Founded 15 years ago, Compulsion Games has been in the industry for a little while now, and its games are renowned for being particularly ambitious. The studio’s debut project was 2013’sContrast, a puzzle-platformer that was full of heart and charm but was lacking in the gameplay department and suffered from performance issues.2018’sWe Happy Fewwas a similar story for Compulsion, with critics praising the game’s atmosphere and unique sense of identity, while condemning its gameplay and technical issues. But it seems Compulsion could be on to a winner withSouth of Midnight.
First announced during the Xbox Showcase in June 2023,South of Midnightimmediately stood out for its eponymous southern setting, its folklore inspirations, and its breathtaking art style. Back in June of this year,South of Midnightrevealed a gameplay trailer, and it further cemented itself as one of Xbox’s most exciting upcoming projects.South of Midnightis now targeting a 2025 release window, and while there’s a lot Compulsion is keeping secret, there are plenty of features already confirmed for the game.
What Fans Can Expect From South of Midnight
A Mythical Tale Inspired by Southern Folklore
After a hurricane sweeps through the town of Prospero, Hazel is transported to a fantasy land heavily inspired by theSouthern Gothic genreand American Deep South folklore. Hazel finds herself becoming a Weaver, a magic-wielder tasked with fixing this vibrant fantasy world.
Along the way, Hazel will face off against an assortment of bosses, each one inspired by Southern folklore. According toSouth of Midnight’s recent previews, these folklore inspirations are the game’s biggest selling-point, and clearly Compulsion’s primary focus. Together with Southern artists and advisors, Compulsion is trying to makeSouth of Midnightas authentic as possible.
For instance, each boss inSouth of Midnightwill be given its ownjazz and blues musical accompaniment, complete with lyrics that tell the mythical creature’s story all while the player is engaged in the fight.South of Midnightwill also feature a “dynamic narrator” that begins and rounds-out each chapter of the game’s story, giving it an almost fairy tale-like feel.
According to Kinda Funny’s Parris Lilly (who recently visited Compulsion),South of Midnightwill take around 12 hours to beat.
South of Midnight’s Blend of Soulslike Combat and Platforming
Fans got their first glimpse ofSouth of Midnight’s gameplay during this year’s June Xbox Showcase. This trailer showed off a few brief snippets of combat and platforming, two elements that recent previews say are the crux ofSouth of Midnight’s gameplay loop. Players will use Hazel’s magical Weaver abilities to double jump, air dash, and grapple their way through environments, eventually landing in a combat arena.
From what’s been shown so far,South of Midnight’s combat seems Soulslike in nature, with players needing to dodge sweeping enemy attacks and strike their foe in the resulting window. Though,South of Midnight’s combatdoes seem a little more forgiving than the average Soulslike.
South of Midnight’s Handcrafted Art Style
An immediate highlight ofSouth of Midnightfrom the moment fans first laid eyes on it in 2023 is its vivid, handcrafted art style. Evoking comparisons to movies likeSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,South of Midnight’s stylized art direction and stop-motion animationimmediately sets it apart from its contemporaries in the gaming space. That being said, despite its stop-motion animation,South of Midnightwill apparently still run at 60 FPS.
South of Midnight’s stop-motion animation can be turned off for gameplay, though it’ll remain on during cutscenes.
South of Midnight
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creators of Contrast and We Happy Few, South of Midnight is a spellbinding third person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South.As Hazel, you will explore the mythos and encounter creatures of Southern folklore in a macabre and fantastical world. When disaster strikes her hometown, Hazel is called to become a Weaver: a magical mender of broken bonds and spirits. Imbued with these new abilities, Hazel will confront and subdue dangerous creatures, untangle the webs of her own family’s shared past and -if she’s lucky - find her way to a place that feels like home.A DARK MODERN FOLKTALE: When a hurricane rips through Prospero, Hazel is pulled into a Southern Gothic world where reality and fantasy are interwoven, and ancient creatures from folklore emerge. In this coming-of-age adventure, Hazel journeys forth to rescue her mother and delves into a haunting web of folklore and family secrets, untangling her own identity.CONFRONT MYTHICAL CREATURES: Wield an ancient power to restore creatures and uncover the traumas that consume them. Cast weaving magic to fight destructive Haints, explore the diverse regions of the South, and reweave the tears in the Grand Tapestry.
