South of Midnight

Original, heartfelt, clever.

meh liked it just don’t not recommend and it stutter

Wonderful game, beautiful design & the storyline is phenomenal!

Could I predict a lot of the plot? Yes. Did I love it anyway? Also yes. Hard not to when it's got breathtaking visuals and gorgeous music.

South of Midnight is a visually outstanding action-adventure game with a "Southern Gothic" feel firmly rooted in the region's myths and folklore, wrapped up in an emotional tale about familial bonds. The emulated stop-motion aesthetics lend well to the atmosphere and add to the game's strong visual identity. Music, too, comes in absolutely swinging—steeped in an appropriate twang of folksy Americana, comprised of varied instrumentals and vocals that seem to swell and synchronise with the action onscreen. Hazel Flood is an endearing character—somewhat impulsive, but empathetic and headstrong—embodied lovingly by actress Adriyan Rae. The game's story is further supported by a strong cast of colorful characters; albeit, some of the substories I found to be of variable interest. The mother-daughter dynamic at the root of the game's narrative remained, nevertheless, emotionally potent and a strong through line. If presentation and narrative are where the game excels, however, the gameplay is merely serviceable by comparison. Platforming is decent and never especially complex, with a fun, floaty feel as you careen across cliffsides and weave through giant bramble. Where the game truly falters is in its combat, and not merely because Hazel sometimes feels like she fights with two wet pool noodles. I played on "Grand Weaver" (hardest difficulty) expecting challenge to come from enemy tuning. Instead, my biggest enemy was the camera, fighting the lock-on system's precision of a drunk toddler. This rendered enemy encounters largely frustrating when dealing with multiple targets. My gripes with gameplay notwithstanding, there's a lot to love with Compulsion's latest outing, on top of the fact there just simply aren't enough games that explore the Deep South's rich mythology in the way that South of Midnight does. I was especially partial to the presence of a certain wisecracking catfish with a Cajun accent.

This is a very engaging game that has characters with a lot of personality (some more likable than others). I really enjoyed playing this game and I am interested to see what a second playthrough on a harder difficulty would look like.

The platforming is fun and so is the combat ready to play more.

très honnêtement, je n'ai rien à ajouter aux autres critiques déjà postées... Merci aux devs d'avoir mis autant d'amour dans leur jeux, l'experience est un véritable voyage dans un monde fantastique ancrée dans une culture afro américaine si joliment présentée (j'ai un grand respect pour nos doubleur/euse/s français/es mais jouez y absolument en anglais, l'argo des quartiers pauvres américains change toute l'immersion)... En bref, un merveilleux plateformer porté par des contrôles fluides, une direction artistique aux petits onions, et des petits animaux trop minions en bonus.

There is only 1 word I would use to describe this game "Charming" Serously the amount of love and dedication that the devs had for this game clearly shows. Wonderful music, great plot, fantastic setting and atmosphere. You will get lost in this game and have such a wonderful time. Only issue I have with the game is combact. It is not bad by any means but not great either. There is a lot of combat and I only wish there were more move sets and varieties in enemy type. 9/10 game for sure. Sucks that microsoft is shutting down this studio. Sucks that we will never get more of south of midnight, sucks that we will not get more from this team.

**TLDR** A hauntingly beautiful journey that prioritizes storytelling over technical perfection. The soundtrack is the best part. **The Highs: Atmosphere and Narrative** South of Midnight is the 3rd major release form Compulsion Games. Set in the American Deep South, the game invites players to explore rich mythos and encounter creatures of southern folklore through the eyes of the protagonist, Hazel. It is a well-told story that leverages the studio's passion for world-building, creating a macabre and fantastical atmosphere that feels genuinely handcrafted. Complementing the visuals is a beautiful soundtrack that perfectly suits the game's moody, folklore-inspired tone, elevating key emotional beats and making the journey feel immersive despite the technical hiccups. **The Lows: Technical Friction** Unfortunately, the experience is held back by a distinct lack of polish in the gameplay mechanics. The most frustrating issue is the collision detection. I've glitched on geometry and fallen through the floor an annoying number of times, which breaks immersion and can lead to soft-locks or the need to reload saves. While the combat itself feels good, the camera is a constant adversary. I found myself fighting the camera more than I fought the enemies, leading to disorienting moments during combat encounters where enemy positioning was unclear. **The Verdict** Despite these shortcomings, I still recommend it. The strength of the storytelling and the unique cultural setting of the Deep South offer an experience that is hard to find elsewhere. Look past the occasional trip through the floor and the camera struggles because South of Midnight delivers a memorable and emotionally resonant adventure that showcases Compulsion Games' dedication to rich storylines.