Midnight Fight Express

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 992 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Midnight Fight Express Game Cover
Midnight Fight Express is a short and brutal fight that doesn’t overstay its welcome. You’ll definitely come out of it with more than a few scrapes, but it’s all worth it just to watch the sun rise at the end.
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In "Midnight Fight Express," become an unlikely hero, Babyface, drawn back into the criminal underworld for one night to prevent a citywide takeover. Engage in fierce combat, using environmental tools and martial arts moves, in this action-packed game with customizable difficulty. Experience blockbuster-style fighting with motion capture animation by stunt performer Eric Jacobus.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 992 reviews
story57 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The combat is fun and relatively easy, providing a satisfying power trip with varied moves and finishers.
  • The game is filled with numerous easter eggs and references to popular games and movies, making it a nostalgic experience.
  • The soundtrack is engaging and complements the fast-paced action, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • Some boss fights and enemy mechanics can feel frustrating and unfair, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
  • The story and dialogue can interrupt the flow of gameplay, making it feel tedious at times.
  • Certain levels introduce gimmicky mechanics that detract from the core combat experience, such as vehicle sections and overwhelming gun enemies.
  • story224 mentions

    The story in the game is generally viewed as shallow and often nonsensical, serving primarily as a backdrop for the engaging combat mechanics. While some players appreciate its humorous and absurd elements, many find it forgettable or overly simplistic, with frequent interruptions that disrupt gameplay flow. Overall, the narrative is seen as a light-hearted excuse for action rather than a focal point, with mixed opinions on its execution and relevance.

    • “The story is surprisingly good, with fun set piece missions and references galore. I enjoyed the story a lot, especially when it dived into the silly.”
    • “The story is engaging and takes you through 40 levels, each looking and playing completely different. It has a good twist that enhances both the story and gameplay.”
    • “The story is creative and lends itself to giving you wild encounters for fast, frenetic brawling and gunplay, against a surprisingly diverse assortment of enemy types.”
    • “The story is nonsense and mostly irrelevant, but what does matter is the game controls well, has a great skill curve, and it's just satisfying to destroy entire rooms of people with better choreography than many action movies.”
    • “Too much stopping all the time for 'story beats' (which wouldn't be so bad if the story wasn't so basic and dumb).”
    • “The story is a nonsensical mess, stuffed with mishandled jokes and poorly placed memes.”
  • music212 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high-energy soundtrack composed by noisecream, which perfectly complements the fast-paced combat and enhances the overall gameplay experience. While some noted that certain tracks may blur together, the majority found the music to be a standout feature that elevates the game's atmosphere and keeps players engaged. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a "banger" and a significant reason to play, with many recommending it for personal listening beyond the game itself.

    • “The soundtrack is perfect.”
    • “The music is genuinely sublime, it brought the feeling closer to that one scene where the retired hitman rampages through a club looking for the man that off'ed his dog.”
    • “The soundtrack is a masterpiece, composed by noisecream.”
    • “The music is terrible, the little drone character isn't needed, and keeps interrupting the action with pointless unnecessary dialogue which I just started skipping through.”
    • “All in all, it's not too bad, but seeing how Hotline Miami worked so well because of how the music integrated with the graphics and presentation as a whole, I fail to understand why the devs would try to cut corners budget-wise on this end.”
    • “I honestly am not sure what balance they were going for here as the music makes me want to play fast and brutal but the combat rewards more patient play.”
  • gameplay189 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its fluid combat mechanics, variety of enemy types, and engaging level design, drawing comparisons to titles like Batman: Arkham and Hotline Miami. However, some players express frustration with the over-reliance on gun mechanics, inconsistent enemy designs, and interruptions from dialogue, which can disrupt the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many find the gameplay satisfying and recommend it for its challenging yet rewarding nature, especially for fans of beat 'em up games.

    • “Very fun and varied levels and gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is really fun, the game has that much needed umph when you smash faces.”
    • “Awesome beat 'em up style gameplay with great soundtrack and combat/weapon variety.”
    • “The game's combat system is especially lackluster, with an overreliance on the dodge-roll mechanic that constitutes a staggering 70% of the fighting.”
    • “Rather than offering unique and engaging levels, players are left with uninspired, generic gameplay.”
    • “But there's an over-reliance on weapons (which has a limited moveset and doesn't get stuff like long-range punching) or guns on many later levels, as well as frustrating and inconsistent mechanics, inputs, and technical difficulties that make the entire gameplay overall frustratingly hard for the wrong reasons.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and sometimes jarring, with a mix of voxel graphics and recycled assets that may not appeal to everyone. While the visuals are not the game's main selling point, they effectively complement the fast-paced gameplay and contribute to a gritty atmosphere. Overall, the art style is seen as stylish and functional, though it lacks the polish of higher-end graphics.

    • “Visuals, animations, and the soundtrack in particular are fantastic.”
    • “It sounds and looks fantastic, with a visually interesting art style.”
    • “The combat (the main pull of the game) feels so fluid and hard-hitting, the graphics are simple but effective and the enemy variety poses a real challenge.”
    • “The art style presentation is a little too simplistic and can sometimes be overtly goofy and jarring.”
    • “While the use of voxel graphics and recycled assets may be forgivable to some degree, it is impossible to overlook these significant shortcomings that mar the game's quality.”
    • “The cutscene will regularly rip you out of your flow and the general aesthetic of the game is contradictory.”
  • humor39 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of absurdity, pop culture references, and quirky dialogue, often eliciting genuine laughs from players. While some find the humor to be hit-or-miss, with a few moments feeling forced, many appreciate the clever easter eggs and the lighthearted tone that complements the game's action-packed gameplay. Overall, the comedic elements contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it an enjoyable experience for those who appreciate a blend of humor and violence.

    • “The reference enemies stand out even more thanks to the inclusion of hidden 'special characters', who have a line or two of dialogue that consists either of game lore or attempts at humor, some of which are funny!”
    • “I enjoyed the story a lot, and I like how the game manages to make room for humor and absurdity without ruining the dark overall theme.”
    • “The humor in this game is prevalent and very well done.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat; it feels forced and lacks genuine wit.”
    • “I found the jokes to be outdated and not relatable, making it hard to enjoy the comedic moments.”
    • “The attempts at humor often miss the mark, leaving me more confused than amused.”
  • replayability31 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability, featuring 40 levels with numerous challenges, unlockable skills, and cosmetic rewards that encourage players to revisit stages multiple times. Players appreciate the variety of gameplay options, including different play styles and modifiers, which enhance the overall experience. Despite a relatively short main story, the abundance of content and challenges makes it a compelling choice for fans of replayable action games.

    • “Add to this replayable levels and challenges, not to mention mutators to make things a little bit different, gives the game some massive replayability.”
    • “With 40 fast-paced levels and infinite replayability, along with additional challenges for each of those levels and a sandbox mode, this game can be an endless source of fun.”
    • “Despite being short, it has a ton of replay value with several challenges to do with 40 levels.”
    • “The challenges add a load of replay value, and the sandbox is useful for practicing.”
    • “Every level has several special challenges that unlock cosmetics and gameplay mods, so if you like a game with some replay value, this one's solid.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some find it tedious and unnecessary, others appreciate the depth it adds to character progression and item unlocking. Grinding often involves completing challenges after finishing levels, which can lead to extended playtime, but may also feel repetitive for some. Overall, the experience varies significantly depending on individual preferences for challenge and progression.

    • “No grinding, just a normal progression as your skill increases and you are faced with harder enemies.”
    • “My only gripe is that a few of the challenges are a bit tedious and require you to go out of your way to complete them — for example, the ratboy's toxic vomit one.”
    • “All in all, I do not recommend this game; it's fun at first but progresses into a tedious button masher with no depth whatsoever.”
    • “Sometimes I'll have achieved an 'S'-rating on a level, completed all the challenges, and still be stuck grinding these out over 5-6 more level completions just to get all the items I need to unlock a bonus.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive design, with each location reflecting its intended environment through meticulous details like textures and lighting. The music, primarily aggressive electronic tracks, complements the gameplay and enhances the overall experience, although some players wished for a greater variety of musical genres. While the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they contribute to a gritty, fast-paced ambiance that resonates well with the game's action.

    • “So the game's atmosphere is top notch, the gameplay is truly next level with how tight, varied, and expansive it is, and the variation you will encounter is truly astonishing.”
    • “On top of the brilliant gameplay and atmosphere, the amount of content is great for the value too.”
    • “They are really well designed and perfectly reflect the atmosphere of the places they are meant to represent with the right textures, furnishings, lighting, and other details that make them very convincing.”
    • “More variety of genres and atmospheres would have been appreciated here as well.”
    • “It's definitely no next-gen level graphics, but it absolutely helps give the game a gritty but fast-paced atmosphere, sort of like 'My Friend Pedro'.”
    • “They are largely very aggressive-sounding electronic pieces that fit perfectly with the gameplay taking place on the screen and complete the atmosphere of total carnage.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players have noted that the game features a surprisingly emotional storyline, particularly highlighted by its impactful ending, which contrasts with its campy tone. The engaging combat mechanics and challenging gameplay enhance the overall experience, allowing players to feel a strong connection to the narrative and their character, reminiscent of iconic action films.

    • “Very cool fighting game and a surprisingly emotional ending!”
    • “Fun setpiece levels, a shockingly emotional story despite it being intentionally campy, and fun as hell core combat.”
    • “I thought this would be extremely button mashy but it's not; this combat feels so weighty and flashy, and the devs put so much effort into making so many counters and specials that I beat the game and still haven't found them all. It made me feel like John Wick without leaving blood on my floor.”
  • stability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with most players reporting a bug-free experience. However, some users have encountered specific issues, such as buggy mechanics during attacks and occasional glitches that can disrupt gameplay, like getting stuck between objects. Despite these minor setbacks, the game remains enjoyable and offers high replay value.

    • “Generally bug-free.”
    • “Runs great, sounds good, looks good, it's fun and challenging.”
    • “If the enemy is far away from you, the character will perform a dash attack for you to land your attack quickly, but most of the time, these mechanics seem to be buggy and end up with you punching/slashing in the air, and the long-range attack skill can't solve this problem.”
    • “I only encountered one buggy moment; I was trying to talk to a character while rolling and ended up stuck between objects, which forced a restart of the level. This did not matter much, as the replay value of this game is already high, with challenges that unlock at the end of every level you beat.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is praised for its strong optimization, running smoothly without crashes and delivering stable performance overall.

    • “The game is quite optimized, stable, and runs smoothly with no crashes.”
    • “Performance-wise, the game runs very well.”
    • “Great optimization.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
    • “Despite its potential, the game is poorly optimized, making it unplayable on lower-end systems.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and long loading times, indicating a lack of proper optimization.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
4-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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