Midnight is Lost Review – By Duncan Baxter

Written by Duncan Baxter,

Midnight is Lost is a game that caters to two types of players. If you’re a fan of Sokoban-style puzzles, then this game will definitely pique your interest. However, if you’re an achievement hunter, then Midnight is Lost is a game to boost your gamer score.

In Midnight is Lost, you play as Midnight, a cat who has found himself stranded on a mysterious island. Your goal is to help Midnight find his way back home by solving a series of puzzles that require you to move objects and clear paths. What sets this game apart from other Sokoban games is that you need to solve puzzles backward, adding a unique twist to the gameplay.

Sokoban is a type of puzzle game that originated in Japan in the 1980s. The objective of the game is to push boxes or other objects around a maze-like environment, in order to get them to their designated storage locations. 

As you play through the game, you’ll encounter a unique twist on the classic Sokoban gameplay. Unlike traditional Sokoban puzzles where you move objects forward, you must solve puzzles backward in this game. This means you need to carefully plan your moves in reverse order, which adds an extra layer of challenge to the gameplay. The backward puzzle-solving mechanic will test your spatial reasoning skills and require you to think outside the box to solve the increasingly complex puzzles. It’s a refreshing take on the Sokoban genre that makes Midnight is Lost stand out from other puzzle games.

While Midnight is Lost’s backward puzzle-solving twist is a fun and refreshing take on the Sokoban genre, it can also be quite challenging and confusing at times. As you progress through the 30 levels, the puzzles become increasingly complex, and you’ll need to use all your spatial reasoning skills to figure out the solutions. Even without the backward puzzle-solving aspect, some of the puzzles can be quite tricky to solve.

One of the major issues is the control scheme, which can be overly sensitive and not very intuitive. At times, it can be difficult to know which direction you need to push the character to move them in the desired direction. For example, you might think you need to push down to move the character down, when it could actually be left or right. This can lead to frustrating moments where you inadvertently move the character in the wrong direction and have to start the puzzle over. While the control scheme is not a deal-breaker, it does detract from the overall experience of the game and can be a source of frustration.

Another issue with Midnight is Lost is the balance of the 30 levels, which can feel a little off. While you might expect the difficulty to increase linearly as you progress through the game, there are times when the difficulty spikes are a little random. You might find yourself struggling to solve a particularly challenging puzzle, only to move on to an easier level soon after. This can disrupt the flow of the game. 

Visually, Midnight is Lost features bright and colourful graphics that are pleasing to the eye. The environments and objects are well-designed and add to the overall charm of the game. However, the fixed camera position can sometimes obscure part of the puzzle, which can be frustrating when trying to solve a particularly challenging level. In terms of audio, the soundtrack and sound effects are fine and serve their purpose well. While the graphics and audio are not the main selling points of the game, they provide a solid foundation for the overall experience.

For achievement hunters, Midnight is Lost offers a total of 11 achievements to unlock. However, some of these achievements can be quite challenging to obtain, especially if you’re not a fan of the Sokoban puzzle genre. If you’re not familiar with this genre, it might be worth using a guide to help you through the more difficult puzzles. Using a guide can save you a lot of time and frustration, as the puzzles can be quite tricky to solve without the proper experience. With the help of a guide, it’s possible to complete the game and unlock all the achievements in under an hour.

Midnight is Lost is a game that is best suited for fans of the Sokoban puzzle genre and achievement hunters. While the backward puzzle-solving twist adds a unique twist to the gameplay, the control scheme can be frustrating at times. Additionally, the level balance could be improved to create a more consistent and satisfying experience. However, if you enjoy Sokoban puzzles and are looking for a game that will test your spatial reasoning skills, then Midnight is Lost is definitely worth checking out. If you’re not familiar with this genre or prefer more straightforward puzzle-solving mechanics, then it might be best to look elsewhere.