Compulsion Games have intrigued me in the past with their invigorating plots and great settings only to be held back by gameplay that didn’t quite hit the mark. I went into South of Midnight optimistic about its potential in a setting not seen often in the video game space and its showcase of thorough reactive combat. South of Midnight is the studio’s most visually impressive game thus far, weaving a stylish tale, but it’s quite a few threads loose of being a full package.
South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure game and the next title from Compulsion Games, whose previous works consist of We Happy Few and Contrast. Set in the Deep South, you follow the journey of Hazel as she is struck by disaster and sets out on a journey to reclaim what she lost, but her journey expands into one of self-discovery, revelation, and macabre tales of the surrounding areas folklore.
What hit me straight away in South of Midnight is the style of its presentation. Each shot, each location, each character is presented in striking detail that immediately sets it apart in visuals alone. With a stop-motion-like effect present on characters set against environments oozing with style. From unorthodox people stuck in their ways to solemn, misunderstood beasts, each character in South of Midnight is intriguing, and I wanted to know more about them. I’m not familiar with the Deep South art style, but after experiencing it in South of Midnight, it’s a wonder that games don’t visit this setting more often.
Throughout South of Midnight, I travelled to various locations, encountering a number of unique and striking characters , with each character having a story to be discovered as I made my way. South of Midnight’s core gameplay loop consisted of Hazel exploring these areas in straightforward platforming and exploration with combat sequences sprinkled throughout. Each location had its own story that’s told, with many often culminating in some form of final encounter or boss fight that draws a location’s story to an end, whether that story ended in tragedy or triumph.
Weaving with South of Midnights unique imagery is the blend of southern music that dances around each stunning location. Some combat sequences are filled with upbeat jazz music, which is a nice spin compared to the large-scale music scores often found in video game combat. Throughout many locations, there is an accompanying track that narrates in melodic detail what is happening, adding depth to a story as I reach each conclusion.
South of Midnight has some great story beats and locations that are central to the game’s overarching plot, some characters in Hazel’s family have a great story to tell and relate to her in a meaningful way. However, other characters in locations felt they were introduced for the sake of showcasing a new beast design or locale and, after seeing that location’s conclusion, were not revisited or heard from again.
The Deep South is also a location that’s shrouded in mystery and awe, with many dangerous swamps and forests filled with unusual beings. However, I felt that our main character, Hazel, had a habit of narrating too often that would clash with the overall game tone. I understand that Hazel is metaphorically being a beacon of light in many of these dark tales, but I feel like saying “I need to go get the thingy” or “I’m covered in doo-doo water” when the background music is tense and mysterious or the surrounding location is intent on being portrayed as dangerous gives off a very inconsistent tone.
To my surprise, a game that seems to place its imagery and style front and centre is also a game that holds robust, involved combat. Combat in South of Midnight is presented in arena-like circles, involving a number of beasts that change in attack pattern, size, and abilities. Throughout my entire time, I was tasked with adapting to each combat scenario, using my abilities to their full extent, with some scenarios proving quite difficult and unforgiving if I made one too many mistakes. Combat is fun and involved in South of Midnight, but after a time, it wasn’t something that I wanted to focus on, instead wanting to experience the many locales and characters of the Deep South. However, there are quite a lot of these combat scenarios thrown at you, and it is something that Compulsion does want you to participate in.
What hit me straight away in South of Midnight is the style of its presentation. Each shot, each location, each character is presented in striking detail that immediately sets it apart in visuals alone.
Hazel’s journey is one of magical mystery that expands her repertoire over the course of her story. Expanding Hazel’s combat moveset with abilities, complete with its own skill tree, but also in traversal and how she can navigate the environment. This in itself evolves the gameplay loop, but I felt it wasn’t enough to mask the simple exploration blueprint underneath. Many platforming sequences consisted of jumping and climbing around ledges that became less of a gameplay mechanic and more of a transition sequence to another area.
After a few locations in South of Midnight, it is clear to see the formula that is being used. An area would have a number of flashbacks to see, separated by either a series of platforming challenges or multiple combat arenas. Almost each area would also consist of a chase sequence, with even Hazel commenting, “Yeah, yeah, ok,” when this beast appeared, as if the main character knew this was to be expected.
Visually, South of Midnight ran extremely well throughout my entire playtime; I didn’t notice any visual issues or frame rate dips. However, there were a number of gameplay bugs that did get in the way of combat. Combat occasionally had input issues, with some abilities not working despite my cooldown saying they were ready to go. There were also a few platforming sections in the later chapters where a certain sequence didn’t trigger, which left me confused on what to do. After restarting the area, it was a case of something that didn’t go off. This was also the case during a boss fight, where things did not seem to trigger correctly, with me having unusually long patches of waiting before a boss would react or move to the next stage in the fight.
South of Midnight presents some fascinating locations and characters, but it all feels somewhat off in execution. Gameplay feels like I’m going through the motions until a location’s impressive finale, and certain characters or locations either felt rushed and explained poorly or just simply unimportant in relation to some of the game’s main characters and setting.
Pros
- Visuals and music are brimming with style and flair.
- Some great story elements that feel heavy and meaningful.
Cons
- A number of bugs get in the road of combat and exploration.
- An emphasis on combat and routine level design constantly pull me away from the games strengths.
- Inconsistent tone detract from the games overall story and direction.
South of Midnight weaves a tale full of great locations, music, and characters not often seen in the video game space. It’s a setting that the game fails to capitalise on, with an inconsistent tone, exploration that lacks substance, and a gameplay direction that pushes me away from its finer points.
A review code was provided by Xbox for Xbox Series X.
