Subway Midnight Review: Don't Stop Believin'
Have you ever been in a situation that you could have sworn was reality, but things twist and turnt that in no way could it be happening in reality? A dream that you knew couldn’t actually be happening but felt too real at the same time? Climb aboard Subway Midnight, because you’re in for a trip.
Story
During our conversation with developer Bubby Darkstar, Subway Midnight is best described as a haunted house. The game all takes place all within a subway train, with each train car offering a fresh surprise in terms of aesthetics and tone every time you step through a set of train car doors. It’s actually quite difficult to go further into detail beyond that, purely because Subway Midnight is best experienced first hand without any prior knowledge of what you’ll be facing.
Having said that, Subway Midnight opens with your character waking up on a subway train car. Walking towards the exit to depart this train, with a looming dark presence over your shoulders, nothing is as it should be. Ranging from cute to truly “WTF?”, you’ll encounter an expansive, unpredictable range of scenarios throughout your journey. The ultimate goal is to escape. But along your way out, you may encounter others who may be in need of your assistance; ones with their own fascinating stories to share.
Subway Midnight is literally a horror game in definition, but it truly plays with what is possible within the horror genre. The game is rarely scary (save for one potential jump scare), and more-so plays into both the unsettling sensation of the surrounding environments, as well the unknown feeling of what is behind the next set of doors. This makes the game one of the most accessible horror experiences we have possibly ever encountered within the gaming space. In a genre flooded in a reliance on dark, gritty environments filled with violence, gore, and cheap jump scares, Subway Midnight’s approach within horror is a breath of fresh air.
Presentation
Subway Midnight is a stunning experience. 3D backgrounds and objects mixed with hand-drawn 2D Animated characters create an out-of-place yet strange belonging contrast against the muted and smooth train cars. That is when the game isn’t playing with color, and boy does it play with color. Going from a train car with the muted lighting and cold metal to vast arrays of colors penetrating your skull happens frequently and never wears out its welcome. In lamest terms, while unsettling, experiencing the next car throughout the entire game is flat out fun.
The hand-drawn characters (and some items) are lovingly crafted and have early 2000’s Genndy Tartakovsk y(Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack) feel to them. Stunted movement from characters accentuates the contrast against the fluid 3D background even further. The dance between the 2D and 3D is a tango that pays off big time, creating a unique visual style that Subway Midnight can call its own.
Gameplay
Subway Midnight falls into a space of dipping its toes within multiple genres and various mechanics. Primarily, Subway Midnight could be described as a walking simulator; walk from one end of the train to the next. Within those various train cars though lie items, characters, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it puzzles. Between the beginning to end, you’ll be coming across several different characters on this cursed train. The game doesn't give you a tutorial or tell you to do anything, but if you want a different (and more satisfying) ending, it's up to you to help these other characters through actions you can take throughout your journey.
You could say the train holds different vignettes for each of the characters, and within them the clues to helping each character. A fair word of warning, though, is that it can be very easy to miss these markers, henceforth causing you to miss their full story on first try. The game doesn’t feel cheap in this regard though, and it’s not a hindrance to go through the train again for a different result. You can go back in for multiple playthroughs to revisit vignettes you may have not completed. This is actually encouraged, with a subsequent playthrough potentially holding its own secrets to uncover. And thankfully, if you have successfully fulfilled a character’s story in your first playthrough, you do not have to play through it again in your second.
Breakdown
Game: Subway Midnight
Developer: Bubby Darkstar
Availability: PC
Reviewed on PC
Pros:
+ A presentational marvel
+ Astounding utilization of color
+ Great hand drawn character animation
+ Surprise around every corner
+ That one jump-scare
+ The characters and their stories
Cons:
- Blink-and-you-miss-it moments can be frustrating once you realize it’s not just a walking sim, but replayability makes this a truly niche critique
Final Thoughts
Subway Midnight came out of nowhere. Once an out of the blue Twitter video showcasing a unique vision of indie horror game, and now weeks later, experiencing it first hand and feeling that it is something truly special. It is a prime example of what the horror genre can (and should) include moving forward. Given the genre’s track record, horror can be a hard sell for most. But between the outstanding visual language and avoidance of cliche horror tropes, Bubby Darkstar has crafted a masterful, accessible entry point into horror for all. Subway Midnight comes with an easy recommendation, one that is plentifully worth the train fare.
Reviewed by Mike Towndrow & Matthew Wright