Why Midnight Murder Club Could Be Your Next Multiplayer Obsession

Why Midnight Murder Club Could Be Your Next Multiplayer Obsession

Velan Studios has finally moved Midnight Murder Club out of Early Access after just five brisk months, and it arrives with a simple yet potent hook: a first-person party-horror shooter set in a pitch-black mansion where your flashlight, your voice, and your wits are both weapon and weakness. It occupies that sweet spot between tense whispers and uproarious friendly fire, where every creak and shout can end in a belly laugh or a brutal betrayal. After watching games like Lethal Company, Phasmophobia, and Midnight Ghost Hunt thrive on social chaos, Velan’s take feels smart, focused, and tailor-made for a Friday-night crowd.

• Guest Pass: One purchase on PS5 or Steam unlocks lobbies for your entire crew.
• Graveyard Shift PvE: A new cooperative mode that supports solo or duo runs with compact, replayable objectives.
• Wildcard Mutators: Halo-style skulls on steroids—booby traps, explosive kills, shrinking penalties, and endless combinations.
• Longevity Concerns: Population health, proximity-chat moderation, and post-launch content will make or break its lifespan.

Breaking Down the Launch Highlights

Midnight Murder Club revolves around a tight risk-reward loop: your flashlight reveals enemies but also turns you into a glowing target, and proximity voice chat helps coordinate—and betrays—you the moment you panic or brag. Imagine hide-and-seek with shotguns, all inside the pitch-black halls of Wormwood Manor. This is a “party-first” shooter, not a tactical eSport contender. It’s built to capture the energy of a co-op couch night and the unpredictability of a Discord call—only here, the house itself is out to kill you.

Graveyard Shift: Your Solo and Duo Safety Net

The headline addition is the PvE mode known as Graveyard Shift. Up to two players hunt down cursed relics scattered across the manor, bring them back to a vault, and fend off escalating demonic interference. The enemy roster already boasts personality: kamikaze fireball-spitting skulls, near-invisible shadows, and relentless hunters that punish any open mic. Cleansing relics grants temporary buffs, but dawdle too long and the mansion’s malevolence ramps up. It’s a tidy objective loop designed to deliver “one more run” vibes, whether you’re flying solo or teaming up with a friend.

Wildcard Mutators: Chaos by Design

On top of the core experience sits a deck of Wildcard mutators you can slot in before every match. Think Halo skulls but dialed up: bear traps strewn across corridors, chandeliers rigged to explode at the slightest touch, victims bursting into chain-reacting fireballs, and even a shrink-on-death mode complete with cartoonish squeaky voices. While the marketing promise of “millions of combinations” leans on optimistic math, the spirit is clear—these toys are community fuel, encouraging players to experiment and share their most memorable wipeouts.

Velan’s Multiplayer Track Record

What sets this apart from “another spooky shooter” is Velan’s pedigree in social play. Knockout City proved they can craft pure, readable chaos with a high skill ceiling—though its shutdown serves as a cautionary tale. Velan’s other ventures, from Mario Kart Live to Hot Wheels Rift Rally, showcase a studio that thrives on playful innovation. Midnight Murder Club fits that DNA: it’s easy to learn, primed for hilarious storytelling moments, and shines when you’re laughing at your own demise.

Key Takeaways for Gamers

• Platforms: Available now on PlayStation 5 and Steam. Cross-play details remain unconfirmed—important for keeping lobbies full.
• Playstyles: Perfect for groups that relish proximity-chat chaos. If you crave competitive clarity, the darkness-first design may feel intentionally messy.
• Solo Viability: Graveyard Shift offers a structured progression loop, so you’re not stranded if friends bail.
• Moderation Tools: Proximity chat is magic until it’s grief. Robust mute/report options, audio calibration, and quick toggles will be essential for public lobbies.
• Map Variety: All action takes place in Wormwood Manor. Fresh layouts or rotating map events will be vital to avoid staleness.

Longevity Factors

Ultimately, Wildcards could be the game’s secret sauce or its Achilles’ heel. The best mutators strike a balance—enough chaos to spark emergent stories (“remember the chandelier wipe?”) but not so much that matches become unreadable. A solid default ruleset, rotating featured Wildcard mixes, and clear server-browser tags will be critical. Equally important: a steady stream of new maps, demons, and cards to keep the community engaged beyond the initial buzz.

Final Verdict

Midnight Murder Club makes a compelling case for your next game-night obsession by leaning hard into what makes multiplayer sing right now: tight, laugh-out-loud sessions, memorable failures, and tools that let groups tailor the experience. The Guest Pass is a stroke of genius—lowering the buy-in barrier might be the difference between vibrant lobbies and an empty server list. My usual caveats apply: will there still be players in three months? Can Velan ensure voice chat doesn’t devolve into chaos? Will post-launch support deliver new content? Early Access’s brief timeline suggests a focused team and quick iteration—a promising sign if they maintain momentum.