Review: South of Midnight - A Poem About US Folklore

South of Midnight is an ambitious project from Compulsion Games, a studio acquired by Microsoft. The game introduces us to the folklore of the south of the US, putting together a narrative and an aesthetic inspired by stop-motion animations. The game has an around 12–15 hour campaign and promises a unique experience. In this review, I’ll address everything from its cultural representation to some flaws I’ve noticed in the game.

Hazel's Journey

As 19-year-old Hazel Flood, players embark on a quest to rescue her mother, who’s been missing after a hurricane devastates the fictional town of Prospero, Mississippi. Hazel finds out that she’s a Weaver, capable of manipulating the Great Tapestry, a magical net that connects memories and emotions to the spirit world. Her mission now is to fight the Haints, demonic creatures that embody human traumas, from slavery to family abuse.

Themes and Symbolism

The game tackles heavy themes such as racism, poverty, and cycles of violence, using myths like the Two-Toed Tom alligator and the Rougarou werewolf as metaphors. The narrative explores how trauma is passed down through generations, with Hazel serving as a bridge between the past and the healing. The depiction of Southern US culture is meticulous: regional accents, references to blues and jazz, and historical details like abandoned post-Reconstruction homes.

Criticism to the Structure

Even though the game is good, the story is a bit uneven and has a few unresolved subplots. Great secondary characters are introduced and then quickly abandoned, leaving us open questions. The mysterious Catfish, whose role in the trailers promised more relevance in the story, unfortunately exits the plot quickly. Although the main villain is excellent, he’s very predictable, and Hazel, despite being very charismatic, becomes rather passive at crucial moments in the plot.

Exploration and Platforming

The game follows a linear structure, with levels that alternate between arena combat and escape sequences. Hazel's movement is extremely fluid: she climbs walls, slides through corridors and uses Crouton, a magical crochet doll, to solve puzzles. We can tell on the inspiration that came from Uncharted and Tomb Raider here. The platforming action is very satisfying, but after Chapter 4 no new mechanics are introduced. Although they don't hinder the game, I felt that this part could be better explored.

Combat and Difficulty

The combat system, while good, has little progressions. Hazel uses magical hooks for melee attacks and has abilities such as pushing and pulling enemies, but that's about it, which can frustrate some players. The enemies also have little variety, only 6 or 7 different types. It's not a problem per se, but the game is beautiful, and I felt that more enemies would make it shine more.

The difficulty can be annoying, I played in normal mode and, although for me, it was well-balanced, some players may consider the adventure too easy. But for those who enjoy getting trophies, it’s an excellent game, and you can get them all without much effort, while also enjoying the beauty of the game.

Progression and Accessibility

The game allows you to skip combat or adjust damage taken, ideal for players who want to focus on the story. But the skill upgrades, although functional, don't get much attention. For example, the Stun Weave ability (activates paralyzing webs) takes a while to unlock and doesn't significantly change combat; it could be better explored.

Stop-Motion Aesthetics

The game's art is stunning and left me speechless, very reminiscent of Coraline and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, with animations that imitate dropped frames. Scenarios such as swamps flooded by golden lights and abandoned plantations are gorgeous and make us pause the gameplay to admire the environment. The stop-motion effect is most noticeable in cutscenes, and gives the game a touch of animation charm. During gameplay, the animation goes back to normal, making the game very fluid.

Impeccable Soundtrack

The composition by Olivier Derivière (known for Streets of Rage 4) combines blues, jazz and gospel choirs. Songs like Ballad of Two-Toed Tom and Huggin’ Molly’s Lament elevate the game to AAA status, with lyrics that narrate the story in real time. The soundtrack isn’t there just to create the atmosphere, but also acts as a narrator, something rare in games. You can listen to the entire soundtrack on Spotify later, I did it and still listen to it.

Folklore and History

The game incorporates legends such as the Huggin’ Molly haunting and the Rougarou, reimagining them into discussions surrounding abuse and loss. The attention to historical details, such as post-Civil War eviction notices and references to slavery, is something that impressed me a lot. Although I’ve read many criticisms of the game where they point out that the slavery themes are addressed indirectly through euphemisms such as "helping people escape" without explicit contextualization, it showcased very well all the historical aspects it proposed to explore, without making the theme heavy.

Hazel's Representation

Hazel is an incredible protagonist, with very well-written sarcastic dialogue where, despite her style, she shows respect for the local culture. Her evolution is symbolized by changes in the way she dresses: at first, she wears more casual clothing, but as the story progresses we see beautiful outfits that celebrate her African heritage. The representation of Afro hairstyles and fashion are carefully crafted, highlighting their importance and cultural weight.

Graphics and Performance

The game runs extremely smoothly, both on the Xbox Series X or S, without significant bugs and maintaining a fluid 60 FPS. The lighting is a highlight that enchants players, creating atmospheres that vary from swamps to sunny forests. The scenarios and enemies are also carefully well-made, which makes us admire the game as a whole.

Accessibility Options

The game has great accessibility tools. In addition to difficulty settings, the game includes options to reduce motion sickness effects caused by the visual style, such as disabling stop-motion and adjusting camera sensitivity.

Pros

Realistic voice performances

Cons

Little variation in enemies and bosses

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Is South of Midnight worth playing?

Yes, it is! South of Midnight can be a pleasant surprise and I highly recommend it to:

You prefer games with deep skill progression.

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Conclusion

Although it’s not a perfect game, South of Midnight is worth playing. Its art, music and narrative elevate it to a AAA gaming experience. For fans and experts of USA folklore, it’s like being in an environment full of things to admire and experience. Although the gameplay may seem uncreative to some, the game has more hits than misses, proving that AA games can stand out and offer hours of fun.

South Of Midnight is available on PC, Xbox Series S/X and has been included in Game Pass since release.