Midnight Heist 1.0 Review: Phasmophobia Meets Payday, and It Works Surprisingly Well

Finally, a horror game that gives me a better motivation than just taking pictures of the monster. I am here to get rich.

I have played enough horror games to know the drill. You walk into a spooky house, hold a thermometer, and wait to die. Midnight Heist changes the script entirely. You play as a corporate spy robbing the place blind while a demon tries to murder you.

The 1.0 release has polished this concept into a gem. It scratches a very specific itch for high-stakes looting mixed with paranormal terror. You work for a shady organization called P.E.G.A.S.U.S. They send you into office buildings to steal data and hack terminals. The problem is that the night shift is haunted.

The 9-to-5 Nightmare

The gameplay loop is fantastic. You have to balance the tension of hacking a computer with the terror of hearing footsteps behind you. The hacking isn't a simple button press. You have to solve math problems or trace wires while your heart rate spikes.

Doing long division while a ghost rattles the door handle is a special kind of stress. You can't just run away. You have a job to do. If you leave without the data, you don't get paid. This greed forces you into terrifying situations.

Ghosts With Actual Brains

The entities aren't just generic spook-machines. There are six unique types, and they all want to kill you in different ways. One might be a hulking brute that shakes the floor when it walks. Another might float silently until it screams in your ear.

You have to learn their behaviors fast. You aren't just running. You are adapting. When the hunt starts, the scramble to find a hiding spot is panic-inducing. I spent a lot of time cowering in bathroom stalls praying the AI wouldn't check the third cubicle.

Progression That Matters

The progression system keeps you coming back for punishment. You earn money and XP to upgrade your gear. You start with basic tools, but eventually, you are rocking high-tech tablets and perks that let you hack faster.

The "Black Market" missions add another layer of risk. You can take on harder challenges for better rewards. It feels like a proper career mode rather than just a series of random matches.

Bring Friends to Sacrifice

You can play this solo, but I don't recommend it. The game really shines in co-op. One person hacks, another watches the door, and a third runs loot back to the van.

When you are alone, the pressure is immense. You have to do everything yourself while being hunted. With friends, it becomes chaotic magic. Screaming at your buddy to finish the download while the lights flicker is peak gaming.

The Verdict

Midnight Heist stands out in a crowded genre. It gives you a reason to be there beyond just ghost hunting. You are there to steal. The 1.0 release adds new maps like the Police Station that make the world feel bigger. It is polished, scary, and engaging.

8/10 A tense heist game where the only thing scarier than the ghosts is the hacking minigame when you are under pressure.

We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way.