Western storytelling loves to make use of mythology as worldbuilding, but it surely fixates on Greek, Roman, and Norse myths so typically that it is easy to neglect different elements of the world, just like the American South, have loads of folklore as properly. South of Midnight, the brand new action-platformer from Compulsion Video games, makes use of this underrepresented roster of cryptids to nice success, telling a heartfelt story centered round a lady and her mom. Its respectable fight and platforming are elevated to nice heights by stellar visible and musical presentation, leading to a recreation I am unable to cease smiling about.
Hazel Flood.
South of Midnight stars Hazel Flood, a lady in her late teenagers making an attempt to trace her mother down within the aftermath of a hurricane. Alongside the way in which, she discovers she’s a Weaver, a magical one who can use ethereal strands to struggle, traverse, and glimpse visions of the previous. Unlockable magical skills are used for fight, traversal, and puzzle-solving, which is environment friendly from a gameplay perspective and a story one; each side of Hazel’s life turns into unusual and magical, and he or she has to learn to deal with it. On her journey, she encounters a number of mythic creatures from Southern folklore and learns the tragic backstories that led to their curses. I all the time loved these flashbacks, as they flesh out the world in distinctive methods and seamlessly combine myths into the primary story. Nonetheless, the narrative stays grounded, due to Hazel’s relationship along with her mom, grandmother, and big catfish companion. Except for some pacing points felt most closely within the recreation’s sluggish begin and abrupt ending, it is a touching story I am going to bear in mind fondly.
Cutscenes and fight are woven collectively by linear platforming sequences. Hazel can double bounce, glide, grapple, and wall-run to traverse the world. It’s also possible to head off the crushed path to seek for Floofs, the sport’s foreign money for potential upgrades, however I by no means discovered the exploration partaking. Whenever you come to a crossroads, you possibly can click on the best follow see the primary goal’s course, so “exploring” boils all the way down to recognizing a aspect path when it seems, briefly heading down it to gather Floofs, after which turning round and getting again on the primary path. Nonetheless, I used to be hungry sufficient for upgrades to seek for Floofs at any time when potential. Fortunately, a wide range of motion strategies hold the expertise from feeling too stale. Traversal in the end feels much less like an thrilling mechanic in its personal proper and extra like a way to maneuver between lovely environments, one of many recreation’s highlights.
Hazel grapples utilizing her Weaver magic.
One of the best components of South of Midnight are its artwork and music. Characters are animated with purposefully skipped frames, creating an aesthetic that falls someplace between Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and stop-motion animation. Regardless of these clear creative inspirations, South of Midnight stands out with superbly designed characters, monsters, and environments. It is visually spectacular on a technical degree as properly, incomes its spot on fashionable consoles and PCs. Whether or not it is the sunbeams streaming throughout the grime at sunset or the haunting visuals of an intense boss battle, I used to be constantly impressed by South of Midnight’s attractive visuals.
The sound design is simply as robust, due to the inspiration it pulls from the story’s setting. The South has a wealthy musical historical past, from bluegrass to jazz to people, and an appropriately different playlist of genres scores Hazel’s journey. A twangy banjo, a rowdy trombone, and a dramatic swell of violins are all equally more likely to seem in any given degree’s soundtrack.
Traditionally, these songs are additionally the way in which tales are handed throughout generations, and South of Midnight pays homage to this with its boss songs. These unique tracks play within the background of climactic battles with lyrics pertaining to that second within the plot, typically from the attitude of one of many characters within the battle itself. “Cinematic” is an adjective used to explain video games with grand setpieces or dramatic performances, however these soundtracks are cinematic in a distinct sense. Motion sequences in films are sometimes underscored by related songs taking part in within the background, so each time I heard the lyrics are available in to accompany the boss battle, it felt like I used to be sitting in a theater, watching popcorn-worthy struggle choreography.
Hazel battles the intimidating Two-Toed Tom.
On that be aware, the fight in South of Midnight shouldn’t be its strongest side, but it surely grows in complexity in the direction of the tip in ways in which dramatically enhance its high quality. Initially, its simple third-person motion feels by-product. Whereas I did not hate it, I by no means appeared ahead to it and did not discover it significantly satisfying. Its most original factor is the Unravel mechanic: Whenever you defeat an enemy, you possibly can pull aside its lingering spirit, barely therapeutic Hazel and shaving a number of seconds off potential cooldowns. These skills are unlocked by means of the story, together with one which pushes foes, one other that pulls them, and a 3rd that afflicts them with a standing known as Weave, locking them in place and reducing their defenses. They’re helpful and must be employed as typically as potential, however do not normally really feel like game-changing powers.
This isn’t the case by the late recreation. As every potential is upgraded, it unlocks new circumstances to afflict Weave and pace up cooldowns, typically erasing them solely. For instance, you possibly can immediately reset the Push potential by hitting a number of enemies without delay, making a transfer with a roughly 15-second timer develop into part of your common arsenal. Enhancements like this encourage gamers to contemplate positioning and add threat and reward to the powers. When you add a second sprint and exploding Unravels, fights are quick, frantic, and enjoyable as you progress rapidly to maximise your skills, refresh their cooldowns, and Unravel foes quickly sufficient to get some well being again. I want this complexity was current sooner than the sport’s final 5 hours, however I used to be primarily glad it reached these heights in any respect.
Hazel stares down a Rougarou.
Because of its vibrant artwork, music, and storytelling, I had a beautiful time with South of Midnight. Its narrative goes to some surprisingly darkish locations, but it nonetheless brims with whimsy, making it a becoming adaptation of the supply mythology’s comparable tone. I could not have instructed you what a Rougarou was a number of weeks in the past, however due to this recreation, I’ve acquired a catchy melody of its identify that performs on repeat in my head. It is becoming that, just like the tales and songs it seeks to honor, South of Midnight has efficiently handed Southern folklore on to a brand new, wider viewers.