Midnight Special

About

Midnight Special is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by Scared Stupid Inc and was released on May 8, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Midnight Special is a chilling point-and-click survival horror set in a late '80s manor, blending giallo thrills and 16-bit sci-fi vibes. Playing as Sarah, a babysitter, you must navigate eerie events after a mysterious phone call disrupts an ordinary night. The game combines suspense, cinematic horror, and nostalgic gameplay for a tense, atmospheric experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews

story5 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The pixel art and animations are top-tier, creating a beautiful and immersive atmosphere.
The game successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic horror games like Clock Tower, with a compelling and dark story.
The puzzles are generally well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly cryptic.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with saving and soft-locking, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Many mechanics and interactions are poorly explained, leaving players to guess how to progress, which can be confusing and tedious.
The lack of a reliable save system and the potential for losing progress due to crashes detracts significantly from the overall experience.

story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The story is described as dark, intriguing, and immersive, with players captivated by its unsettling narrative and emotional depth. The combination of pixel graphics, a haunting soundtrack, and effective environmental storytelling enhances the eerie atmosphere, making the unfolding plot both gripping and rewarding for those who persevere through its slower moments. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its masterful build-up and ability to keep players engaged.
- “The plot is intriguing, and the cool pixel graphics and cool soundtrack create an eerie atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is thick, and the story keeps getting stranger in the best way!”
- “Some players might find the intro too slow, but if you stick with it, you’re rewarded with some of the most unsettling storytelling I’ve seen in a pixel game.”
- “The puzzles are well-placed, not too cryptic, and the story unfolds in such a creepy way you’ll keep clicking even when you don’t want to.”
- “The build-up is masterful, with audio cues and environmental storytelling doing most of the heavy lifting.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, enhanced by striking artwork, pixel graphics, and a fitting soundtrack. Players appreciate the blend of horror and humor, as well as the tension and intrigue that draw them into the experience. However, some users note that technical issues detract from the overall enjoyment of the atmospheric elements.
- “I'm immersed in the manor's atmosphere.”
- “The tension is real, the atmosphere suffocating, and it keeps you guessing.”
- “Short, tense, and dripping with atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is thick, and the story keeps getting stranger in the best way!”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their impressive retro aesthetic, effectively capturing a nostalgic atmosphere that enhances the horror experience. Users appreciate the detailed artwork, pixel graphics, and the overall art style, which contribute to an eerie ambiance and strong emotional impact. However, some players note that technical issues, such as bugs and glitches, detract from the overall experience.
- “The developer really nails the retro vibe — from the overall art style to the in-game objects and posters, the attention to detail is impressive.”
- “The graphics are wonderful and the cutscene parts are great.”
- “Loved the 16-bit aesthetic and how it channels old-school horror.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The character models are poorly designed and lack detail, making them unappealing.”
- “The environments are bland and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, offering a nostalgic blend of classic horror elements and modern enhancements; however, players express frustration over a lack of clear explanations for mechanics, leading to confusion and reliance on external guides. While the core gameplay is enjoyable, some users note occasional bugs and suggest that more varied gameplay elements could enhance the experience.
- “Midnight Special delivers a nostalgic journey reminiscent of the original Clock Tower series, blending classic horror elements with modern gameplay enhancements.”
- “Gameplay: very good, but buggy sometimes.”
- “I have my gameplay experience on YouTube if you are interested in watching what I went through.”
- “I'll be upfront: while I like a lot of what this game does, one of the most frustrating aspects is how it doesn't fully explain many of the mechanics or how to play (aside from the basic controls).”
- “I get lost in this game a lot and had to look up the gameplay from Zhain Gaming to see what to do from time to time.”
- “Could it use more varied gameplay elements?”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as enjoyable and absurd, providing moments of laughter that enhance the experience, despite some frustrations with gameplay and navigation. While the comedic elements are appreciated, they are sometimes overshadowed by unclear objectives and unfinished ideas, such as the library puzzle. Overall, the blend of horror and humor creates a unique atmosphere, though it may not be enough to recommend the game to others.
- “I stumbled a lot, which was hilarious and sometimes the only thing keeping me going.”
- “Overall, I had fun laughing about how absurd some of this game is.”
- “I like this good horror atmosphere with a sense of humor.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users feel that the game's replayability is diminished due to its simplicity; once players understand the mechanics, they can easily exploit them to avoid challenges, leading to a less engaging experience on subsequent playthroughs.
- “It's too easy to cheese – once you figure out how the game works, it becomes way too simple to avoid danger, which significantly diminishes replay value.”
- “After completing the game once, there's little incentive to play again since the experience doesn't change much.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel redundant and uninteresting.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features impressive atmosphere and artwork, but suffers from numerous bugs, glitches, and softlocks that detract from the overall experience. While the gameplay is generally enjoyable, stability issues are a significant concern for players.
- “Great atmosphere and artwork, but the script has issues and there are just far too many bugs, glitches, and softlocks.”
- “Gameplay is very good, but it can be buggy at times.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for its ability to enhance the eerie atmosphere, complementing the beautiful art and intriguing plot. Reviewers highlight it as a fantastic homage to horror, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
- “A fantastic homage to horror, beautiful art, great music, and writing.”
- “The plot is intriguing, and the cool pixel graphics and soundtrack create an eerie atmosphere.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's immersive sound design and commend its surprisingly emotional narrative, which enhances the overall experience.
- “Super immersive sound and a surprisingly emotional story.”