South of Midnight Review

​South of Midnight combines a haunting Southern Gothic narrative with stunning art and audio design, but gameplay elements detract from an otherwise stellar experience, my full review.

As a big supporter of innovative storytelling in gaming, I was thrilled to dive into South of Midnight. The adventure is the latest offering from Montreal-based Compulsion Games. Known for their distinctive, quirky narrative approaches in titles like We Happy Few, the prospect of exploring a brand-new IP set in the rich tapestry of the American Deep South was tantalizing. South of Midnight offers a Southern Gothic adventure steeped in folklore, mystery, and magic with a dark vibe that feels like it was plucked from Tim Burton's mind.

"South of Midnight offers a Southern Gothic adventure steeped in folklore, mystery, and magic, with a dark vibe that feels like it was plucked from Tim Burton's mind."

Although this is no “Nightmare Before Christmas,” instead, it’s a beautifully crafted fever dream that every gamer should experience. The story introduces us to Hazel, a young woman thrust into a mystical journey following a devastating hurricane, blending folklore and personal discovery in a setting rarely explored in the gaming world.​ Hazel weaves an incredible tale; let’s explore all that South of Midnight offers, both the highs and lows, in my full review.​

South of Midnight Review Details

Platform(s): Xbox Series X, Windows PC​ Reviewed on: Xbox Series X​ Developer: Compulsion Games​ Publisher: Xbox Game Studios​ Genre: Action-Adventure​ Available game modes: Single-player​  ESRB Rating: M for Mature​

Weaving Through the Tapestry of Hazel's Journey

In South of Midnight, players step into the shoes of Hazel, a resilient protagonist who discovers her identity as a Weaver—a being capable of mending the fabric of reality. Set against the backdrop of a rich, Southern Gothic world, Hazel's quest to rescue her mother intertwines with mythical creatures, folklore and exploration of deep-seated family secrets. The narrative is rich with cultural references, drawing inspiration from Southern literature, creating an immersive experience that feels both personal and expansive. The story unfolds through different chapters, with the narrator changing at times. The chapter system is brilliantly crafted, allowing for multiple perspectives that deepen your understanding of Hazel’s world.

"The narrative is rich with cultural references, drawing inspiration from Southern literature and cultural references, creating an immersive experience that feels both personal and expansive."

The story is also aimed at a mature audience as many traumatic themes are explored, including betrayal, tragedy, and even murder. However, as the story progresses, the initial momentum wanes slightly in the later chapters, leading to a conclusion that leaves a desire for more character development and a more robust climax.

Gameplay: A Dance of Magic and Monotony

The gameplay mechanics of South of Midnight offer a blend of spell-casting, platforming, and combat. Hazel's abilities, including wall-running and interacting with ghostly objects, provide a more dynamic approach to traversal and engagement, which I really enjoyed. I also liked the simplified skill tree, which allows for more accessible progression. I felt some of the simplification of specific mechanics was cleverly deployed not to mar the story experience, but some of this was to a fault.

"As you progress, you’ll unlock more traversal options like double jumps, gliding and ziplining, which makes movement through the linear sections a delight."

As you progress, you’ll unlock more traversal options like double jumps, gliding and ziplining, which makes movement through the linear sections a delight. There are even chase sections where you need to combine multiple forms of traversal, and they are quite satisfying to pull off. Combat, while initially engaging with its focus on positioning, unfortunately, becomes repetitive as you face similar enemy types in arena-style encounters. The "cookie cutter" approach to enemy encounters is unfortunate, as a little more added to the combat mechanics could have helped with the variety that the gameplay sorely needed.

​Crouton is King

As you progress, you'll unlock Crouton, an endearing mini-companion who adds a layer of charm to exploration. He can be spawned to venture into small areas of the map you can't reach, flipping switches and exploring animal burrows that contain bonuses and other secrets. During combat, he can also be "tossed" at enemies, possessing them and giving you an ally on the battlefield.

"During combat, he can also be "tossed" at enemies, possessing them and giving you an ally on the battlefield."

Crouton's unique abilities enhance gameplay dynamics, offering a new option for exploration and companionship. I wish more was done with Crouton as his sections and abilities were great, they just needed to make an appearance much sooner in the game. I felt I was hitting my stride with his abilities toward the end of the game, but I wanted more challenges to deploy him against.

Incredible boss encounters

The "chapters" of the story build up to encounters with major foes, like Florida’s legendary alligator "Two-Toed Tom" or "Huggin’ Molly." I liked that you learned about their backstories and some of their personal tragedies before engaging with them. Sometimes, you'll face off with them and create unintended consequences. I thoroughly enjoyed the “boss encounters,” there are some truly incredibly creative foes with a variety of attack patterns that really mix things up. Unfortunately, the penultimate showdown really fizzled out, harkening back to the game's biggest flaw: repetitive combat.

A Claymation Canvas: Visuals and Performance

Visually, South of Midnight is incredible to behold, and very few games have had such a stunning and bold art direction. The claymation-inspired style brings a handcrafted authenticity to the characters and environments. In pre-rendered cutscenes, in particular, the meticulous details—such as fingerprints and tool marks—on characters are evident, showcasing the team’s dedication to the aesthetic. The environments, from moss-laden bayous to decaying antebellum architecture, are rendered with a haunting beauty that is simply captivating. I absolutely loved the world that Compulsion crafted and it was hard to put down the controller, I wanted to see what was next. I would often come into a new section of the game and need a moment to take in the stunning environment. However, the absence of a photo mode is a missed opportunity; the game's gorgeous vistas and intricate designs beg to be captured and shared.​

An Auditory Epic Through the South

The auditory experience in South of Midnight is one of its crowning achievements. The soundtrack, deeply rooted in Southern musical traditions, features a blend of blues, jazz, and gospel, performed by local musicians and a Nashville gospel children's choir. This authentic musical backdrop enhances the emotional depth of Hazel's journey. The sound design meticulously captures the ambiance of the Deep South, from the chirping of cicadas to the distant strumming of a banjo, immersing you fully into the game's world.​ 

"The sound design meticulously captures the ambiance of the Deep South, from the chirping of cicadas to the distant strumming of a banjo, immersing you fully into the game's world."

The moment-to-moment gameplay is also enhanced with sound; for example, double jumping with the press of the “A” button as you move has a high note of choir members singing. Before and after major story beats or boss encounters, the choir also composes a summary of the story or character through song, which is an incredible addition to the experience.

Stellar Performances Bring The World To Life

The voice-acting performances from Hazel to more minor supporting characters are stellar.

Compulsion Games placed significant emphasis on authenticity in their casting choices. Hazel is portrayed by two actresses: Adriyan Rae provides Hazel's voice, while Nona Parker Johnson handles motion capture and stunts. This dual approach ensures that Hazel's character is both vocally and physically represented with depth and realism. Performance and voice director Ahmed Best, known for his work on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, guided the actors to infuse genuine cultural nuances into their performances. 

Final Thoughts: A Journey South Worth Taking

South of Midnight is a testament to Compulsion Games' commitment to crafting unique and culturally rich narratives. While the gameplay may falter in its later stages with repetitive elements, the game's strengths in storytelling, visual artistry, and sound design create an experience that resonated deeply with me. 

"...the game's strengths in storytelling, visual artistry, and sound design create an experience that resonated deeply with me."

For those seeking an adventure that delves into folklore and personal discovery, wrapped in a visually and aurally stunning package, South of Midnight is a journey you can’t miss.

South of Midnight PROS

+Rich, culturally infused narrative​

+Stunning claymation-inspired visuals​

+Authentic and immersive soundtrack​

South of Midnight CONS

-Repetitive combat that doesn’t evolve​

-Lack of a photo mode​

-The story loses momentum towards the end​, feels unfinished

Overall Assessment of South of Midnight

Gameplay: 7/10

Graphics: 9/10

Sound: 10/10

Lasting appeal / Replayability: 6/10

Overall Rating: 32/40​ = 80%

Thanks to Xbox providing a copy of the game to conduct this review.

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About the Author - Matthew "Dapper Tux" Rondina

Matthew has been involved in all things gaming since the 8-bit era. He is a video game and tech industry veteran who has been passionate about technology and gaming for over 20 years. In addition to being the Managing Editor of dappertux.com, he has bylines with Best Buy, Cineplex Entertainment, Mobile Syrup and Walmart. Follow Matthew’s gaming + tech adventures on multiple social platforms with the handle @dapper_tux via X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and join in on the fun!

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