South of Midnight – Everything You Need to Know

In today’s vast and varied video game market, it’s challenging for new releases to carve out a distinctive spot that appeals to players, given the abundance of classic games. However, South of Midnight stands out with its enchanting stop-motion animation and affordable price tag of $39.99. Compulsion Games refers to their titles as “handcrafted, hallucinatory adventures,” and this description seems fitting for the surreal adventure they’ve created in the deep south. Here are 15 key points to consider before purchasing South of Midnight.

Stop-Motion Animation Toggle

The game, titled South of Midnight, stands apart from others due to its unique charm brought about by the captivating stop-motion animation. However, not everyone may prefer a fast-paced action game in this distinctive, somewhat choppy style. Interestingly, Compulsion has stated that the stop-motion effect can be disabled during gameplay, but exclusively so for combat and navigation scenes. This implies that cinematics and narrative sequences will retain the stop-motion aesthetic without any option to turn it off, while you can at least choose to bypass it during intense battles or movement sections.

Game Length

The developers have approximately estimated the duration required to finish “South of Midnight”; around 12 hours approximately. This game is set within the confines of a single day and consists of 14 chapters in its narrative. One fascinating aspect is witnessing the transition of lighting as dawn turns into noon, and dusk transforms into nightfall. As Compulsion Games stated, “The urgency embedded in it encourages exploration, yet it complements Hazel’s journey’s momentum.

Graphics Engine

In contrast to most modern games today, which are predominantly developed using Unreal Engine 5, it’s quite unexpected that the game South of Midnight opted for the older version, Unreal Engine 4. Despite being built over a span of five years with reverse-engineered 3D modeling and stop-motion techniques, the game manages to stand out visually due to these methods rather than its older technology. Furthermore, since the game’s folktale aesthetic isn’t intended to be realistic, using an older engine won’t significantly impact its visual appeal.

Setting and Tone

In this game, the action unfolds in a make-believe town nestled within the swampy depths of the American South. As the story progresses, the protagonist, Hazel, finds herself magically transported into a dreamlike world filled with Southern American folklore. This realm combines genuine landscapes reminiscent of the American South and bizarre elements such as colossal peaches and chatty catfish. The game’s ominous, fantastical atmosphere shares similarities with Pan’s Labyrinth, while films like Beasts of the Southern Wild are said to have served as direct inspirations for the development team.

Mo-capped Characters

In a reimagined, dark twist on her old Southern hometown, Hazel gets magically whisked away. As a self-assured teenager, she’s now equipped with the Weaver magic, which she uses to heal fractured souls in her mission to locate her vanished mother. Her adventure is not just about restoration but also personal growth. The craftsmanship of the characters is remarkable and worthy of mention. Ahmed Best, famous for his role as Jar-Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequels, oversees the game’s acting and voice direction. Interestingly, Hazel is portrayed by not one, but two performers: Brooklyn Majors brings her to life through motion capture, while Adriyan Rae provides her voice.

Story

When I listen to summaries about “South of Midnight,” it’s hard not to think of “The Wizard of Oz” due to more than just the heroine’s home being destroyed. Instead, Hazel’s hometown is ravaged by a powerful hurricane, and she’s mysteriously transported into a dark, fantastical southern world inhabited by chatty catfish and spectral Haint adversaries. This environment mirrors the strange, dream-like quality that defines “South of Midnight.” Hazel’s mission involves locating her missing mother while purifying the land and the ghosts haunting it.

Lore

In the game, players don’t just vanquish the ‘Haint’ foes; instead, significant ghosts carry over haunting memories that reveal the personal tales connected to the diverse beings you meet. These ‘Echoes’, or haunted memories as they are known, offer a glimpse into the creatures’ previous lives as humans who once inhabited the region and how they came to dwell within the enchanting dreamscape where they now roam. As hinted at in previews, these Echoes recount the creatures’ past.

How Linear is it?

South of Midnight follows a predominantly linear path, but includes occasional forays into branching exploration. The game features four distinct environments to explore: swamps, ‘the Delta’, the Appalachians, and an area modeled after downtown New Orleans. Navigation between these unique areas appears to be facilitated by a large talking catfish who serves as Hazel’s guide. However, it’s important to note that this isn’t a strictly linear or on-rails experience. There are many hidden passages that veer off the main path for players to discover.

Parkour-like Traversal

It’s great to see that navigating the swamplands in the game world seems effortless. The wall-running parkour and double jumps appear seamless without any awkwardness, and it’s impressive to note how responsive the controls are for these actions. Additionally, during a wall-run, you can adjust your verticality for added precision. In case of a misjudged leap, you can use the mystical weave glider to safely navigate back down. The game’s description highlights platforming and puzzles as integral parts of South of Midnight‘s gameplay, implying that Hazel’s parkour abilities will be put to good use in these areas.

Framed as a Narrated Storybook

In each of the 14 sections, the chapters are skillfully structured for an engaging reading experience. To quote Compulsion, this book-style narrative is akin to opening a book and closing it upon completion. The story’s progression is facilitated by a versatile narrator who assumes various roles, including a giant talking catfish in at least one chapter, but may vary across different sections.

Unique Boss Theme Songs

In “South of Midnight,” there’s a lot of intricate audio design at play. For instance, the final-chapter mythical bosses aren’t just ordinary arena battles; they’re grand spectacles with a build-up that includes distinctive musical themes tailored for each boss. As Hazel moves closer to the boss, these bluesy songs grow more intense, providing an engaging narrative through lyrics and music about the boss’s history. The creators also write unique period piece lyrical songs for each boss, adding another layer to the clever storybook-like presentation.

Combat

In this game, I find myself engaged in thrilling battles that primarily unfold within enclosed arenas, bordered by lush vines. It’s classic action combat from a third-person perspective, filled with strategic blocking, nimble dodging, and well-timed attacks. What sets my character, Hazel, apart are the four magical abilities: a freezing stun, an enemy pull, a telekinetic throw, and a secret move yet to be unveiled. The regular foes, known as Haints, exhibit diverse behaviors with unique move sets, while the major bosses have multiple stages to their battles. It’s important to note that even the most eager previews have highlighted certain areas for improvement in gameplay. Some critics have described the boss fights as repetitive or following a predictable pattern.

Locking On

In the game “South of Midnight,” one area that could use improvement is the target lock-on system. Since Hazel often faces numerous enemies simultaneously, it’s crucial to have a lock-on feature to aid in combat. However, similar games have struggled with multi-target lock-on, and “South of Midnight” seems to be no exception. Many previewers have commented on the loose and disorienting nature of the lock-on due to enemies attacking from off-screen and the camera adjustment issues when switching targets. Let’s hope that the final release addresses these concerns effectively.

Skill Tree

Despite the initial impression that Hazel only has four magical skills and standard action game elements, there’s potential for diverse combat experiences and personalization through the skill tree. Each of these four magic abilities can be boosted twice, while a variety of general skills can be enhanced using ‘Floofs’, an endearing in-game currency. Most upgrades within the skill tree seem to focus on enhancing stats or adding new abilities like a ground pound. The developer’s demonstration suggests that one playthrough might not provide enough Floofs to purchase every upgrade, leaving players to decide which skills best suit their unique playstyle.

System Requirements

According to our analysis for the PC version of “South of Midnight”, the game’s minimum requirements involve an i3-8100 or a Ryzen 3 1300X CPU, a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580 GPU, and at least 12 GB of RAM. For smoother gameplay, the recommended settings call for an i5-7600K or Ryzen 5 1600X CPU, a GeForce RTX 2060, Radeon RX 6600, or Arc A580 GPU, and 16 GB of RAM. The game’s storage space requirement is relatively low at 55GB. On Xbox Series X/S, the game aims for a steady 60 FPS, but previews have reported occasional frame stuttering even with the stop motion effect turned off. We’ll find out if “South of Midnight” lives up to its potential when it launches on April 8th for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

2025-03-12 15:42