Review #025 – South of Midnight

If nothing else, South of Midnight’s flair is something to be commended. Both its claymation aesthetic and American Deep South themes are thoughtfully executed — I think this is probably the best stop-motion-styled game I’ve played so far. It’s an engaging adventure with lots of platforming, combat, and set pieces, but the game’s sublime style is easily the star of the show.

Beyond its presentation the easiest comparison I could make is to something like Kena: Bridge of Spirits or many other Gamecube era action games (which is not a negative) — a relatively linear action/adventure with some basic platforming, very light puzzle solving, and lots of somewhat routine combat. Nothing really stands out in terms of gameplay, but nothing’s poorly designed either.

I found myself playing for 3-4 chapters at a time because I just wanted to see where the narrative was going, all supported by terrific performances and great writing. Though, oddly, it does conclude in a weirdly abrupt way which spoiled the otherwise compelling plot. Yet, despite the story’s underwhelming conclusion, I look back on my time with the game fondly. To my fellow Canadians at Compulsion Games — well done.