Yomawari: Midnight Shadows

Yomawari: Midnight Shadows mixes a creepy cute art style, atmospheric sound design and a heart warming story to create a comfy horror experience. A few jump scares aside, it captures the scary ambiance perfectly.

90%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, music

90% User Score Based on 227 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 14 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom €19.99

Buy NowGet on Steam€19.99

About

In "Yomawari: Midnight Shadows," two young girls become lost and separated from each other in a dark and foreboding town while trying to return home from a fireworks display. Players must navigate the shadows and hide from supernatural creatures, using items found in the environment to solve puzzles and progress through the game. The higher goal is to reunite the girls and uncover the haunting truth behind the town's sinister secrets, as revealed through notes and mysterious writings.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 227 reviews

story52 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game features gorgeous art and a beautifully crafted atmosphere that enhances the horror experience.
The story is rich and emotionally engaging, with well-developed characters and a compelling narrative that keeps players invested.
Gameplay improvements from the first game include a larger world to explore, new mechanics, and a more user-friendly save system.

The game can be frustrating due to cheap deaths and the placement of save points, which may require backtracking after dying.
Some boss fights feel tedious and unbalanced, with unskippable cutscenes that can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
The reliance on jump scares may detract from the overall horror experience for some players, making it feel less original.

story
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
67%
2%
The story in "Yomawari: Midnight Shadows" is generally praised for its depth and emotional engagement, expanding significantly on the narrative and character development from its predecessor. While some players found the writing lacking or the plot convoluted, many appreciated the darker themes and the intricate world-building that invites exploration and personal interpretation. Overall, the game is recommended for its compelling storytelling, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and gameplay mechanics.
- “The story is beautiful, and I strongly recommend playing it blind, since there's a lot of surprises.”
- “Midnight Shadows has a very strong story; the addition of being able to play multiple characters with their perspectives makes it very engaging and emotional.”
- “The story, while simple in its premise, is very well paced, interlaced with elements of exploration and discovery, and leads to a satisfying conclusion.”
- “Unfortunately, it only serves to show how poor the writing is, whereas it didn't matter in the previous game because the story is relatively unimportant.”
- “What made me recommend against this one is the story and ending.”
- “However, the story is really bad; the ending was awful and didn't feel rewarding at all to go through this chore of a game.”
gameplay
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
74%
8%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its improvements over the prequel, such as smoother mechanics and a larger map, while others criticize it for being repetitive, overly simplistic, and reliant on trial and error. Many players find the boss fights frustrating and tedious, often feeling like extended cutscenes rather than engaging gameplay. Overall, while the atmosphere and story are highlighted as strong points, the gameplay mechanics are seen as lacking depth and variety, leading to a less satisfying experience for some players.
- “The story was nice and the gameplay was way better than the prequel; the spirits were easier to understand and avoid, resulting in way less random deaths. I liked the addition of the previous map as a little extra.”
- “While I think the first game's story and storytelling are a bit better, this game is still amazing for what it brings to the table, and the gameplay improvements and fixes make movement and exploration feel even better.”
- “The gameplay is a lot more smoothed out than the first one, without many of the frustratingly tight moments of its predecessor.”
- “The gameplay of the game may leave you frustrated and unsatisfied since it's more about trial and error than skill or understanding the gameplay mechanics. Even by playing with the guide, there will be many sequences that will be hard to pass through without dying about three to five times.”
- “Between sluggish movement and tedious, repetitive gameplay, I really can't recommend this one.”
- “The gameplay sections can be fairly cheap and tedious at times, but most of the time it's pretty easy.”
graphics
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming "child's drawing" art style, which effectively combines cuteness with a dark, atmospheric setting. Reviewers noted the improved visuals and larger game world compared to its predecessor, enhancing the overall experience while maintaining a consistent aesthetic. The enchanting yet macabre visuals contribute significantly to the game's storytelling and emotional impact, making it a standout feature despite some minor graphical issues.
- “The ambience and aesthetics of this game are top notch (headphones are recommended).”
- “Incredibly beautiful graphics.”
- “This game is enchanting and horrifying at the same time - the cute art style mixed with macabre visuals and atmosphere work amazingly well together!”
- “Even if the art style and atmosphere have a special charm, I can't recommend this to anyone.”
- “It seems to run on the same engine, with minimal graphical improvements, but makes better use of its art style by challenging the setting with a greater amount of environments to explore.”
- “Once again the top-down view and art style helps prevent the game from living up to the horror tag, so if that's what you came for it might be a bit disappointing.”
atmosphere
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
39%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to blend charm with horror, creating a mystical and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of sound design, art style, and environmental storytelling to evoke feelings of unease and suspense, making it a standout feature despite some gameplay flaws. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as enchanting yet terrifying, successfully drawing players into its dark, explorative world.
- “This game is enchanting and horrifying at the same time - the cute art style mixed with macabre visuals and atmosphere work amazingly well together!”
- “The incredible job done towards maintaining its atmosphere and the sheer amount of exploration to be done are my favorite aspects of this game.”
- “Even if the art style and atmosphere have a special charm, I can't recommend this to anyone.”
- “The best thing that can happen to you playing this 'horror' is not a scary atmosphere, not a complicated and confusing plot, good graphics, or something.”
- “The atmosphere and ambience of the game is a repeat performance, with no actual music and just the sounds of the city and nature to keep you company.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
8%
83%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive backtracking and slow movement that detracts from the overall experience. While some improvements have been noted, such as reduced frustration compared to previous installments, many still feel that the repetitive nature of certain gameplay sections and the lack of fast travel options contribute to a grindy feel. Overall, the grinding can be a significant barrier to enjoyment for those who prefer a more streamlined experience.
- “Anyway, a pretty good game, not really difficult to beat, and not really grindy to 100%.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The biggest problem with them is that they're extremely tedious to redo and require a lot of waiting every single time.”
- “Between sluggish movement and tedious, repetitive gameplay, I really can't recommend this one.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of memorable tracks and a reliance on ambient noise that enhances the unsettling atmosphere. While some appreciate the chilling sound design and the quality of the credit song, others find the minimalistic approach to music—often replaced by constant heartbeat sounds or environmental noises—less engaging. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a step down from the original, with only a few standout moments.
- “It has a good soundtrack, easy to control, and as expected, it gives you a chill down the spine with its slow-paced gameplay like the previous games.”
- “A game you will loop its theme song over and over again after you finish the story.”
- “The game only has one song in it, but much like the first game, it is a great piece.”
- “I can only stand the endless hammering sound of a heartbeat as a soundtrack for so long, so I just gave up.”
- “Mood-wise, the game's spirits this time around are quite unnerving, which is accentuated by the lack of music (except for the credits that sport a much nicer song than the previous title) and the darker tone of the story.”
- “The music remains about on par with the original, containing a good credit song, but mainly being devoid of memorable tracks.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a deeply emotional experience with the game, particularly praising its strong narrative and character development, which foster genuine connections and investment in the story. The combination of engaging gameplay, atmospheric horror, and poignant moments leaves many feeling moved, with some expressing tears during the credits and a desire for more content. Overall, the emotional stakes and immersive world contribute significantly to the game's impact.
- “I got a little bit emotional after the last chapter and ending, so in the end I'm left with a positive experience rather than a negative one.”
- “Midnight Shadows has a very strong story; the addition of being able to play multiple characters with their perspectives makes it very engaging and emotional.”
- “Not only is it even moodier than the first, but the story is actually very engaging, with real emotional stakes thanks to the authentic bond between the two characters.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Overall, the game's performance is generally good, though some users noted minor issues that slightly detracted from the experience. The atmospheric sound design, featuring city and nature sounds, contributes positively to the immersion despite the lack of music.
- “Actual performance was overall good.”
- “Performance was a bit marred, but I still had fun.”
- “The atmosphere and ambience of the game is a repeat performance, with no actual music and just the sounds of the city and nature to keep you company.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game offers some replayability through unlocked areas and surprises after completing the story, but many players feel it lacks significant replay value, as it restricts exploration and collection of missed items unless starting over. Overall, while it can be enjoyable, it's recommended to wait for a sale due to its limited replayability.
- “The game has great replayability, as you unlock new areas after finishing the story, along with some nice surprises.”
- “Each playthrough offers unique challenges and experiences, making you want to dive back in.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two runs are the same, enhancing the game's replay value.”
- “As far as I saw, they made sure it had no replayability whatsoever unless you delete your file, so you can't even go back to collect the rest of the 'treasures' you missed or just look around.”
- “TL;DR - Like the other games NIS has been porting, it's a fun ride... but wait for a sale before purchasing due to lack of mileage and replayability.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game features a contrast between its simplistic and cute character designs and the unsettling spirit designs, creating a unique but somewhat dreary atmosphere. While the characters may appear charming, the overall tone suggests a deeper, more complex narrative beneath the surface.
- “This game may look cute with its round character design, yet it is also quite dreary.”
- “The character designs are simplistic and cute, while the spirit designs are unsettling.”