Subway Midnight

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 667 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • gameplay
Subway Midnight Game Cover
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"Subway Midnight" is a surreal, atmospheric first-person exploration game. Players navigate a mysterious and constantly shifting subway system while uncovering cryptic messages and avoiding otherworldly creatures. The game features a haunting soundtrack and a striking, monochromatic art style.

  • PC
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 667 reviews
graphics105 positive mentions
grinding34 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and visually stunning art style that blends 2D and 3D elements effectively.
  • The atmosphere is well-crafted, providing a mix of creepiness and charm that keeps players engaged.
  • The storytelling is intriguing, relying on environmental cues and character interactions without the use of dialogue.
  • Gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, with slow movement and trial-and-error puzzles that may frustrate players.
  • Some puzzles lack clear instructions or hints, leading to confusion and a reliance on guesswork.
  • The game requires multiple playthroughs to achieve all endings, which can feel like a chore for some players.
  • graphics222 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, blending 2D character designs with 3D environments, creating a visually stunning experience. Many reviewers highlight the impressive use of lighting and diverse aesthetics across different levels, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. However, some players note that while the visuals are captivating, they often overshadow the lackluster gameplay and tedious puzzles, leading to a mixed overall experience.

    • “The art style is blended perfectly into the 3D environments, and you can just tell it was fun to make.”
    • “The visuals are amazing, the puzzles are well thought out, and the story has a mad beauty to it.”
    • “The oddly charming yet uneasy ambiance created with the linear and confined setting of a subway, the narrative conveyed through the creative aesthetics of each car, and the visuals that blend quirky 2D character designs and smooth 3D environments are all simply astonishing.”
    • “Still, I did not have a good time with Subway Midnight and I encourage anyone that is considering purchasing this game on the basis of its aesthetic to strongly reconsider.”
    • “The graphics are charming but become such an eyesore after a while and no save features, really had high hopes for this game as I paid full price for this but ended up with an unremarkable experience.”
    • “The game uses elaborate visuals as a shallow substitute for actual gameplay, and the only gameplay it does provide is basic and unintuitive guessing puzzles; meanwhile, the story is almost entirely locked behind frustrating and unintuitive side puzzles that can easily go unnoticed.”
  • story147 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its unique visual storytelling and atmospheric art style, while others find it confusing and lacking depth. Some enjoy piecing together the narrative through environmental cues, but many criticize the plot for being vague or incoherent, often requiring external context to fully understand. Overall, the storytelling approach is seen as innovative yet polarizing, with a significant emphasis on interpretation rather than direct narrative delivery.

    • “The art style and story are absolutely mesmerizing!”
    • “Incredible story, perfectly presented through visuals and ambience, a masterclass in environmental storytelling.”
    • “Subway Midnight's storytelling is all done through the environment and character reactions, allowing several backstories and chains of events to unfold in silent yet effective ways.”
    • “The story is borderline incoherent without going out of your way to google context, and the context is limited.”
    • “It's really frustrating that the story is just so nonexistent and needs background supply to make any sense, because it really damages the rest of the game.”
    • “The art direction is wonderful, the gameplay passable though arguably irrelevant, and the story utterly incomprehensible.”
  • gameplay129 mentions

    The gameplay of "Subway Midnight" is largely characterized as simplistic and tedious, often reduced to walking and basic interactions with minimal puzzle complexity. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, many players find the gameplay lacking, with issues such as slow movement, trial-and-error puzzles, and frustrating mechanics detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game is recommended more for its artistic presentation than for engaging gameplay, appealing primarily to those who prioritize narrative and aesthetics over interactive depth.

    • “The gameplay is actually perfect for these kinds of puzzles, as it allows you to explore without too much risk.”
    • “The art is extraordinary, the environments are captivating and interesting, and the gameplay, while simple, never bored me.”
    • “Gameplay-wise there're a few frustrating puzzles due to trial-and-error type stuff or just not being super clear, but there're some really fun tense parts!”
    • “The gameplay is extremely bare bones and the puzzles are nonsensical at multiple points, particularly for the good ending.”
    • “Unfortunately, its charming art style and creativity were not enough for its incredibly boring and tedious gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay consists of walking forward and sometimes pressing a button, making it feel tedious and kind of repetitive.”
  • atmosphere43 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its strong visual and auditory elements, creating a captivating and often eerie experience that enhances the horror aspects. Many reviewers highlight the art style, sound design, and unique storytelling as key components that contribute to an immersive atmosphere, despite some criticism regarding gameplay mechanics and puzzle design. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate atmospheric walking simulators and artistic expression in gaming.

    • “The atmosphere is unnerving and does a great job at putting you on edge.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is top notch the whole way through!”
    • “It's able to build a truly wonderful atmosphere through its really good art direction, and the indirect way of telling the story of each character is also really interesting.”
    • “The game starts off as a slow walking sim with a neat atmosphere and some very simple puzzling, but as it carries on the puzzles and rooms start to become a bit random, requiring you to retry things a lot, which especially sucks when you move so slow.”
    • “The slow movement contributes to the atmosphere for sure, but it gets pretty annoying when you have to redo the same room/puzzle multiple times and have to slowly waddle your way back.”
    • “Movement is slow and awkward, basically all of the gameplay has been holding W, and the lack of possible other paths really undercuts any tense atmosphere they're trying to build.”
  • grinding34 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over slow movement speeds and poorly designed puzzles that rely heavily on trial and error. While the art style and atmosphere are praised, they are often overshadowed by the lack of engaging gameplay, leading to a sense of chore-like progression that detracts from the overall experience. Despite some players finding value in the journey, the overwhelming sentiment is that the gameplay feels more like a slog than an enjoyable challenge.

    • “Almost every challenge in this game is born out of tedious game design as opposed to genuinely well-crafted difficulty.”
    • “The puzzles only got more and more tedious from there and I ended up more annoyed than anything else.”
    • “Stunning art style and visuals but extremely lackluster gameplay with seemingly boring, tedious, and repetitive puzzles.”
  • music33 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for its atmospheric and eerie qualities that enhance the overall experience. Some players found the music memorable and fitting, while others noted a lack of music during key moments, leading to a less impactful experience. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its creativity and ability to complement the game's visuals, though some players felt it could have been more prominent.

    • “I love this game, great story, animation, and music 10/10!”
    • “The character designs are all cute and memorable, and the music was perfect.”
    • “The visuals, soundtrack, and atmosphere kept me going.”
    • “If there was music of any kind, it flew over my head like the story.”
    • “There's three main things I really didn't like about this game though, the first being the unnecessarily loud sound effects and music at certain points in the game.”
    • “I never got any of the really jamming music from the trailer, as there was almost no actual music at all up until the point I stopped playing.”
  • character development23 mentions

    Character development in the game is primarily highlighted through its stunning and memorable character designs, which are praised for their creativity and charm. While the visuals and cutscenes effectively convey personality and emotion, some reviews note that the depth of the characters' stories is lacking, suggesting that the focus is more on aesthetics than substantive narrative development. Overall, the art style and character interactions are celebrated, but the underlying character arcs may not fully satisfy those seeking deeper storytelling.

    • “Its charming, eclectic style paired with the fabulous character designs, gorgeously simple environments and fun little ditties make for an iconic and memorable experience.”
    • “The character designs are all cute and memorable, and the music was perfect.”
    • “The cute character design really suckered me into a game with no substance at all.”
    • “The character designs and their interactions are simple but adorable, and the real reward in this game is seeing all the cutscenes.”
    • “The character designs are cute, and once you get into it, you do really want to save each one.”
  • humor22 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its ability to blend comedic moments with horror, creating a unique experience that is both unsettling and amusing. Players appreciate the charming characters and funny scenarios, often finding themselves laughing amidst the scares. Overall, the game successfully balances humor and horror, making it a memorable and entertaining experience.

    • “Nails it aesthetically and has good emotional and funny moments.”
    • “Manages to be creepy, cute, funny, and scary all at the same time.”
    • “High recommend for whoever likes horror, not only is it genuinely scary normally, but it's a very surreal and surprisingly funny experience if you go for all the endings.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The game effectively blends emotional depth with humor, creating heartfelt moments that transition seamlessly into darker themes. Players appreciate its unique personality and the emotional attachment they develop to the characters, although some feel that the multiple endings lack the depth needed to sustain repeated playthroughs. Overall, it offers a visually stunning experience that evokes a range of emotions, from laughter to unease.

    • “This game oozes with personality and has an incredible ability to have a nice heartfelt scene transition right into a dark, grim, and twisted nightmare, and it never feels jarring.”
    • “Just wrapped up Subway Midnight on Steam Deck and I thoroughly enjoyed this wholesome, scary, quirky little indie gem.”
    • “Help, I'm emotionally attached to everyone in the cast!”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the different endings and engaging story that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find the gameplay shallow and frustrating, diminishing the incentive to replay. Additionally, the lack of achievements further limits its replay value for some users.

    • “It's an entirely different experience that has a bit of replay value to it.”
    • “The story is easy to digest, fun to unwrap, and encourages replay value for the other endings.”
    • “You're better off paying $9.99 for a way better game with genuine replayability.”
    • “And the last being that there's no achievement, so there isn't that much replay value.”
    • “This game is like if an artist wanted to make a video game; it's visually amazing and the art design is polished and cool, but the gameplay is shallow and frustrating, especially when you have to replay the game to get the other endings - it is not suited for replayability.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, players report that the game suffers from multiple bugs and glitches, which detracts from the experience. While some appreciate the game's style and atmosphere, the instability and lack of polish are frequently mentioned as significant drawbacks.

    • “I did also experience 2 glitches as well.”
    • “As a game, though, slow, monotonous, not well thought out, and really buggy.”
    • “The cons show up in the buggy, soulless gameplay that you're subjected to.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Users feel that the game's optimization could significantly improve with a performance update, suggesting that such an enhancement would justify the game's price.

    • “If they ever did a performance update, it would be, in my opinion, well worth the 10 bucks.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game appears to heavily incorporate merchandising, potentially serving as a subtle advertisement for Aggro Crab, the small fashion and sticker merchant that published it.

    • “It feels like the game is more focused on pushing microtransactions than providing a balanced experience.”
    • “The constant prompts to buy in-game currency really detract from the overall enjoyment.”
    • “I can't shake the feeling that the developers are prioritizing profit over player experience with all the monetization tactics.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
4-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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