I often use video games to chill out late at night or to take a step back from the day and just unwind. But when it comes to the games themselves, they’re often not all that easygoing or slowly paced. This is one of the reasons why quieter and sometimes simpler games are always great to have in your back pocket.
Midnight Moments does a great job of just being, as the kids say, a vibe.
It blends a pure cyberpunk atmosphere and design into an easy-to-understand, low-stakes package that is really just about creating. There’s no timer, and there are no high scores. As the title suggests, there are just moments.
Crafting the Midnight Moments Scene
There’s very little in your way when it comes to Midnight Moments’ interface and overall approach. Happy Volcano has done a nice job of dipping your gaming feet into creative waters from the get-go. I’d say a little bit more information or a small, mandatory tutorial would have helped me, but I quickly got over that hurdle and began my cyberpunk creations almost immediately.
But what exactly is this self-described cyberpunk diorama game? I viewed it as a mostly open-ended canvas of creative, nightlife vibes. The game begins quietly and simply, giving you either a prebuilt building to play with or the option to start from scratch. I opted for a bit of aid and worked on the previously built structure.
With a minimalist approach throughout, there are small icons on the left side of the screen that you can open to see available blocks, walls, wires, lights, stairs, doors, railings, and even people to place in your world. All the while Midnight Moments sinks you into its diorama world with the hum of the lights and a light pattering of rain.
Placing items of all kinds is very easy to understand and operate. Its click-and-drag system is intuitive, and each piece attaches in place with a satisfying sound. Each piece does have a ‘snap’ placement, though, limiting some of what I had in mind when I made certain selections. Not a deal-breaker, but one I wish wasn’t always there for some of the smaller placements, like lights or glowing windows.
Once I got a handle on what each item was in the side menu, I sifted through ideas and brainstormed how to make something unique. I began with adding to the pre-made structure, but once I moved on to a blank slate, I felt like I could create a pretty elaborate scene. I don’t always spend a ton of time on games with a very open-ended approach because I like to see and experience what developers have crafted. But Midnight Moments may have tapped into something unexpected for me.
I found myself putting down ideas, altering what was there, trying to improve on what I had played out in my head. And even though I could create almost anything I wanted within the game’s provided items, I never felt overwhelmed. The area you work with isn’t too big; there is no time limit or pressure here, and there are just enough tools at your disposal that you’ll have lots to choose from without feeling bogged down with choice paralysis.
Because Midnight Moments doesn’t have any set goals or tasks for you to accomplish, the design centred on the core mechanics of creating goes a long way toward making this a complete package. I have lots of praise for the sound design in this game, as the visuals look great, and so does the world you’re creating. Small chatter from the people you’ve placed, the light rain, background ambient sounds; it all worked for me and helped me get more connected with what I was placing on the canvas.
It’s all very cool the way things come together. I got sucked into the moment quite a few times and realized that my tinkering and idea of ‘perfection’ for any particular structure took me to places I didn’t realize I’d go. And it’s not just buildings you can create; you can make whatever you’d like. As the developers have said, the game is really about the vibes.
They’ve also said Midnight Moments goes great with podcasts, music listening or winding down. And while the latter may be true, it’s hard to look away from the very stylized cyberpunk world on display. The glow of the lights and the overall atmospheric cinematography are really great.
Verdict
Midnight Moments may have won me over in a genre I normally don’t gravitate towards. I say may because I’m still playing it and working on more scenes filled with glowing streetlights, citizens chattering, and buildings where I can imagine almost anything happening inside.
This is a very well-designed chill game with no pressure and a great canvas of vibing creativity.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC
