South of Midnight’s unique world backdrops solid character action

We already know that developer Compulsion Games has the chops to create an intriguing, aesthetically unique video game world after Contrast and We Happy Few. But the Microsoft-owned studio’s newest work, South of Midnight, has more than just the visual goods — it plays great, too. Its magical Deep South world is truly fun to explore and to fight evil in.

South of Midnight also has something many games lack: an adorable, weird little guy companion who I wish could accompany me in real life. In South of Midnight, that lil’ guy is Crouton, a magical ragdoll who brings cuteness and added gameplay depth to the adventure.

A goofball like Crouton is total bait for a player like me. But Compulsion doesn’t seem content to coast on South of Midnight’s quirky characters and bold, stop-motion animation-inspired looks. During a hands-on session, the studio sold me with the game’s combat; its winding, secret-filled world; and its strong writing.

South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure game bound for Xbox Series X and Windows PC this April. Players take control of Hazel, a young woman whose hometown of Prospero has been struck by a hurricane. In the aftermath of that disaster, Prospero is forever changed, and Hazel is called upon to become a Weaver, a magic user with a diverse set of talents. Using magical strands, Hazel casts spells to battle evil creatures, summon structures to climb on and jump off of, break through obstacles, and propel herself through the air. She can even magically run across walls, Titanfall pilot-style, as she traverses this broken, Southern Gothic world.

The magic of South of Midnight extends beyond Hazel. She’ll see the spirits of her ancestors and talk to legendary creatures like a giant, friendly catfish during the course of the game. The conversations that unfold with these other characters — and Hazel’s internal dialogue — appear to be the primary storytelling vectors here.

In a section of the game I played during a recent press event for South of Midnight, Hazel’s combat and movement abilities seemed still fresh to her, based on her own reactions to them. She could weave strands to pull and push away enemies, or briefly stun them. As I found a collectible resource she called Floofs — Hazel names many of the strange new things she encounters in this unfamiliar world — I could power up her abilities. Upgrading Hazel’s spell-weaving powers lets her deflect projectiles, harvest health from enemies, and inflict greater damage on stunned bad guys. 

South of Midnight game director Jasmin Roy explained that the combat was designed to evolve and intensify over the course of the game. Many of Hazel’s primary attacks are performed with a single button, but managing her and her enemies’ positions, performing perfect dodges, and contending with ability-cooldown timers all ensures that battles won’t be overly simplistic. That said, South of Midnight will include a variety of difficulty settings; should the combat prove too difficult, you can skip it outright or opt for a less challenging mode that focuses more on story and exploration.

Moving around the swamps and derelict villages of South of Midnight’s Southern world is certainly fun, too. Like any good video game character, Hazel gains the ability to double jump, glide, climb, and wall run through the world. Compulsion’s designers have tucked away all kinds of secrets and well-hidden Floof material throughout the world. Exploring every nook and cranny was quite compelling. Even during my limited hands-on time, I obsessively tried to chase down every bit of Floof I could find.

Then there’s Crouton. While I didn’t advance far enough into the game to play with him myself, Hazel eventually gets the ability to summon Crouton, who can be used in battle and in exploration. In combat situations, Crouton can possess an enemy (which the game calls Haints) and have it fight on Hazel’s side. Given his tiny size, Crouton can also reach areas that Hazel can’t. The developer showed footage of Hazel’s ragdoll buddy exploring the tunnels of a fox den, where secrets and collectibles may await, while she remained outside.

While the movement and combat feel evocative of other games (e.g., Devil May Cry, Metroid Prime, Titanfall), the “Southern Gothic meets dark folktale” that Compulsion says it’s aiming for with South of Midnight feels unique in big-budget games. Art director Whitney Clayton said the studio was inspired by some developers’ Southern upbringing, as well as existing works from books and film — The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Pan’s Labyrinth, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, to name a few.

Clayton said the team utilized themes of a decaying America, eccentric rural characters, Southern storytelling traditions, and the South’s complex history as inspiration, wrapping it all in Compulsion’s use of exaggerated stylism. Even the game’s animation is exaggerated — the characters move with a stop-motion-like judder. (Don’t worry: You can turn that stylistic choice off, developers said.)

But at the heart of South of Midnight is a simple, relatable tale. Writer and narrative director Zaire Lanier described it as a “very human story” about a mother and daughter. “The game deals with some heavy subjects, but we want it to feel empathetic,” Lanier told me. She said the studio also wants players to feel a connection to Hazel, who is written as a kind, sympathetic person who experiences the classic hero’s journey over the game’s 10- to 12-hour linear narrative.

South of Midnight certainly has the vibes down. As someone who was raised in and explored the South for many years, I found myself caught up in the game’s swampy atmosphere, thick with kudzu and Spanish moss. The game’s audio is spot on; the constant drone of frogs and cicadas transported me back to a time and place that felt authentic. That was kind of a surprise, given that Compulsion is headquartered in Montreal. This is all to say that it appears that South of Midnight’s developers have put in the work, and I’m excited to see and play more of Hazel’s story this spring.

South of Midnight will be released April 8 on Windows PC and Xbox Series X.