Midnight Murder Club PS5 Review
Summary: Midnight Murder Club is a fun party game on the PS5, albeit repetitive.
3.5
Murdering fun!
It’s now time for PS5 owners to experience the darkness in Midnight Murder Club that is an intense and over the top horror party game thanks to developer Velan Studios. Known for their work on the stylised dodgeball game Knockout City, Velan Studios brings a unique and fun party experience to the first-person shooter genre.
The game’s premise is delightfully simple yet effective as you and up to five friends are dropped into a pitch-black mansion with only a flashlight a revolver and your wits. The goal is to be the last one standing a classic free-for-all deathmatch in the dark. Although there isn’t a deep narrative to follow, the minimal setup is all that’s needed to create a tense and thrilling game of hide-and-seek with a deadly twist. It’s a game about creating your own stories of near misses jump scares and close-quarters chaos with friends.
Gameplay is where Midnight Murder Club truly succeeds as the core mechanic revolves around light and darkness. Turning on your flashlight gives you a clear view of your surroundings but also makes you a beacon for every other player in the mansion. Firing your revolver leaves a brief red tracer revealing your position to anyone who sees it. This creates a constant tactical dilemma of risk versus reward where every action has an immediate consequence. You’ll also find yourself tiptoeing through corridors whispering with teammates in the proximity chat and holding your breath when you hear someone’s footsteps nearby.
In addition to the basic hide-and-seek and shooting mechanics the game introduces “Wildcards” that can dramatically alter a match. These powerful game-changers can do anything from filling the mansion with bear traps to letting you shoot through walls. This unpredictability keeps elvery round fresh and ensures that no single strategy can dominate. There’s also a cooperative PvE mode called “Graveyard Shift” where you and a friend team up to face supernatural forces a welcome change of pace from the typical PvP chaos. Like the PC version, Midnight Murder Clubs plays just as a well on the PS5, if not better, especially if you have an extra large TV.
Graphics & Audio
The game’s visual presentation leans into a low-light almost cartoonish horror aesthetic that is both spooky and comical. The environments of the mansion are detailed enough to feel like a real place but simple enough to not be distracting. The real highlight is the use of light and shadow with flashlights piercing the darkness to create moments of genuine suspense. Complementing the graphics is the sound design that is arguably the most crucial element. The proximity chat in particular is a stroke of genius allowing for hysterical moments of panicked whispers and triumphant shouts. Hearing the distant creak of a door or the sound of footsteps on a different floor is genuinely unnerving and adds a crucial layer of tension.
Final Thoughts?
Midnight Murder Club is a fantastic party game that is best enjoyed with a group of friends. While its competitive gameplay may not be for everyone the laughs and screams it produces are well worth the price of admission. The clever use of light darkness and proximity chat makes for a truly unique experience. All in all Velan Studios has created a fun and engaging title that’s perfect for a game night. With that said, the game does become a little repetitive and is best played in short bursts.
Related Posts
Little Nightmares III (PS5) Review →
Dreams of Another (PS5/PSVR2) Review →
Yooka-Re-Playlee Review (PS5) →
