Midnight Ramen

About

"Midnight Ramen" is a narrative dialogue game where players operate a late-night ramen stand, cooking for a variety of customers and helping them cope with their problems. With intricate ramen-making mechanics and heavy themes such as death and loss, this game is reminiscent of titles like VA-11 Hall-A and Coffee Talk. Players must carefully combine broths, noodles, toppings, and seasonings to satisfy each customer's unique preferences.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 118 reviews

story64 positive mentions

The game features a beautifully written story that explores heavy themes, providing an emotional experience that resonates with players.
Gameplay is relaxing and stress-free, allowing players to enjoy cooking ramen without time limits or penalties, enhancing the overall experience.
The art style and music create a cozy atmosphere, making it a delightful game for those who enjoy narrative-driven experiences.

The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content and depth in gameplay.
There are some grammatical errors and typos in the dialogue, which can detract from immersion for some players.
The game deals with sensitive topics such as death and suicide, which may not be suitable for all players, especially those currently grieving.

story
166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
59%
2%
The story of "Midnight Ramen" is beautifully written and emotionally engaging, focusing on the interconnected lives of the characters who visit the ramen stall. While the gameplay is simple and secondary to the narrative, players are drawn into a heartfelt journey that explores themes of acceptance and resilience, often evoking strong emotional responses. Despite its brevity, the game offers rich character development and a compelling overarching plot, making it a must-play for fans of story-driven experiences.
- “The story of each character is in depth and rich, with some even bringing me to tears.”
- “In all, Midnight Ramen is a short but wonderful story of accepting that sometimes you can't change your circumstances, and that's okay; so long as you keep moving forward and do not give up, you will make it through.”
- “Midnight Ramen completely surprised me with its quality storytelling and engaging characters.”
- “The game ultimately focuses on the story; there isn't much of a simulation-like experience when serving ramen and drinks compared to other cooking games.”
- “Set your expectations that it's the story-first type game and then gameplay a distant second.”
- “I certainly didn't speed-run or skip any of the story, but even with earning all of the achievements and watching the best ending, I still finished it all in under three hours.”
gameplay
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by a relaxing vibe and simple mechanics, primarily revolving around a visual novel format that includes narrative-driven interactions and a cooking mini-game where players prepare ramen. While the gameplay is easy and serves as a light diversion from the story, some players desire more engagement and replayability. Overall, it offers a unique blend of storytelling and casual gameplay, appealing to those who appreciate character bonding and a zen-like experience.
- “If you like relaxing games with simple gameplay and a little bit of story, you'll like this game.”
- “Mechanically, this game is narrative-driven based on conversations with patrons at your ramen stall, broken up by a very simple mini-game where you make the ramen.”
- “I like the options and the ability to mix it up when you want to, and the fact that it is a simple mechanic but at the same time really interesting to do.”
- “Also, unless I wanted to re-experience the story from scratch, the gameplay wasn't enticing enough that I'd want to replay chapters just to serve a few dishes.”
- “The gameplay is also rather easy, so it's only there as an occasional diversion from what's otherwise a visual novel.”
- “There's not much gameplay.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
71%
8%
The music in the game is predominantly mellow and calming, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and emotional depth of the story, with lo-fi beats that create a cozy, zen-like experience. While many players appreciate the soothing soundtrack and its ability to set the mood, some have noted that the repetition of tracks can become tedious over time, leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, the music is well-received for its contribution to the game's ambiance, though it may benefit from a broader selection.
- “For the most part, the background music you hear is mellow and calming, a pleasant tune to enjoy in a place where you'd enjoy comfort food.”
- “During intense moments of the story though, it'll change accordingly, playing songs that amplify the current mood, whether it's sorrowful or spooky.”
- “The music fits the game very well and also adds to the emotions felt in certain scenes.”
- “The soundtrack can be repetitive.”
- “I would have liked to hear more variation; some of the tracks repeated too often for my liking, so after about 6 hours, I muted the soundtrack and listened to something else.”
- “The music is pretty much all lo-fi beats, which also gives the game those comforting coffee talk vibes.”
emotional
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its emotional depth, with many players reporting strong emotional reactions, including tears, due to its heartfelt storytelling and well-developed characters. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a deeply immersive world that resonates with players, though it also addresses sensitive topics that may evoke strong feelings. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate emotional narratives, but caution is advised for individuals currently dealing with grief or similar issues.
- “It is short, but it is amazing how quickly the game builds a world for you and brings you into it, fully invested emotionally.”
- “The stories are deep and touching.”
- “I love being dropped into the world the author has created and being able to feel, connect, emotionally, etc. It's a difficult task to get right and I feel like they've done a good job here with the world building and the methods for delivering information to the players.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple yet effective art style that is both cute and expressive, featuring bright, cartoonish visuals and anime-style characters. The animations and user interface are well-executed, enhancing the overall aesthetic, while the visuals complement the game's mature themes despite its kid-friendly appearance. Overall, players appreciate the beautiful artwork and its ability to evoke emotions through key moments in the story.
- “Beautiful art style with a well-written story that does not disappoint.”
- “Midnight Ramen features very bright, cartoonish visuals with anime-style characters.”
- “The artwork, animations, and user interface are all very nicely done.”
- “The art style is very cute and the characters are very expressive due to the animation style.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted as a strong point, with rich, interconnected stories that foster deep emotional attachments to the characters. The compelling overarching narrative and interesting character designs further enhance the overall experience, showcasing excellent writing and development.
- “The patrons' stories are rich and interesting and interconnected, the character designs are captivating, and there's a compelling overarching story.”
- “You just get attached to the characters' stories and struggles, which is a sign of great character development and writing.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily allowing players to explore different story paths and unlock achievements, despite its relatively short length.
- “The game might be a bit on the short side, but there is definitely some replayability.”
- “Replayability value: to witness different story paths and for achievements.”
- “The game might be a bit on the short side, but there is definitely some replayability.”
- “Replayability value: to witness different story paths and for achievements only.”
- “Might be a bit on the short side, but there is some replayability.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its cozy and warm ambiance, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the harmonious blend of story, art, and character design, all contributing to an immersive experience.
- “The music is very cozy and the whole atmosphere of the game really envelops you in warmth.”
- “Good atmosphere, story, art, characters, and music.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a standout feature, eliciting a range of emotions from laughter to warmth, particularly through its comedic mishaps in meal preparation. Players find joy in the absurdity of serving dishes with incorrect or missing ingredients, highlighting the importance of attention to detail in a lighthearted manner.
- “This game has made me laugh, cry, and filled my heart with warmth all in the same playthrough.”
- “You can (hilariously) serve a meal with wrong or missing ingredients without being warned, so it's a good idea to pay attention to what they ordered, how they ordered it, and the written recipes.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users praising its smooth performance while others report issues such as frame drops and stuttering. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations.