels, its rough edges occasionally enhance the eerie atmosphere, giving the experience an unfiltered and personal touch.”
- “For players drawn to introspective storytelling, there are moments when the game’s atmosphere feels genuinely haunting, conveying an authentic sense of psychological tension without relying on jump scares or gore.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The gameplay is described as intense and immersive, complemented by impressive graphics and a gripping narrative of betrayal and despair. However, some users criticize the lack of traditional gameplay mechanics, noting that it primarily functions as a text-based visual novel, which limits the overall gameplay experience.
- “Intense and immersive gameplay with incredible graphics and a heart-stopping story of betrayal and despair.”
- “The music is horrendous and the gameplay is like reading '50 Shades of Grey' written by a 5-year-old.”
- “Okay, those were my biggest issues for the first part, the ones that directly affect the gameplay experience.”
- “Since there is essentially no gameplay, just a text-based visual novel, I cannot criticize game mechanics, or lack thereof.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has been criticized for producing glitchy audio that resembles a skipping CD, leading to an irritating experience for players. This issue suggests significant technical shortcomings that detract from overall gameplay quality.
- “The music sounds like an old CD when it skips; it's not music at all. It's a very irritating, glitchy noise that resembles the stuttering you get when a game is broken and glitching out.”
- “The optimization is so poor that the game frequently lags, making it nearly unplayable during intense moments.”
- “I experienced constant frame drops and stuttering, which completely ruined my immersion in the game.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it often requires excessive clicking to progress, particularly when farming badges. The scattered edgy dialogue adds to the frustration, making the overall experience feel less rewarding.
- “Only worth it if you’re farming badges.”
- “Edgy dialogue is spread out through many clicks, making progression through the game tedious.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting it as an exceptional achievement by the author, showcasing their brilliance in crafting complex and engaging characters.
- “The character development was something else entirely, an amazing feat by the truly brilliant author.”