South of Midnight Review – Swamps, Banjos, and Trauma

Open-world games have become overwhelmingly prevalent in the AAA gaming sphere. Whether you enjoy sci-fi and play games like Starfield or choose fantasy settings with games like Avowed, open-world games have saturated the once-creative and revolutionary genre. Compulsion Games, the developers behind indie darlings We Happy Few and Contrast, have chosen a different path with their latest project. 

South of Midnight is a game that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It’s a linear third-person adventure game that draws inspiration from the American South and the history of African-American people in the area. So, how does such a game stack up against AAA giants with hundred-million-dollar budgets?

TL;DR

South of Midnight is a linear adventure game with a personal and heartfelt story. Drawing inspiration from the American South, it’s a 10-12 hour journey of self-discovery, overcoming hardship, and having a bit of fun while doing it.

Story – Weaving the Southern Tapestry

The game takes place in the small town of Prospero. Players take control of Hazel, a young African-American girl living with her mom. One night, a hurricane rips through Prospero, and her mom goes missing as a result. It’s now up to Hazel to find her, and along with it, discover the roots of her lineage and powers as a Weaver. 

Weavers are a long-forgotten group of magic users who help downtrodden people of the Deep South find happiness in times of hardship. It draws heavy inspiration from the history of African slaves in the American South, and the Weavers are made to be an integral part of that history. The game subtly but tactfully tackles very heavy subject matter, which is one of its biggest accomplishments.

A One-And-Done Affair

It’s worth noting that South of Midnight is a very linear and focused experience. This means that there’s little reason to replay it apart from wanting to see its story play out again. There are no multiple endings or a New Game+ mode present. As a Game Pass launch title from a small team at Compulsion Games, that’s totally okay.

Gameplay – Trudging Through the Swamps

South of Midnight is a third-person adventure game at its core. You’ll control Hazel and navigate Prospero, along with its many swamps, villages, and surrounding forests. 

It’s a straightforward experience, meaning that you won’t revisit previous locations once you’re done with them. Each chapter takes around 30-60 minutes to complete, so it’s a breezy game you can easily pick up and play once in a while. It doesn’t feature an inventory system, a map, side quests, or traditional leveling. 

It harkens back to a simpler time where platforming, basic combat, and an intriguing story were enough to carry a game. It’s a breath of fresh (swampy) air in many ways, and if you’re tired of today’s open-world game saturation, you’ll love South of Midnight for everything it chooses to do.

Simplistic but Servicable Combat

The game’s combat is very simplistic and comprises self-contained arenas. You’ll know when you’re about to go into combat and face off against a few waves of enemies. 

Once you’ve defeated them, the surrounding area will be freed of corruption, and you’ll be ready to move forward. Rinse and repeat. While it may sound too simple, it’s actually quite enjoyable to fight various enemies with Hazel’s abilities. This is especially true during story battles, where certain characters’ backstories and trauma will be resolved as a result. 

The game also allows you to upgrade Hazel’s combat skills as you collect points on your journey. It’s not groundbreaking, but it works, and every new ability you unlock will make a meaningful difference in combat.

Dealing with Trauma through Folk Magic

A major theme of the game is overcoming generational trauma. As an African-American living in the American South, Hazel is in a unique position to discover what happened with her ancestors who lived in the area. 

Cotton plantations are a taboo that’s rarely tackled with the grace or respect they deserve. South of Midnight does an excellent job discussing heavy themes and giving them the space they need to breathe. They’re respectfully explored, and thanks to the game’s aesthetic, nothing ever appears too grim or hopeless. 

As a Weaver, Hazel works to undo the injustices that happened around Prospero by untangling the roots of the trauma lingering around the area. It’s masterfully woven into the story, and the game’s themes truly shine throughout.

Visuals – Love It or Hate It Art Style

South of Midnight is a visually striking game. The game’s stylized, fairy-tale atmosphere is augmented by the studio’s choice to implement stop-motion design elements. What this means is that certain characters move at a fraction of the FPS compared to their surrounding, appearing to move like clay dolls. 

This effect is most prevalent in cutscenes, where the game’s presentation can truly shine. While very original and adding to the game’s atmosphere, it may strain certain players’ eyes. It tricks your brain into seeing certain elements as ‘slower’ than others, making for a somewhat disjointed feeling at times. While you can turn the stop-motion effect off in gameplay, it’s mandatory during cutscenes. 

If you’re a Game Pass subscriber, the best way to check if this effect will bother you is to download South of Midnight for yourself and give it a shot. And with such a short and engaging game, you might be tempted to play through it right then and there.

A Technically Polished Experience

South of Midnight runs on Unreal Engine 4. On Xbox Series X, where we reviewed the game, it ran flawlessly, and we didn’t run into any technical bugs or crashes. The game also doesn’t feature much in terms of graphic customization and runs at a smooth 60FPS. If you’re not a fan of the game’s stop-motion graphics, you can turn them off, alongside motion blur. 

While it takes away from the game’s overall aesthetic, some people may genuinely need to do so based on their accessibility needs. In this aspect, South of Midnight is very customizable, as it allows you to modify gameplay and UI to make it perfect for you.

Audio – Channeling the Spirit of the South

The sound design is one of the areas the game truly excels. As it draws heavy inspiration from the American South, its music follows suit. You’ll hear banjos, mouth harmonicas, and an assortment of African-American vocalists as you explore Prospero. Not only that, but every major story moment also has a unique song made just for the occasion. 

These songs add more context to the story and allow you to truly get immersed in South of Midnight. Alongside that, the voice cast does an amazing job capturing the vocabulary and slang of the Deep South. If you have ever watched shows like Justified or Deadwood, you’ll know exactly what we’re talkin’ ‘bout. 

Conclusion – Should You Play South of Midnight?

South of Midnight is an emotionally charged journey that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The fact that it’s linear actually works in its favor, ensuring that its story can be told in a well-paced manner without any filler. Compulsion Games has done an excellent job bringing the southern folklore to life in this game, ensuring that both casual and hobby players can enjoy Hazel’s adventure. 

South of Midnight joins Xbox Game Studio’s amazing lineup of story-driven games, including Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. It’s now available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, as well as Game Pass.

Thanks to Assembly Inc., Compulsion Games, and Xbox Game Studios for sponsoring our review!