The Xbox Showcase event on 9 June 2024 delivered a packed lineup of games for the next 12 months. Unlike many similar launch events, especially those in recent weeks, Xbox delivered a great medley of titles to be excited about. One game that grabbed my attention early on, mostly thanks to its art style, was South of Midnight. Several trailers, gameplay videos, and previews have been released in the nine months since its reveal. The game has finally arrived.
A Journey of Historical Trauma
South of Midnight is a third-person, action-adventure game developed by Compulsion Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is an exclusive title for Windows and Xbox Series X/S.
It is a fictional version of the American Deep South in Prospero. The game is filled with plenty of characters, stories, folklore and legends from the region. The game revolves around the protagonist, Hazel Flood, whose home is suddenly washed away in a hurricane while her mother is still inside. A sprinter in school, Hazel tries to catch up to the house, now floating away down the river, but cannot catch up. However, in attempting this feat, she discovers the beginning of her unlocked ancient weaving power.
Not knowing who or where to turn to, Hazel seeks out her estranged grandmother, Bunny. Although initially sympathetic, we quickly realise that Bunny isn’t the caring older lady we expect. Instead, she’s hiding plenty of secrets, which Hazels stumbles upon, further heightening her fledgling powers.
Hazel decides to go it alone, not receiving much help at Bunny’s. With the break of morning and the storm passed, she sees firsthand the aftermath of the hurricane. Then she runs into her first critter, a giant yet friendly Catfish. This Catfish fills her in on all the mysticism – now apparently real – with critters, weavers, and their history. It all makes for an interesting backdrop to a game far from being the standard whimsical fantasy adventure.
While we do get an exploration into the beautifully crafted ancient world, it’s filled with horrors and unimaginable trauma. Many of the town’s inhabitants and the creatures that have been plaguing it have a terrible link that connects them – their childhood trauma. The town has been known for many of its underprivileged and abused children who have gone missing over the years. While Hazel’s ultimate goal is to find and rescue her mother after the floods, her journey of discovery takes her through the memories of the characters she encounters.
South of Midnight Gameplay
Much like a few previous Xbox exclusives, like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, the focus is mainly on the story, thus offering a linear progression. South of Midnight does offer some off-the-path exploration, which is limited to finding power-ups to collect sufficient amounts to unlock or upgrade Hazel’s ability. Not knowing what many of the items and discoveries are, Hazel starts to name them based on her gut feeling, calling these collectables Floofs as a result. Discovering these floofs offers some thought and skill to reach some collectables and add problem-solving to the game’s dynamics.
The game is based on Hazel’s weaver abilities, whether she’s battling demons (known as Haints) or traversing the map. As you progress, the player unlocks more items for combat. There are four main tools, including the use of magical spindles and a distaff. These items are tied to the weaver metaphor, unravelling enemies or finding yarn as clues to the story.
Not all the abilities are related to the tools collected. Hazel also can double jump, glide, climb, and wall run as you progress. While most of this is used when traversing the torn-apart town, it’s also valuable for some battles.
A third of the way through the game, you’ll also unlock a side character, a doll called Crouton from Hazel’s childhood, which has been stitched together over the years to remain intact. You can cast the doll as part of the problem-solving, which is used to get into tight areas that Hazel can’t get into, including fox dens or burrows. Crouton also brings some whimsy and goofiness to the role, providing a lightweight progression in an otherwise heavy story.
After each primary battle, Hazel unlocks a new pattern, which is used to reweave the trauma of the past and allow the various people and critters to move on from these events. The gameplay is not overly unique or enthralling, but that’s not the main. The battles with the Haints progressively increase in sophistication with new critters and abilities, which requires some thought and skill to defeat them. As such, it’s not a straight run-in and smash situation.
The ‘boss’ battles also require different mechanics to complete, much of which involves dodging and timing to avoid powerful strikes and being able to get a few shots in every once in a while. Once you know this for each new boss, it’s mostly a matter of timing.
The Visuals, Voice Acting and More
What initially struck me about South of Midnight when it was first announced at the Xbox Showcase was its graphics. Visually, it blends stop-motion and animation to create outstanding visuals of the characters and the close surroundings.
The backdrop for each stage is also well crafted, from the hurricane-damaged town, the swamp land and mountains. Based on the Unreal Engine framework, it blends well with the gameplay to bring the world to life.
Hazel is voiced by Adriyan Rae (from The Game and Atlanta TV series), who does a great job. She dives into her role and brings Hazel to life, filled with emotion. There’s a lot of trauma throughout the game, with Hazel showcasing a range from sympathy to grief and everything in between. Each supporting character also brings the world of Prospero to life, covering a range of accents and characteristics.
In its focus on the Deep South’s folklore, the game features plenty of music to match the environment. This can switch to tie-in lyrical songs, especially as you approach a major checkpoint. These may even break the fourth wall, speaking directly to Hazel through the lyrics, dropping ominous messages and even providing hints, if you listen closely, to help with puzzles.
South of Midnight Has That Southern Charm
South of Midnight is a great, story-driven title that deals with many emotional topics and trauma. It is a story of relationships and forgiveness. There’s a lot to work through. It’s not a game that will have plenty of replay value, and with a 15 to 20-hour playthrough, it’s a quick escape from your archive of games.
The game is engaging from start to finish. It provides a strong character and story to keep you entwined throughout.
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