Have you ever watched an incredible stop-motion animated film like “Coraline” or “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and wondered what it would be like to play a video game in the same style? Look no further than “South of Midnight,” the new action-adventure game by Compulsion Games that is entirely animated in beautiful stop-motion style and seeped in the rich culture of the Deep American South.
The story follows Hazel, a nineteen-year-old girl who embarks on a quest to find her missing mother after a terrible hurricane sweeps their house downriver with her mother inside. Along the way, she meets dozens of creatures from Southern folklore, both friend and foe, and learns to wield her newfound power as a weaver, a magic user who can heal others’ trauma.
This game truly looks like no other. The art and animation are captivating, whether you are looking at the detailed characters’ designs and facial expressions, the intricate backgrounds or the complex interiors of dilapidated houses and elegant manors. Each chapter takes you to a new area of the Deep South, from the swampy bayou to the jazz-infused streets of New Orleans. It is an art style that never gets boring, no matter how long you look at it.
The story is where this game truly grips you. Southern gothic folktales are something I have never seen explored in a game, and “South of Midnight” does it extremely well. Each chapter delves into a different creature that Hazel must try to save, and many are pulled directly from Southern folklore, including monsters such as the giant alligator Two-Toed Tom, the form-shifting Rougarou and the child-snatching Huggin’ Molly. The creatures, while monstrous, are treated with compassion and understanding, and give a new empathetic lens to these once terrifying folktales. The human characters are also well-rounded and compelling. This is evident with Hazel’s mother, Lacey, whose job as a social worker brings her face to face with the horrible things humanity is capable of daily. Lacey struggles with trying to help those in need, yet not bring the trauma she’s faced with home to her daughter. This game does not glorify or idealize Southern living; it paints realistic views of the people who live there, both the good and the bad. These characters are brought to life through stellar voice acting and excellent animation, bolstered by the fantastic dialogue that lasts through the whole game.
The music is one of the biggest selling points of “South of Midnight.” Mixing many types of Southern music, such as bluegrass, jazz, blues and folk tunes, “South of Midnight” creates an unforgettable soundtrack. Not only does it have an amazing general soundtrack, but each boss has its own original song to go along with it, with full lyrics and background vocals that tell the story of the creature. The songs are scattered throughout the level as you progress and find out more about the monster, and increase until you get a full-blown artistic masterpiece for the boss fight. It is like nothing I have heard in a game before, and enhances the story just as much as the dialogue and animation.
“South of Midnight” is a truly unique game. In no other game will you find the same excellence in writing, animation and music. “South of Midnight” is available on both Xbox and Steam, and with only a 10-12 hour play time according to the developers, there is no reason not to pick up this gem of a game. So grab a controller and get ready to descend into the swampy depths of the bayou.
