Midnight Fight Express: Battery Ballet
Out of all the titles highlighted during Summer Game Fest and the adjacent shows, one game that caught my eye was Midnight Fight Express. While I don't have as extensive of a history with the beat ‘em up genre, the work that Jacob Dzwinel achieved has awoken a new love within me. In a city under siege by criminals, it’s up to your bare hands and a drone to be its savior and punish those responsible in the most ruthless and violent ways possible.
Midnight Fight Express places the player in the shoes of Babyface, an ex-criminal and sleeper agent who finds himself trying to thwart a city-wide takeover by the same criminal network he used to run with. Activated and accompanied by a mysterious talking drone, the player is immediately thrusted into high octane hand-to-hand combat that only ramps up in intensity from foe to foe. Punches, kicks, dodges, counters, and everything in between; combat feels like dance backed by a killer electronic soundtrack. The foes vary in size and type. Regular street thugs stocked with a variety of weapons make up a majority of who you’ll be dishing out punishment towards. Keeping a keen eye on their hands to spot weapons is a requirement when entering a room. Larger brute enemies can grapple you and require a quick time event to escape. Their defenses have to be whittled down as well before you can start doing real damage to them. The subtle variety in enemies will always keep players on their toes when it comes to strategy.
No matter the hit, the power behind each one is felt. It makes for an exhilarating experience when clearly outnumbered and on-the-fly improvisation is successful. Whether that improvisation comes from a carefully thrown object which creates an opening, or landing a haymaker to disarm a foe, the satisfaction is unmatched. Melee weapons are devastating to enemies, but with the trade off that they degrade incredibly fast. Handguns are also devastating, however with very limited ammo, the upper hand a gun grants is short lived. Not to be alarmed though! Once a gun is out of ammo, it can be used as a melee weapon.
Progression offers lite player agency through skill trees. Fighter, parry and counter, finishers, grapple, rope, and secondary gun; all choices to help expand on specific combat styles. Unfortunately, the rope and secondary gun were locked for the demo. However, the effect of the skill trees shined through finishers and counters. Not only did the newly unlocked skills add to the satisfaction of combat, but they enhanced the cathartic feeling of natural progression. The on-the-fly combat, varied approaches, and different fighting styles make for a wildly entertaining experience from stage to stage.
Midnight Fight Express is separated into multiple stages which grants letter grades delivering a feverish arcadey experience on top of the intriguing narrative. Diversity in kills, the speed of a run, and the ability to stay alive all factor into the graded performance. At least in the demo, letter grades appear to purely serve the purpose of personal achievement. However, unlocks and rewards for the player’s efforts lie within in-game challenges. These challenges range from skill kills, completing a run untouched or under a certain amount of time, or finding particular objects. Challenges and letter grades up the replay value immensely, and the hook is quick to get stuck in.
Midnight Fight Express is best described in three words; fast, brutal, and satisfying. Even in the demo alone, the game is a high octane thrill ride from the second it starts. Honestly, it may be the closest thing to a Daredevil game we ever get. Heck, Dzwinel very much knows this with the aptly named “Dareman” unlockable costume. Combat is heavy and impactful. The growth in abilities are dramatic, yet grounded in familiar fighting styles. The heavy electronic score compliments the moment-to-moment scenarios perfectly, with every song pulsing in intensity from foe to foe. I’ve played through the demo now more times than I can count and still haven’t felt fatigue despite only having access to the first three stages. If that doesn’t speak for its replayability, I don't know what will.
Jacob Dzwinel’s brutal brawler is set to launch on PC and consoles on August 23rd, 2022.
Written by Justin Hyde