As I sat in the audience at Xbox‘s E3 showcase in 2018, the first major showcase I had attended in-person for Seasoned Gaming, I witnessed the beginning of Microsoft’s larger acquisitions in the industry. While the announcements covered five studios that day, the one that immediately stuck for me was Compulsion Games. Having covered We Happy Few extensively, I felt it was a flawed game, but one that had senses of charm, uniqueness, and heart that were clearly demonstrative of a talented team. I figured that, with the right support, they could develop something truly special. Enter South of Midnight.
While it’s too early to tell where the full experience will land, I had the pleasure of playing through the entirety of the third chapter of the game. And even with my limited time, those senses of charm, uniqueness, and heart oozed from the screen.
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Beginning in chapter three, you assume the role of Hazel after a hurricane has swept her home, and her mother, Lacey, into the river. After a short pursuit, Hazel encounters the ghost of Mahalia, a “Weaver” from the past, who teaches her new abilities. Prior to taking control of Hazel, however, you are presented with a stop-motion video. Created using handcrafted maquettes, real puppets, and traditional stop-motion animation techniques, it’s an excellent representation of the care that has gone into realizing Hazel and the world of South of Midnight.
This transitions into a beautiful narration of what feels like a book of folklore. This setup for the preview seems to echo how South of Midnight will present chapters throughout the course of the journey, and it simply couldn’t feel more fitting. The team at Compulsion brought famed storyteller, Donna Washington, to the studio to share the complexities of southern, gothic tales, which is what they wanted to explore deeply.
Finally taking control of Hazel, I’m pleasantly surprised by both how beautiful the game is in motion along with how polished it already feels (seeing as it’s a couple of months from launch, yet). Beginning with the art direction, it’s safe to say it’s likely the aspect that first caught many people’s attention after the game’s debut. And for good reason. It’s not only gorgeous, but distinctive, and that comes through in spades when playing the game. At times it feels as though you’re controlling a character through an animated work of art.
This is highlighted further by superb cinematics and game direction. In this specific chapter you are introduced to a few characters, including Benjy, the mythical catfish you may recall from the trailers. The interactions with Benjy are simply a joy. Playing through the chapter, he accompanies you as you experience the tragic tale of two brothers in the region. While reflecting on the tale, and catching myself grinning while chatting with Benjy afterwards, the overall direction of South of Midnight came screaming into focus. If Compulsion Games is attempting to bring southern, gothic tales to life for players, mission accomplished.
Helping to bring the characters to life are a wide-range of voice actors and musical talents. Adriyan Rae, the voice actress behind Hazel, brings her to life with a sharp and memorable personality. In fact, it caught me off guard the first time she cursed. And, to be honest, I’m not even exactly sure why as, given the character, setting, and situation, it only served in making it feel even more authentic. Even in a short period of time, I felt endeared to Hazel and as though I was fully along for the ride with her.
Given the setting, and the stories being told, music plays an incredibly important part of South of Midnight. The team worked with composer, Olivier Deriviere, along with several different studios and organizations throughout the south to help bring the stories to life. Pulling from influences of blues, country, bluegrass, and more, there’s a very distinctive feeling when playing the game. A children’s choir accompanies simple movements, and full lyrical tracks will begin at key moments in the level, which accompany the tale that you’re actively experiencing. While accompanying tracks aren’t necessarily unique in games, the holistic implementation in South of Midnight and the way it incorporates into every layer of the game feels truly remarkable while playing.
Experiencing the work of art surrounding Hazel is a joy as well. There are aspects of platforming and light exploration, though, at least in this specific chapter, it’s still relatively linear. It’s hard to gauge just how much exploration will be afforded players later in the game, but given Compulsion’s aim in guiding the player through stories, I wouldn’t expect it to expand too greatly. Regardless, navigating the world is already well polished, and seeing the combination of stop-motion themed techniques with the fluid movement and stunning backdrops is a treat for the eyes. It’s worth noting that there is a toggle for those who may not enjoy the stop-motion look as much as others.
Around the world you will find currency, named “Floofs,” which you can use to expand the strength of your powers and abilities. One of the aspects I’m most interested in seeing is the depth of Hazel’s abilities and how they can be utilized throughout the world and combat scenarios. For now, it’s simply too early to tell.
At its heart, South of Midnight is aiming to tell stories of healing and learning from fear, guilt, regret, and more; it’s giving heart to very real, human feelings, all while using mythical creatures to do so. Labeling it “magical realism,” the vision for South of Midnight is for each level to feature a unique creature that pulls from the culture of the region. When that design is layered with the characters, stories, music, and art, South of Midnight feels as though it’s shaping up to be a memorable experience.
I was already excited for South of Midnight from the moment I saw the debut trailer. Having experienced just a small slice of it, that excitement is palpable. Compulsion Games has something special cooking here.
