Exploring “The Midnight Walk VR” on SteamVR & PSVR 2: An Artful Grotesque Experience

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Okay, so imagine this: The Midnight Walk feels like you just landed smack in the middle of Tim Burton’s brain. Crazy, right? Visuals are out of this world, dark yet almost beautiful somehow. But, wait—do you slap on the headset for it? Let’s wander through that thought.

Oh, quick detour—here’s a peek at the deets:
– Publisher: Fast Travel Games
– Developer: MoonHood
– Platforms: Steam (VR optional), PS5 (VR optional)
– Reviewed On: Quest 3 via Steam Link
– Released: May 8th, 2025
– Price Tag: $40

Oh, where was I? Right, the game itself. The Midnight Walk—name kinda spills the beans—fits the walking simulator mold, alright. It’s mostly the visuals and story doing the heavy lifting. Gameplay? You get light puzzles and, oh, a bit of hide-and-seek with monsters. Fun? Maybe.

Here’s the thing—a major hook is its art style. It’s got this bizarre, handcrafted vibe. Developers say they made everything by hand and 3D scanned it. Result? A Burton-esque world that’s creepily stunning and sometimes just plain pretty.

Seeing it all in VR is a trip. You’re like mouse-sized, seriously. Details pop—textures, lighting, the whole shebang. But—and this bugs me—they hyped this ‘stop-motion’ animation thing, and you barely feel it. Sometimes it’s smooth, then it jerks awkwardly. Like, decide already! It felt more buggy than artsy.

And, the gameplay? Super basic. No brain-busting puzzles or wow moments. Nothing screams ‘VR must-play’. There are twisted creatures, sure, but no heart-pounding horror vibes. I mean, it’s the nightmare fuel that wasn’t scary enough to keep me awake.

I kept going, mainly to see what’s next. Maybe that’s the trick—it gets its kicks from visual wonder, less from gameplay pizzazz. Made me think of Dear Esther—that one was a ride too. Anyway, the story here? Poetic, maybe a tad obscure. Random narrators over here, no real characters to root for. Didn’t tick my box for engagement.

Let’s chat immersion—or missed chances, rather. VR should mean grabbing a key and twisting it, right? Nope, just press A. Flying machine whisking you away? Nope, press A again. Seriously, press-effing-everything.

Oh, and closing your eyes to catch audio cues is the one thing that feels kinda cool. On PSVR 2, you actually do it with your eyes—eye-tracking rocks. On PC? Eh, hold a trigger. Not quite the same.

Comfort-wise, it’s chill with slow movements. But cutscenes pan your view like a director on an espresso binge. Sometimes it’s just a dizzy tilt. Weirdly not uncomfortable but, you know, jarring.

So, there’s that. A game of mesmerizing visuals but begging for deeper, hands-on interaction. Misses a few marks but, hey, still worth a look if the art grabs you.