South of Midnight

South of Midnight isn't going to impress with constant new mechanical gimmicks, and the gameplay loop quickly becomes predictable, but it is almost hypnotizing in its presentation. Hazel and her supporting cast are delightful, and they're wonderfully brought to life by exceptional animation and voice acting. South of Midnight's twisted take on the American Deep South is bold and captivatingly rendered, but gameplay-forward players are likely to find it lacking.

South of Midnight is a straightforward but well-executed action-adventure game on the surface, with a simple but satisfying mix of combat and platforming. It’s focused, filling out its 12-hour runtime nicely without ever dragging or relying on unnecessary padding. Beyond those basics, however, is a certain heart and artistry that elevates the whole package, inviting you to peer into the deep American South through its folklore, nature, and culture. It might not be the most profound exploration of family life, but it’s delivered in ways that feel authentic. From its striking art style to the evocative tunes that bring big story moments together, Hazel’s journey is a captivating one no matter where you come from.

South of Midnight stands out for its setting, artistic design, and storyline, but when you pick up the controller, its weaknesses become apparent due to an extremely derivative gameplay experience that feels all too familiar from many other titles. Compulsion Games poured all its creativity into bringing this deep South of the United States to life, but ultimately delivered a repetitive gameplay system with little to say. I found myself playing through the interactive sections without much enthusiasm, viewing them more as a necessary step to get through as quickly as possible to uncover what the story had to offer. The narrative, however, is crafted with great care and delivers glimpses of “real” lives that are both striking and memorable, just like the mythology built around Hazel’s world. From a technical standpoint, the execution is inconsistent: the audio and soundtrack are excellent, but the graphics exhibit some noticeable rough edges, despite the strong artistic vision. The stop-motion effect (which I recommend disabling), while fascinating, makes everything feel too choppy, and the lack of some frames affects the overall fluiditY….South of Midnight is a good game, more for its story and atmosphere than for its gameplay. While the technical limitations may be attributed to a modest budget, the gameplay choices feel overly safe, ultimately holding back the ambitions of a title that had the potential to deliver more—though it remains an enjoyable experience.

South of Midnight has some incredibly strong storytelling chops, brought together by its stunning visual design and excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, the experience is bogged down by boring, repetitive combat and lackluster platforming, but it's worth rushing through those parts to experience everything else South of Midnight has to offer.

An extremely workmanlike throwback to early generations of platform adventure, that completely wastes its interesting setting and gorgeous visual design.