Midnight Train is a mystery/adventure game with horror elements made using RPG Maker VX Ace. The game is focused on exploration, story and puzzles. It's an episodic game, there are four chapters in total. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 are currently available, and Chapter 4 is in development.
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I am absolutely FLOORED as to how this hasn't garnered more attention because HOLY SHITTTT this is one of the better RPG maker games in terms of story, puzzles, and action. Straight up, get this game and play it, it's free. Or, wait for the remake to come out (which I will probably also play)!
The gameplay is your typical RPG maker horror with puzzle elements and occasional death traps. Normally, I'm not a fan of them with what I've gathered from playing Ao Oni and Misao (which I'll review later on) but these mechanics were so well-balanced that I ended up enjoying them. The puzzles were honestly not that frustrating and if they ever were, I was able to use the game's hint system to help me out. I think I only got stuck about once or twice towards the end of the game but I was able to work it out all by myself. As for the instant death traps, they're not entertaining like they are in Misao or the Witch's House but they're relatively uncommon, and the saves are forgiving so you can jump right back into the game.
The real thrill comes from the sections of danger. There are several types of this, but the thing they have in common is that they put you at risk of game over. Again, getting a game over practically means nothing but it provides some tension in my eyes. My favorite part is easily Neil's Deduction, where you take a turn into Ace Attorney but simpler. I felt the thrill of being a detective like Neil.
Speaking of Neil, now would be a good time to get into the story. I'm a big fan as it's about the characters running from their repressed guilt and trauma (which should be familiar to anyone who's played ANOTHER horror RPG from the year 2020) but it takes on the form of a physical manifestation of purgatory and torture as the characters learn to work with and trust in each other. It works well the works of the supernatural as I'll try not to spoil, but it also definitely tries to integrate some philosophy in there with asking a question about treating crime. Albeit, not as well as everything else as we've empathized with one perspective for far too long to really consider both sides fairly.
But there is a deeper theme than that that Midnight Train brings up, and that's the judgement of character. All of the characters involved have dark backstories that shape their perception of themselves that the train takes advantage of, and the game is all about overcoming them. It asks them if they deserve to be free from their imprisonment while others die or eternally suffer. In the most cruel way, it demands them to be confident in themselves.
It also tests their character. What would you do if you were to lose your ticket out of there? Would you help everyone so you can avoid the same fate? Or would you try to deceive someone else to gain their ticket, thus trapping them? It's a question of survival that can eat away at the character of even otherwise good people, and the game does a great job exploring it.
Unfortunately, the game does fall a bit flat in terms of dialogue. There are periods of time where characters dump their whole life story, or other times where characters seem to break down their walls maybe a bit too quickly. There are also times when the theme of guilt is expressed by the characters maybe a bit too overtly. Like Neil's lack of self-esteem. He expresses it by repeating to himself how pathetic he is. It's not all the time and there are other moments to help him be the most relatable character to me, but I didn't get that feeling of pure depressive ranting like I did with Re:Kinder. I like it more when the train becomes aggressive with trying to get the characters to give up. Nonetheless, every character is well-written with always more to them than meets the eye, That in of itself is difficult to achieve with a four hour game and I applaud it for pulling it off. Bonus points for the great artstyle and even some original music to supplement the game's more tender moments. This looks really good for an RPG Maker VX Ace game.
To make it better, they're remaking this game in MV!! And they're adding better maps, better graphics, more puzzles, and more endings!! I hope the remake takes the opportunity to iron out some of the flaws I talked about and help give this game the attention it so truly deserves.
In the end, it doesn't have the same emotional impact that Re:Kinder did for me, but it's a far more balanced experience that I'd have an easier time recommending for someone looking to get into the genre.
The gameplay is your typical RPG maker horror with puzzle elements and occasional death traps. Normally, I'm not a fan of them with what I've gathered from playing Ao Oni and Misao (which I'll review later on) but these mechanics were so well-balanced that I ended up enjoying them. The puzzles were honestly not that frustrating and if they ever were, I was able to use the game's hint system to help me out. I think I only got stuck about once or twice towards the end of the game but I was able to work it out all by myself. As for the instant death traps, they're not entertaining like they are in Misao or the Witch's House but they're relatively uncommon, and the saves are forgiving so you can jump right back into the game.
The real thrill comes from the sections of danger. There are several types of this, but the thing they have in common is that they put you at risk of game over. Again, getting a game over practically means nothing but it provides some tension in my eyes. My favorite part is easily Neil's Deduction, where you take a turn into Ace Attorney but simpler. I felt the thrill of being a detective like Neil.
Speaking of Neil, now would be a good time to get into the story. I'm a big fan as it's about the characters running from their repressed guilt and trauma (which should be familiar to anyone who's played ANOTHER horror RPG from the year 2020) but it takes on the form of a physical manifestation of purgatory and torture as the characters learn to work with and trust in each other. It works well the works of the supernatural as I'll try not to spoil, but it also definitely tries to integrate some philosophy in there with asking a question about treating crime. Albeit, not as well as everything else as we've empathized with one perspective for far too long to really consider both sides fairly.
But there is a deeper theme than that that Midnight Train brings up, and that's the judgement of character. All of the characters involved have dark backstories that shape their perception of themselves that the train takes advantage of, and the game is all about overcoming them. It asks them if they deserve to be free from their imprisonment while others die or eternally suffer. In the most cruel way, it demands them to be confident in themselves.
It also tests their character. What would you do if you were to lose your ticket out of there? Would you help everyone so you can avoid the same fate? Or would you try to deceive someone else to gain their ticket, thus trapping them? It's a question of survival that can eat away at the character of even otherwise good people, and the game does a great job exploring it.
Unfortunately, the game does fall a bit flat in terms of dialogue. There are periods of time where characters dump their whole life story, or other times where characters seem to break down their walls maybe a bit too quickly. There are also times when the theme of guilt is expressed by the characters maybe a bit too overtly. Like Neil's lack of self-esteem. He expresses it by repeating to himself how pathetic he is. It's not all the time and there are other moments to help him be the most relatable character to me, but I didn't get that feeling of pure depressive ranting like I did with Re:Kinder. I like it more when the train becomes aggressive with trying to get the characters to give up. Nonetheless, every character is well-written with always more to them than meets the eye, That in of itself is difficult to achieve with a four hour game and I applaud it for pulling it off. Bonus points for the great artstyle and even some original music to supplement the game's more tender moments. This looks really good for an RPG Maker VX Ace game.
To make it better, they're remaking this game in MV!! And they're adding better maps, better graphics, more puzzles, and more endings!! I hope the remake takes the opportunity to iron out some of the flaws I talked about and help give this game the attention it so truly deserves.
In the end, it doesn't have the same emotional impact that Re:Kinder did for me, but it's a far more balanced experience that I'd have an easier time recommending for someone looking to get into the genre.
Very fun puzzles, one of the few games where i had to take pen and paper.
I LOVE how they use brute force instead of solving a puzzle when you can just break down the door/chest, it is so refreshing.
Some segments are harder then simil-RPG Maker games of this genre but that's so refreshing for me.
A must if you love the genre, the characters are really likeable and the story is not that predictable. Play it!
Vote: 8
Time spent traveling on a train at midnight: 7H 17M
I LOVE how they use brute force instead of solving a puzzle when you can just break down the door/chest, it is so refreshing.
Some segments are harder then simil-RPG Maker games of this genre but that's so refreshing for me.
A must if you love the genre, the characters are really likeable and the story is not that predictable. Play it!
Vote: 8
Time spent traveling on a train at midnight: 7H 17M
found the cast of this one much more likeable than aria's story (developer's first work) and was following development as it went. again just like the previous game i feel like the plot twist was a bit flimsy but less than in aria's story's case