South of Midnight: A Deep Dive into Southern Gothic Folklore

South Of Midnight Review When a catastrophic hurricane obliterates the town of Prospero, Hazel Flood's immediate concern is finding her mother, Lacey, who was swept away by the raging floodwaters. Her search leads her to discover a connection to an ancient lineage of Weavers – women capable of manipulating the very fabric of reality. Now, Hazel must embrace these newfound powers to rescue her mother and confront a legacy of sorrow deeply embedded within her community.

Set against the backdrop of a fictionalized American Deep South, *South of Midnight* draws heavily from folklore and Southern Gothic traditions. This creates a visually unique world unlike anything seen before. Compulsion Games, the developers behind *We Happy Few* and *Contrast*, have crafted Prospero with dreamlike colors and mesmerizing lighting. The game employs a patchwork design for its fantastical creatures and uses a mock stop-motion animation style, making the characters resemble living marionettes. The visuals are further enhanced by a captivating soundtrack featuring both instrumental pieces and original vocal tracks. However, the gameplay doesn't quite live up to the visual spectacle. Hazel's journey is a largely linear experience through a natural environment that feels more like a restrictive corridor, consisting of endless forest paths and swampland trails. Navigation relies on familiar mechanics like *Uncharted*-style climbing along clearly marked handholds, somewhat awkward double jumps and air glides, and ethereal platforms that Hazel can solidify using her Weaving abilities. These powers are simply presented as innate Weaver skills, with Hazel rarely questioning her sudden superpowers.

While the game attempts to create a sense of exploration with occasional branching paths, these diversions primarily serve to conceal lore notes and "Floofs," the energy source Hazel uses to upgrade her Weaving skills. Ironically, finding these collectibles is made easy by a spell that guides Hazel to her next objective; simply go the opposite direction of the spell's suggestion to find hidden items. The gameplay feels undeniably basic. ## Combat and Story The combat system is another area where the game falls short. Each battle is a scripted encounter in a designated arena along the main path. In these battles, Hazel faces groups of Haints – monsters born from the accumulated pain of the surrounding land. Hazel fights them off before clearing the "Stigma" attracting them and continuing down the linear path. Weaver-based combat abilities, such as charged attacks, push and pull moves, and the ability to briefly possess enemies using Crouton, Hazel's childhood stuffed toy turned voodoo doll, do little to elevate the combat experience.

Final Thoughts Despite these shortcomings, *South of Midnight* remains strangely enjoyable. Its ambitious ideas and bizarre creatures, like the giant talking Catfish who acts as Hazel's mentor, are oddly compelling. Some of the plot's deeper elements carry unexpected emotional weight, with players likely to find themselves moved by the fate of certain characters, including trees. The voice acting is also noteworthy, particularly Adriyan Rae as Hazel and Walt Roberts as the Catfish. It's unfortunate that the game suffers from dated gameplay mechanics and rigid linearity. However, if players can overlook these aspects, reminiscent of game design from the Xbox 360 era, *South of Midnight* may still manage to weave its Southern charms.