South of Midnight is the latest game from an undeniably creative crew at Compulsion Games, whisking players to the deep American South for a mind-bending third-person adventure drenched in folklore and fantasy. This imaginatively dark story keeps up the pace with platforming, puzzles, and combat, reminiscent of underrated single-player gems from generations past like Psychonauts. Sharply written, easy to play, and presented with an addictive visual style, South of Midnight is another solid title from Compulsion Games, even if the gameplay is somewhat simplistic.
Hurricane Season Comes to Pass
In South of Midnight, you play as Hazel Flood, who lives in a fictional town called Prospero, located deep in the American South. Hazel and her family, including her single mother Lacey, are no strangers to hurricanes and inclement weather, but a particularly nasty storm decimates their defenses. As Hazel’s home and her mother are swept away in a flash flood, she immediately departs on a rescue mission, first stopping by the luxurious and fortified mansion of her estranged grandmother, Bunny.
There, Hazel discovers her powers as a “weaver”, a special type of person who can interact with the world of spirits. Outside, the hurricane is accompanied by a mysterious growth called “Stigma” that plague the land, spreading their corruption with each passing moment. Left as the only person able to remove the Stigma and restore the Grand Tapestry of life, Hazel is thrust into a world packed with creatures of folklore, casual action, and several intriguing narrative twists.
A lot can also be said about the visual style of South of Midnight which perfectly mixes its clay-like, exaggerated character models with slick, stop motion-style animations. This gorgeous art design is consistently backed by excellent and lively original music, often complete with a lead vocal track, which adds a lot of personality to the experience. In truth, the stop motion animations didn’t always vibe with me as they occasionally appeared stuttery, but these effects can be toggled on or off in the options. Regardless, you can expect some seriously breathtaking vistas, impressive character models, and an all-around great visual package.
Due to South of Midnight‘s linearity, the story ends up taking center stage, and rightfully so. Hazel is a grounded and driven character who’s easy to root for, and an excellent avatar for the audience, providing equal levels of mystery and empowerment where appropriate. The fantastical elements of folklore are ever-present, but at its heart, South of Midnight is a story about overcoming grief, wrestling your inner demons, and prevailing in the face of dangers both familiar and unimaginable. It’s not entirely flawless in this regard, but for the most part, Hazel’s story feels refreshingly personal and inspired.
Stigma Be Gone, The Weaver is Here
In terms of gameplay and structure, South of Midnight feels very reminiscent of the early-to-mid 2000s action games, with straightforward, linear gameplay sections broken up by occasional cutscenes and an upgrade system sprinkled in for good measure. Combat feels hack ‘n slash inspired, but a tinge of strategy that rewards smart use of abilities. At the bare minimum, you can lock onto enemies, dodge, and whack at foes with basic combos. If you damage an enemy enough, you can unravel them with a finishing move of purification, gaining back a bit of health at the same time. There’s no blocking or parrying, so you have to use Hazel’s nimbleness to your advantage to survive.
Of course, as a magical spirit weaver, you get a handful of abilities to use during your adventure, but they’re mostly standard fare. Using the triggers, you can push and pull enemies, occasionally chucking lighter enemies at larger ones. Applying your “weave” power on an enemy makes them more vulnerable for a few seconds, while throwing your companion named “Crouton” in the mix will turn some enemies into allies. These abilities can all be upgraded with a glowing currency called “floof”, which can usually be found off the beaten bath.
The level design is straightforward, but fun to venture through, thanks to a cinematic touch and simple objectives to complete along your journey. If you somehow get stuck, you can always activate the “Guiding Strand”, which paints a line directly to your next point of interest. Occasional side paths offer small bonuses, but exploration is minimal beyond a few designated areas. Your weaver powers are occasionally used outside of combat, mostly to complete basic environmental puzzles. For example, you may have to conjure a box so that you can push it to a ledge for extra height, or control Crouton to access switches in tiny spaces. This light puzzle-solving mixed with the occasional platforming section break up the game’s linear level design nicely, though you’ll likely breeze over these speed bumps as you bound toward the next enemy encounter.
Despite the somewhat by-the-numbers gameplay, South of Midnight manages to keep a good pace through its 14 chapters, mostly due to the striking visuals and engrossing atmosphere. There are a few standout sequences and boss fights, but otherwise, it’s your average third-person action game, only elevated by polish and inspired storytelling. Most of your time is spent jogging through levels, battling enemies, and collecting floof for upgrades along with an occasional lore collectible. That’s not a bad thing though, as it’s refreshing to play a more straightforward, linear action-adventure when so many others have leaned into open-world mechanics that offer little more than gameplay padding.
The Bottom Line on South of Midnight
South of Midnight weaves its twisted folklore, combined with a visually striking art style and wonderfully crafted atmosphere. Throughout the roughly 10 hour journey, I was eager to see what awaited around each turn, embracing the dated game design in favor of a well-told tale. The combat is rough around the edges and there’s not much in the way of side content, but South of Midnight‘s still offers a decent dose of entertainment. In the end, it’s a clear, artistic vision that’s executed remarkably well, though the gameplay takes a sideline to the story.
