South of Midnight (Xbox) review: A beautiful but flawed game
South of Midnight by Xbox Game Studios arrives with the unmistakable aura of an old blues track you might have stumbled across in a forgotten record store. It’s not groundbreaking nor particularly innovative, but it resonates with a quiet charm that many games today often miss by trying too hard. Imagine the roti prata from your neighbourhood coffee shop that you’ve had countless times: comforting, predictable, yet ultimately satisfying. That’s precisely the essence captured by South of Midnight, a game that settles comfortably within the confines of nostalgia without ever truly pushing boundaries. Is that a bad thing, though? Let’s find out.
At first glance, South of Midnight seems ripe for intrigue. Set against the backdrop of a twisted Deep South, steeped in Cajun folklore and mysticism, its aesthetics pulse with authenticity – from banjo-driven soundtracks to characters dripping with drawling charm. Hazel, our protagonist, initially embarks on a quest to rescue her mother following a devastating flood. The storyline quickly pivots, delving into a tapestry of tragedy that intertwines personal losses with historical pain. It’s a narrative woven with a gentle hand, gradually unfolding the melancholy of forgotten tragedies, haunting disappearances, and displaced souls whose stories are marked by sorrow and superstition.
However, South of Midnight’s exploration of deeper thematic layers is more surface-level than profound. For instance, Hazel’s mixed-race heritage and the stark contrast between her modest upbringing and her estranged white family’s plantation legacy are presented intriguingly yet remain frustratingly underdeveloped. While the symbolism is rich –particularly in depicting the game’s antagonistic force, aptly named ‘stigma’ – it feels hesitant to truly grapple with these powerful racial undercurrents. Consequently, what could have been a thoughtful commentary remains simply an intriguing but shallow aspect of the narrative.
When it comes to gameplay, South of Midnight adopts a simplistic approach. Combat mechanics centre around a single attack button, enhanced minimally by dodging and a modest collection of supernatural abilities such as enemy possession and immobilisation spells. These ideas show and have potential, yet their execution remains pedestrian, feeling disconnected from one another and limited in variety. Encounters swiftly become repetitive, with enemy archetypes rarely evolving beyond their initial introductions. While not every game requires sophisticated combat intricacies, South of Midnight’s simplicity eventually wears thin due to its lack of depth – to put it simply.
Boss battles offer brief glimpses of the game’s greater ambitions, however. These confrontations rely on familiar mechanics, such as exploiting vulnerabilities and managing attack stages, but manage to inject occasional excitement with exciting chase sequences and cinematic musical accompaniments. However, these are fleeting moments rather than consistent highlights. The fact that most of Hazel’s special abilities are ineffective against bosses also underscores a lack of design cohesion, reducing these battles to formulaic endurance tests rather than inventive challenges.
Platforming sections suffer similarly but benefit slightly more from varied environments that keep visual monotony at bay. South of Midnight smartly maintains a linear progression, eliminating unnecessary open-world distractions and preserving a streamlined flow that suits its compact storytelling style. Each setting feels distinct, visually engaging, and purposefully designed, helping to mitigate the limited interactivity offered by Hazel’s modest platforming toolkit.
The game’s true strength arguably lies in its presentation rather than mechanics or thematic ambitions. South of Midnight brims with atmospheric flavour, effortlessly capturing the mystical allure of its Deep South setting. Whether navigating eerie bayous or exploring dilapidated structures lost to time, the game’s visual and auditory design envelops players convincingly. This sensory immersion compensates somewhat for gameplay deficiencies, ensuring a consistently engaging experience even when interactions become repetitive.
Characterisation within the game is similarly commendable. Hazel herself, though overly verbose at times, is likeable enough as a protagonist, carrying emotional weight through genuine moments of vulnerability and strength. Supporting characters peppered throughout her journey contribute to the immersive storytelling, each bringing personality and emotional authenticity to the world Hazel navigates. They’re quirky, often tragic figures whose interactions resonate and underscore the game’s narrative sincerity.
Interestingly, the game’s relatively brief game time – clocking at around twelve hours – serves it well. Unlike numerous contemporary titles bloated with unnecessary content, South of Midnight respects the player’s time. Its narrative arcs complete satisfactorily without overstaying their welcome, striking a nice balance between narrative depth and concise storytelling.
Ultimately, South of Midnight succeeds precisely because it doesn’t strive for greatness, content instead to deliver a comfortable, modestly enjoyable experience. It draws upon familiar gameplay traditions, never attempting to reinvent the wheel, yet executes its chosen elements competently enough to justify its existence. And in a gaming landscape dominated by relentless innovation and hyperbolic marketing promises, South of Midnight quietly earns its place as a pleasant, if unremarkable, diversion. It’s not the type of game you’ll passionately debate with friends or remember vividly years down the line, but it certainly provides a satisfying weekend playthrough. Like a reliable old album that occasionally spins on your turntable, South of Midnight doesn’t demand your attention – it politely asks for it, and often that’s enough.
South of Midnight is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC and Xbox Game Pass.
