Imagine you are an overnight clerk at a convenience store tasked with running the store while saving the world from otherworldly doppelgangers that are bent on causing general mayhem and destruction. Welcome, then, to Shift at Midnight, a new indie title with a retro look and strange appeal that can be played alone or with others. Released just last week on PC and Xbox after a delay (or was it two, or more?), Shift at Midnight had been on my radar for some time, even though neither horror games nor simulations are much in my wheelhouse. Still, its trailers, at least, made it seem like something worth trying.  After spending an afternoon doing just that – trying – I’m not sure I have it in me to be the graveyard shift store clerk this game demands.

Shift at Midnight’s setup is simple. Players assume the role of a nightshift store clerk who must (1) run a quick stop store and gas station, (2) raise money to care for a rescue animal, and (3) identify and “remove” doppelgangers that, in their monstrous forms, range from eerie to wacky. Controls consist of basic movement, interacting with things in the environment, and having the ability to hold two, and only two, objects at a time.* Settings include the store’s interior, complete with a bathroom, employee room, and storage room; a front lot with a gas pump and nearby bus station; and, at times, a forested area behind the store. There are also lots of items with which to interact, from the store cash register, computer, and gas pump, to mops, trash bags, useable tokens that randomly proliferate, boxes of store stock, and, of course, weapons. Turning some “customers” into piles of meat is just part of the job.

*My mistake. During a later session, I realized “backpack” upgrades, which allow players to carry more items, are available through the store’s shop.

Upon firing up a solo game and choosing my rescue animal (a cat I named Goose), I was presented with the task of working thirteen nights at the store. And by working, I mean working! Not only did I need to attempt to keep the store stocked, but also, I had to order supplies, clean the bathroom, take out the trash, ring up customers, pump gas, clear out pests, and answer the phone. Never mind the fact that above all, I also had to use my poor detective skills, combined with the store’s computer and occasional other gadgets, to weed out doppelgangers from regular customers. That process involved both talking to them and comparing their answers and their physical appearance to information in a database. Spot a liar, take them out, and then clean up the mess…if time permits. As the game progresses, the number of customers increases, especially if you happen to be good at making the store look welcoming. The messier (and bloodier) it becomes, the more likely you’ll receive bad reviews. That said, this game doesn’t take itself too seriously and is imbued with a good sense of humor. I definitely found myself chuckling along the way.

Being good at your job brings in money, some of which goes towards the store and can then be used to buy stock, stuff for your armory, store decorations, and personal upgrades (health, medicine, etc.). Some of your money also stays with you and can be used to help your pet. Choosing to do so will allow your companion to join you on occasional nights and “help out.” My pal Goose, for instance, helped me clean up dismembered doppelganger limbs, meaning I didn’t have to go around picking them up one by one and then disposing of them in a nearby dumpster. (Good kitty!) Making money also factors in reaching a nightly earning quota, which increases with each new night. Money comes in from customers making purchases, and it is taken away when you do away with a human being, to the tune of $15.00 per “accident.” In Shift at Midnight, it pays to be a good detective, to say the least.

At this point, you may be thinking, hey, where the heck are the scares?? Oh, they are everywhere and anywhere in this mundane and yet unsettling game. The only time Shift at Midnight isn’t stressful in some way is when you complete a night without letting at least one doppelganger get away. To some degree, it could be said “that’s when the fun begins.” Allowing a doppelganger to go free sets off an alarm at the end of a shift, during which you have sixty seconds to lock down the store, set traps, and arm yourself, before a giant, glowing red, spider-like “entity” arrives, either by itself or with other monstrosities in tow. The idea is to hide rather than fight, wearing down the entity’s patience. But the choice can be made to take on the entity (and its crew) head-on to drive it away.

In my afternoon with Shift at Midnight, I made it up to night eight before the belief set in that this is a game that requires other players. The feeling wasn’t the same as it was with my solo attempt at Escape the Backrooms, which I felt would simply be a more enjoyable experience with friends. No. In Shift at Midnight, I needed a team! I needed more help just running the store to keep it clean, stocked, and make quotas, let alone identifying doppelgangers. I absolutely appreciate that single-players were thought of by the Shift at Midnight team, but the game ran like a multiplayer experience from the start. That said, those with more fortitude and focus probably wouldn’t have much trouble making it through a thirteen-night run, because there is a story to explore behind the scenes and reason as to why the doppelgangers exist. As for me, if I decide to give Shift at Midnight another go solo, I think I’ll have to have a notebook handy, along with better glasses, more patience, and a bigger…mop.

All images, including lede, were captured by during Xbox Series S gameplay of Shift at Midnight (© Bun Muen Games).