Midnight Driver

About

"Midnight Driver: Kawaru Chronicle" is a rhythm-based racing game where players speed through surrealistic landscapes, dodging obstacles in sync with music. Customize your vehicle and face challenges in various game modes, including Story, Arcade, and Multiplayer. The game features a unique blend of racing and rhythm mechanics, offering a fresh and exciting experience for fans of both genres.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 172 reviews

graphics20 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a unique art style that captures the essence of Initial D, making it visually appealing.
Gameplay is fun, especially in multiplayer, and the handling mechanics provide a satisfying drifting experience.
The car list is decent for a solo-dev project, with each car offering unique visuals and handling that fans of JDM culture will appreciate.

The game lacks significant content, with no AI opponents or ghost cars for practice, leading to a repetitive experience.
There have been no updates since 2021, raising concerns about the game's future development and potential bug fixes.
Controls cannot be remapped, and the game suffers from various bugs and performance issues, making it frustrating for some players.

graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
7%
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their unique art style and clean visuals, with many reviewers rating them around 9/10. However, there are concerns regarding optimization, as some players experience performance issues and a lack of customizable graphics settings. Overall, while the visuals are appreciated, improvements in optimization and control options are needed for a better experience.
- “The graphics are beautiful and the game looks very good; the playstyle is very arcadey but still fun to play. It is a nice game to zone out with.”
- “Graphics rating: 9/10”
- “Clean graphics, good selection of cars, decent mechanics, though the game feels a little empty in its current state.”
- “The controls can't be rebound, and the graphics options are set to an ultra-to-low scale with no ability to change individual settings to suit your individual PC.”
- “I really want to support this game and I know it just came out yesterday, but the game needs some serious optimization. I love the art style and graphics, but I'm sure it should be able to run on at least a GT 1030 at 60 FPS minimum. Please optimize the game a bit more; it's so fun, but I run it at 20 FPS!”
- “- random graphical and optimization issues”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The gameplay is generally praised for its enjoyable multiplayer experience and smooth mechanics, blending simulation and arcade styles reminiscent of Initial D and Gran Turismo. However, some players feel the game lacks depth, citing the absence of a manual transmission option and a more immersive first-person camera as notable shortcomings. Overall, the visuals and physics are well-received, but there is a desire for improved mechanics and sound design.
- “Great gameplay especially with friends.”
- “And the mechanics feel like a blend of Initial D, with a more sim feel to the former, and Gran Turismo, with more of an arcade feel to the latter.”
- “Smooth gameplay.”
- “I find it very odd that a game heavily inspired by Initial D (literally both car and tracks) has no actual manual mechanic. If this game is truly about getting the fastest time on a track or racing, there should be a manual mechanic and a better first-person camera.”
- “Great visuals and physics are already here; we just need a manual mechanic and better code for the 'turn around'.”
- “The mechanics feel like a blend of Initial D, with a more sim feel, and Gran Turismo, with more of an arcade feel.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally considered to be quite buggy, with issues such as cars not moving in multiplayer sessions and uncontrollable drifting. While these bugs can detract from the experience, they are not deemed game-breaking, allowing players to still enjoy the overall fun of the game.
- “Seems fun from all the trailers but extremely buggy, even in early access, and most of the time drifting was uncontrollable.”
- “A bit buggy; sometimes your car doesn't move in other people's games.”
- “It's a bit buggy, but nothing too game-breaking.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, reflecting the passion and quality behind its development. Reviewers note that it creates an engaging and enjoyable environment, complemented by satisfying driving mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere significantly enhances the gaming experience.
- “The fact that the game is a passion project really shows in the quality and atmosphere.”
- “It's got a nice atmosphere to it, and the driving feels nice.”
- “Other than that, it has a great atmosphere!”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players are expressing significant concerns regarding the game's optimization, noting that despite its appealing art style and graphics, it struggles to run smoothly, with some experiencing frame rates as low as 20 fps. Many believe that the game should be able to achieve a minimum of 60 fps on lower-end hardware, such as a GT 1030, and are calling for urgent optimization improvements.
- “I really want to support this game, and I know it just came out yesterday, but the game needs some serious optimization. I love the art style and graphics, but I'm sure it should be able to run on at least a GT 1030 at 60 FPS minimum. So I ask, please optimize the game a bit more; it's so fun, but I run it at 20 FPS!”
- “I really want to support this game and I know it just came out yesterday, but the game needs some serious optimization. I love the art style and graphics, but I'm sure it should be able to run on at least a GT 1030 at 60 FPS minimum. So I ask, please optimize the game a bit more. It's so fun, but I run it at 20 FPS!”
- “- random graphical and optimization issues”
- “- random graphical and optimization issues”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Players appreciate the existing music in the game, describing it as "vibey," but express a desire for more variety and options to enhance the racing experience. Overall, while the current soundtrack is well-received, there is a call for additional music features to further enrich gameplay.
- “The music in this game creates a vibrant atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack is incredibly vibey, perfectly complementing the gameplay.”
- “The developers have done an absolutely fantastic job with the music, adding to the game's potential.”
- “I see a lot of potential in this game, and while the devs have done an absolutely fantastic job, there are still many things I would like to see, such as car tuning and/or coloring, as well as some music to race with.”
- “The music in the game lacks variety and doesn't enhance the racing experience.”
- “The soundtrack feels repetitive and doesn't match the intensity of the gameplay.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with users consistently highlighting its heartfelt storytelling and artistic presentation, resulting in a perfect score of 10/10.
- “Easy and heartfelt 10/10 in the artistic department.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game currently offers limited replayability, with users noting that there are few incentives or variations to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “As of now, that's all the replayability the game offers.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a great source of relaxation and enjoyment, especially when playing with friends. The lighthearted and funny elements make it an ideal choice for casual gaming sessions.
- “It's honestly really fun to jump on when you don't know what to play and just want to do some relaxing or funny things with your buddies.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has received criticism for being overly focused on advertising, leading some users to feel that it detracts from the overall experience.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, particularly due to the need to repeatedly play the same tracks to earn in-game currency for unlocking new content. This repetitive gameplay detracts from the overall enjoyment and can feel tedious.
- “I'm not a fan of paying for tracks (in-game money) because it just leads to grinding out the same tracks over and over.”