It looks like Steam has another indie horror hit on its hands. Shift at Midnight, the new co-op horror game that went viral long before launch, is already receiving widespread praise from players. Just a day after releasing on July 22, the game has earned a 90% positive user rating on Steam, securing a Very Positive review score.
The game had already built plenty of momentum before release after popular creators like Markiplier and CaseOh streamed its free demo. That exposure helped turn it into one of the most anticipated co-op horror games on Steam, with many players praising its unique concept and nostalgic low-poly art style.
In Shift at Midnight, up to three players take on the night shift at a seemingly ordinary convenience store set in 1993 America. But instead of simply stocking shelves and serving customers, players must identify dangerous doppelgangers hiding among ordinary shoppers by carefully checking IDs and spotting subtle inconsistencies in their appearance.
If a fake slips through unnoticed, things can quickly spiral out of control. The game’s blend of tense detective work, survival horror, and chaotic co-op gameplay has drawn comparisons to Five Nights at Freddy’s and Papers, Please, while its unpredictable moments have also made it another standout “friendslop” game that is just as entertaining to watch as it is to play.
So far, as of the time of publishing this piece, more than 1200 Steam users have reviewed the full release, giving it a Very Positive rating. If that momentum continues, there’s a good chance the game could soon reach Steam’s coveted Overwhelmingly Positive status. That’s especially likely considering the free demo has already accumulated more than 8,000 reviews with an Overwhelmingly Positive score.
Players looking to jump in don’t necessarily have to buy it on Steam, either. Shift at Midnight is also available on Xbox Series X|S and recently joined Xbox Game Pass as part of the service’s July lineup. With glowing early reviews, a strong launch, and plenty of buzz across social media, Shift at Midnight is shaping up to be yet another indie success story in what’s already been an incredible year for smaller multiplayer games.
