The Last Crown: Midnight Horror
- October 29, 2015
- Darkling Room
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"The Last Crown: Midnight Horror" is a point-and-click adventure game centered around a ghost-hunter, Nigel Danvers, who investigates paranormal activities on Halloween night. This game serves as an interlude between "The Lost Crown" and "The Last Crown: Blackenrock," and continues the story-driven plot by Jonathan Boakes. Players must uncover a supernatural mystery while the veil between worlds is at its weakest.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great atmosphere and immersive experience, reminiscent of the original Lost Crown game.
- Fun and charming with quirky characters, making it enjoyable for fans of the series.
- Offers a nice interlude while waiting for the next installment, with engaging puzzles and humor.
- Significantly shorter than expected, leaving players wanting more content.
- Gameplay can be clunky and confusing, with some bugs and unclear progression.
- Feels more like a DLC or mini-game rather than a full-fledged sequel, lacking the depth of the original.
- story24 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story in this installment of the Lost Crown series is engaging and features interesting characters, but it lacks the depth and eerie atmosphere of its predecessor, often feeling light-hearted and somewhat cheesy. While it includes intriguing side stories and choices that affect outcomes, many players found the main plot to be short and repetitive, with some elements feeling forced. Overall, it serves as a fun, albeit less impactful, addition to the series, suitable for a Halloween-themed experience.
“I love this game, it has so many little side stories, just like the first game, alongside continuing the main story - except for no mention of Hadden, which is curious.”
“Really great story ideas and atmosphere.”
“It's a nice classic ghost story in the vein of some great Victorian writers, and it was the perfect game for the Halloween holiday season.”
“I did enjoy some of it and some parts were funny, but I felt like it was getting repetitive about halfway to the ending and the story is too short.”
“This takes place on Halloween and centers around a party and a ghost story, but the story was lackluster too. I realize it's really just a lead-in to the third installment, but I still don't see why this couldn't have been attached to the third one as an intro and then just had both packaged in one game.”
“From a plot standpoint, it's not particularly deep like its predecessor, but it's not supposed to be.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the "Lost Crown" games is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, enhanced by lo-fi graphics, a haunting soundtrack, and a unique English regionalism. Players appreciate the blend of humor and spookiness, with many noting that the atmosphere is best experienced in a dark, quiet setting. While some feel the sequel lacks the heavy atmosphere of the original, it still maintains a captivating and engaging ambiance that keeps players returning for more.
“Superb atmosphere, best enjoyed playing in a dark, silent room.”
“The tones and nuance of the atmosphere throughout the game's memorable scenes, the extremely accomplished and artful use of fairly lo-fi graphics, the eccentric yet sincere English regionalism of the setting and cast, intelligently written puzzles and mysteries, and a haunting soundtrack lifted that game above so many other ghostly themed titles.”
“The game oozes with atmosphere and style, and I love that it has kept the mostly black and white graphics which made the original game, The Lost Crown, so striking.”
“The atmosphere is totally different than the first game.”
“+ genuinely unsettling atmosphere”
“Of course, this being a short (it took me 4 hours to finish) Halloween special centered around a party in the bear, the atmosphere is less creepy and much more humorous, but that was quite enjoyable.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the near photo-realistic visuals and polished design, while others find them basic or cartoonish. The consistent black and white aesthetic is appreciated for its atmospheric quality, though some players feel that a full-color approach could have enhanced the experience. Overall, the graphics contribute to a unique art style that complements the gameplay and storytelling, despite some criticisms regarding character models and voice acting.
“His adventure games are so good, well designed, he builds up a nice well-designed area to explore with plenty of puzzles, great near photo-realistic graphics and great gameplay.”
“The graphics and atmosphere are just as immersive as in The Lost Crown, and the gameplay is quite similar, with all of our old friends from Saxton.”
“A fantastic game, graphically rich and brilliantly put together for Halloween.”
“Gameplay can be a bit clunky, but the story is good and the graphics are ok-ish.”
“I honestly prefer the graphics of the first game even though this one is supposed to look more polished. The characters, to me, just didn't have the same look I was used to from the first one, so some of the characters we revisit felt as if totally new actors took on a role in a show you're supposed to believe are the same people.”
“Playing area is very small with one crime to sort of solve; graphics are poor and don't feel right, i.e., cartoonish.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of strengths and weaknesses, with many praising the improved mechanics and immersive atmosphere, particularly in ghost-hunting elements. However, some players find the gameplay clunky and linear, leading to frustration when progress is hindered by specific interactions. Overall, while the design and puzzles are well-received, there are notable issues with execution and player freedom.
“It's so good, and I am very impressed by the improvement in gameplay mechanics. Very excited for Blackenrock!”
“His adventure games are so good, well designed, he builds up a nice area to explore with plenty of puzzles, great near photo-realistic graphics, and great gameplay.”
“The ghost-hunting mechanics are very similar but have been souped up a little to give the player somewhat more control over the situation rather than taking static pictures, and I appreciated that a lot.”
“I don't know why the launch menu is the only thing that counts as gameplay, which is both confusing and disappointing.”
“Gameplay can be a bit clunky, but the story is good and the graphics are just okay.”
“As far as this goes, it is rough around the edges with some of the voice acting being inconsistent and some minor bugs. However, the most disappointing aspect was the linear gameplay: even though I knew the solution to several puzzles, I could not progress unless I clicked on a certain object or talked to the right person, which forced me to consult a walkthrough to move on.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is generally well-received, with players appreciating its funny lines and lighthearted atmosphere, particularly in the context of a Halloween-themed party. However, some reviewers noted that the humor can become repetitive and is occasionally undermined by poor voice acting. Overall, while the humor contributes positively to the experience, it may not be enough to sustain interest throughout the short gameplay.
“Overall, the game has a nice atmosphere, humor, and fun enough gameplay.”
“Good sound, interesting art, humor, romance, and, of course, ghosts!”
“Of course, this being a short Halloween special centered around a party in the bear, the atmosphere is less creepy and much more humorous, but that was quite enjoyable.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback; while some users report significant freezing issues, particularly when interacting with certain elements, others have experienced minimal glitches and recommend frequent saving to mitigate potential problems.
“No menu choice comes up when I greet the trick or treaters, and the game freezes.”
“A little buggy (make sure you save often!).”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its haunting quality, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and emotional depth of memorable scenes. Coupled with artful visuals and intelligent puzzle design, the soundtrack elevates the overall experience, appealing to fans of similar titles.
“The tones and nuances of the atmosphere throughout the game's memorable scenes, the extremely accomplished and artful use of fairly lo-fi graphics, the eccentric yet sincere English regionalism of the setting and cast, intelligently written puzzles and mysteries, and a haunting soundtrack elevate that game above so many other ghostly themed titles.”
“The music, mood, visuals, and atmosphere should keep fans of TLC and the Darkfall games happy from beginning to end.”
“The music is forgettable and fails to enhance the overall experience of the game.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks the depth needed to engage players.”
“While the visuals are impressive, the music does not match the quality and often detracts from the atmosphere.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game maintains continuity with the original, featuring consistent graphics, sounds, scenery, and character design, which contributes to a familiar atmosphere for players.
