South of Midnight is the latest title from developer Compulsion Games, known for the off-beat and visually striking games Contrast and We Happy Few. Set in the American south, you play as Hazel, who awakens to mysterious powers when her mother goes missing in a storm. The sights, sounds and folklore of the bayou come to life in an undeniably unique tale of family and trauma.
A third-person action adventure game at its core, South of Midnight stays true to that blueprint throughout. As Hazel embraces becoming a Weaver of The Great Tapestry, she must fight haints, evil creatures manifested from unresolved conflicts and negative memories, and heal wounds in the fabric of the universe itself.
As Hazel, you will venture through surreal and magical renditions of the American South. From flooded townships to mountainous forests to a dreamscape version of the streets of New Orleans, South of Midnight is a love letter to the iconic landscapes of the south. The game is broken up into chapters, some shorter than others, and the environments are mostly linear. Using her powers, Hazel can zip to points, glide through the air and blast obstacles out of her way. She’ll also bring her powers to bear against the demonic haints.
The combat functions, but that’s about it. There’s also a lot of it, and so it quickly becomes a chore. Despite being able to unlock and upgrade a range of abilities (push and pull powers, area of effect attacks etc), your cooldowns are super long and enemies have too much health. This struck me a design issue more than anything; if South of Midnight threw more enemies at you but gave them less health, combat would feel less like a slog.
Despite each chapters’ linearity, there is a small amount of exploration. Peeking into the various nooks and crannies of a level will net you floofs – a collectible used to upgrade your abilities – or a lore entry. I love a good lore entry, but given my distaste for the combat, seeking out currency to upgrade my abilities was not an enticing prospect.
The real star of the show is Hazel. She’s an extremely likeable protagonist with dialogue that feels as refreshing as it does authentic. Wonderfully brought to life by Adriyan Rae, she anchors the whole experience of South of Midnight. If you’re put off by the aforementioned rough edges, but still like the look of this game, it’s worth checking out for Hazel alone.
Similarly exceptional is the art style. South of Midnight has a sort of stop-motion aesthetic to it, reminiscent of Coraline or The Nightmare Before Christmas, but decidedly less spooky. It’s a perfect match for depicting this Southern Gothic world, and it’s various mythical figures.
I was surprised to discover that South of Midnight incorporates elements of musicals into its soundtrack. This isn’t to say Hazel busts out into song every few minutes, but rather each level has a distinct musical backdrop, that slowly builds until the full song is finally played, usually accompanying a boss fight.
These songs tell the stories of the characters or creatures Hazel is coming up against, and while I certainly enjoyed some of these way more than others, it’s undoubtedly a unique way of fleshing out a game world. They span a variety of genres too, from soul to blues to folk to New Orleans jazz.
South of Midnight overflows with a strong sense of identity and place. The art, music and of course Hazel herself, all ooze confidence. However, it’s let down by how mediocre everything else is. The combat is dull and repetitive, and the level design uninspired. If something about the look of South of Midnight speaks to you, it still may be worth checking out, just keep your expectations in check.
Rating: 7/10
South of Midnight was reviewed on PC with a code provided by the publisher.