They just don’t make games like this anymore. That’s my main takeaway from playing the PS5 release of South of Midnight. Despite its unusual gothic folklore aesthetic, with both the world and its inhabitants inspired by the myths and legends of the American Deep South, not to mention an intriguing stop-motion-lite animation style , the latest release from Compulsion Games is as conventional as they come. Well, conventional if it were 2010. In an industry suffused with open worlds, an afterlife worth of souls, and a never ending fountain of roguelikes, having a straight up linear narrative-driven action-adventure game is a breath of fresh air.
I’m not afraid to admit that I am burnt out with open world games. I think it was Assassin’s Creed Shadows that finished me off. At some point, sixty hours in the game, half-way through a fetch quest that required me travelling a vast distance while not doing a lot, it occurred to me just how bored I was. It wasn’t specifically with Shadows (though I’d certainly had my fill of Samurai shenanigans by then), but with the open world genre in general. I was tired of having to play a game for at least twenty hours before I could get to the good bits. Bored of stomping around enormous, though admittedly very pretty, empty environments just to get to somewhere to do something fun. Fed up with all the filler because, apparently, we all want to be playing one game for 100 hours. South of Midnight was like a refreshing balm on my aching middle-aged gamer muscles. Ten hours to complete, no dull filler, all action from beginning to end – yes, please!
For those who didn’t play South of Midnight on Xbox or PC last year, here’s some context: Hazel is a Weaver, only she doesn’t know it yet. What’s a Weaver? Well, it’s basically a wizard, though one who heals the mind, body, and soul of others. After her house is washed away in an epic flood, Hazel goes on a quest of self-discovery to save her mum, who just so happened to be trapped inside their river-riding abode.
Hazel rapidly gains new abilities at a terrific rate. The pace of power acquisition is relentless in the early going, the developer eager to give you access to all the good stuff as quickly as possible. Soon Hazel is athletically leaping around the levels, double jumping, air-dashing, wall running, clambering from hand hold to hand hold, you know the drill. Movement is free and satisfying, Hazel manoeuvring precisely as she flips from platform to platform. There’s some light puzzle work that rarely troubles the grey-matter but still proves enjoyable, as Hazel uses her magic to push, pull and through items in order to access out-of-reach areas.
This being a linear game, you’ll always know exactly where to go, the fun comes from the reactive inputs that you require to get there. Though, if you do get turned around looking for hidden notes and skill points there’s also a handy magical trail to guide you on your way. Meanwhile, combat is fairly rudimentary – fighting the same handful of enemy types in small arenas soon gets samey – but thankfully unobstructive, allowing you to get back to exploring in short order.
And what a world to explore! In terms of visual design, South of Midnight is simply outstanding. From dark, treacherous, atmosphere infused swamps, to gruesome gore-soaked poo-coated pig farms and abstract totally bonkers nightmare realms, the pictures Compulsion Games paint are amongst the most eyeball pleasing I’ve ever encountered.
This continues with the NPCs you’ll meet. In terms of character work, South of Midnight is second to none. The mostly untapped folklore and mythology of the Deep South provide a fascinating and unique set of video game characters to meet and battle. There’s an enormous island-sized alligator called Toe-Toed Tom to avoid, the were-owl Rougarou to battle, and a talking thoroughly charming Catfish to befriend. I simply adored making the acquaintance of these large-the-life personalities and, in the process, learning about the fascinating myths and legends of a culture that informed them.
There’s a handful of issues that can hopefully still be improved, whether they’re PS5 specific or not. Pop-in is far too frequent and jarring for a linear game, and when indoors, walls tend to flicker with late loading textures as the player swings the camera – a classic Unreal Engine foible that really shouldn’t still be happening in games of any size. Just in general, the camera is lethargic, and you’ll find its necessary to change its default settings in order for it to behave like a good camera should. With a bit of tweaking though, it’s mostly fine.
Put up with those minor gripes though, and you’ll find in South of Midnight something rather special. And if, like me, you’re tired of the modern gaming convention of everything being an open roguelike soul, and find yourself harking after a simpler time, then South of Midnight provides the deeply engaging narrative action-adventure experience that is all too rare these days.
