One Of The Worst Parts Of Online Gaming Is A Hilarious Asset In This New Shooter

I’ve always had a soft spot for games that involve stealth and hide-and-seek elements. Growing up, I spent countless hours playing these types of games with my friends in real life, and it looks like Midnight Murder Club (MMC) from Velan Studios is set to scratch that itch in a digital format. Having had the opportunity to participate in the game’s first alpha, I can confidently say that MMC has all the right ingredients for an exhilarating and hilarious experience.


Hide-and-seek has always remained a favorite pastime of mine that never truly grew old. Fortunately, having children keeps me engaged in this game. The excitement of eluding discovery is enjoyable in the real world, and I suspect this contributes to my fondness for stealth games as well. In Midnight Murder Club (MMC), developed by Velan Studios (Knockout City, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit), stealth plays a significant role. However, due to proximity chat, this team-based multiplayer first-person shooter often results in uproarious and chaotic moments. During the recent alpha test of the game, my initial reactions were evident, even though these are not definitive indications of the final product, which may still be several months away from release. Nonetheless, the potential is clear, and I’m eager to witness its development further.

As a gamer in the Midnight Murder Club, I join forces with five other players for thrilling six-player rounds. Equipped with a trusty flashlight and a trustworthy revolver, we embark on various missions based on the chosen game mode. Free-for-all and team deathmatch are standard fare, but the game surprises us with less common modes. In one, we attempt to heist valuable items from locked vaults scattered across Wormwood Manor, then race against time to deposit them in a central hub before it seals shut. In another mode, two players go head-to-head against four. Although the odds seem stacked against us, there’s an advantage to being the smaller team: we can blend into the vast manor and remain elusive, making it harder for our opponents to track us down.

At midnight, the Murder Club’s refinement shines. The plush mansion recalls a luxurious Clue board game set, where each participant conceals a weapon. An intriguing concept on its own, yet it gains depth with the gameplay rules. In this pitch-black environment, flashlights are your only source of light. As you navigate, be aware that every step could reveal your position to hidden adversaries lurking in the shadows. Shooting isn’t exempted from consequences either; each bullet discharged leaves a brief red trail, revealing its trajectory for enemies to spot.

MMC’s best aspect may seem uncomplicated in use, but its impact on the game is significantly large. The game’s ominous quietness can expose your position when you break into a vault or creak open a door, but nothing compares to the danger of proximity chat. While it might appear easy to steer clear of its drawbacks, communication is vital in MMC, making it inevitable that you encounter its amusing repercussions. During my time with the alpha, I saw players sharing strategies quietly, while others disrupted the silence loudly, similar to a student bursting into a library playing music. Good-humored banter was prevalent as well, with the first players in the alpha eagerly exploring the game and seemingly thrilled to be part of it.

It’s quite amusing, in a “Of Mice and Men” kind of way, how trying to quietly coordinate with your teammate about your next move can backfire when an enemy is lurking close by, undetected in the darkness. And once the game reaches its chaotic phase, where you’re engaged in a gunfight with another team, the proximity chat and the game’s limited ammo, quick time-to-kill, and friendly fire elements come into play. In one of my rounds, a player attempted to mislead us by claiming he had us cornered, but was soon exposed as having run out of ammo entirely.

On another occasion, I deliberately revealed myself beyond a door, only to quietly open it a crack and throw in a blinding flashbang instead. The thrill of unexpectedly announcing yourself and then disrupting the adversaries’ reflexive response with an extra element is exhilarating. At times, encountering an enemy voice in complete darkness instills a sense of suspense–should I blindly shoot and hope to hit a target? Should I retreat and hide? Or perhaps just shout back and observe their reaction? These spontaneous instances add excitement to each upcoming session of MMC set to launch later this year.

One Of The Worst Parts Of Online Gaming Is A Hilarious Asset In This New Shooter

In other games, the addition of proximity chat can lead to unpleasant situations–my brother has shared disturbing experiences from his time on Call of Duty since this feature was introduced, and I believe this is why it hasn’t been implemented in Fortnite yet, given its younger player base. However, as more players join a game like MMC, proximity chat might pose similar challenges. I hope the game’s playful atmosphere encourages its users to express themselves freely without causing harm to others. Some gamers may opt for private voice chats instead, but I encourage many to utilize the in-game channel for effective communication and fun. Remember, communication is crucial not only for strategy in Midnight Murder Club but also for creating chaos.

The “Midnight Murder Club” game will be released this autumn for personal computers. For more information and updates on potential gameplay sessions, visit its Steam webpage or become a member of the developer’s Discord community.

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2024-07-16 00:09