Ah, one of the old "this game would be a 10 if it didnt play like poop carpaccio" games. Pathologic type game, very narratively challenging and impressive ludonarrative synchronicity. There's a lot of game journalism buzzwords you could describe middens with that make it sound very smart, and it is a very smart game, but it's not a game that you need to analyze for 100 hours to find its obscure symbolism compelling. Like some of the best surrealist works, it's got a semi-surface level to latch onto and invites you deeper into its bizarre complex of themes and ideas rather than throwing you into the deep end and just assuming you'll be interested because it's weird. I'd be lying if I said the visuals didn't do a lot of the heavy lifting, but that's just because it is a fucking gorgeous game. Like, El Shaddai visual design. Jack King Spooner tier visual design.
It takes a lot of cues from OFF but instead of OFF's needlessly frustrating gameplay, the gameplay in middens is... fine. It gets the job done. It's as basic as rpgmaker combat really gets, but that does tie in with the game's themes. If killing was insanely rich and rewarding it wouldn't really work with what it's going for.
IDK I could go on about why I like the themes clicking together and exploring the rift and shit but it's a free game and it takes like 3 hours to finish. You should give it a go. It's got a lot of meat on its bones.