Unravel the Secrets of the South
By Paul Hunter
Compulsion Games has always done things a little differently. From the shadowy theatrical flair of Contrast to the unsettling, dystopian weirdness of We Happy Few, their catalogue leans into atmosphere and offbeat storytelling. South of Midnight, their latest adventure, swaps gas masks and pharmaceuticals for muddy trails, haunted bayous, and a heroine armed with folklore and a pair of enchanted Hooks. It’s developed by Compulsion and published by Xbox Game Studios, and it's their most confident release to date.
You step into the worn-out sneakers of Hazel Flood, a teenager caught between real-world tragedy and supernatural chaos. One moment, she's dealing with family drama and a coming hurricane. The next, she's stranded in a myth-soaked version of the Deep South, chased by monsters and guided by a talking catfish. It's as weird as it sounds—in a good way.
This game doesn’t just tell a story—it spins a yarn full of magic, music, and muddy secrets. It blends action, platforming, and puzzle-solving with a distinct stop-motion look that gives everything a handmade feel. Are you ready to dive into a world where old ghosts still have something to say, and every tree seems to watch you back?
Hazel Flood’s journey begins with a storm, both outside and within. After clashing with her mother, she storms out, only to return moments later as disaster strikes. Her home is swallowed by rising waters, and with it, her mother vanishes. That loss pushes Hazel into a warped version of the American South, where folklore walks, spirits speak, and the swamp hides more than just gators.
You’re not just looking for answers—you’re stitching together a family history buried under trauma and myth. Hazel discovers she's a Weaver, someone who can unpick the dark corruption known as stigma, a tar-like blight creeping through this twisted world. Her power ties directly to the emotional scars left behind by others, including her own. You’ll store these traumas in fragile blue bottles, freeing the haunted and confronting their pain. It’s a heavy but powerful idea, handled with care.
The people you meet along the way feel grounded, even in such a surreal setting. Their stories are often short but memorable, touching on grief, shame, and legacy. Some are sad, others strange, and a few are surprisingly dark. These tales shape Hazel’s path without stealing the spotlight. You’re always reminded that this is her story, even as she carries the weight of others.
A talking catfish acts as both guide and narrator, chiming in with humour, context, and the occasional Southern proverb. It’s a clever storytelling device that adds personality without overexplaining. The main thread—finding Hazel’s mother—remains constant, even as side stories pull you deeper into this otherworldly swamp.
Each chapter feels like a page from a folktale, complete with illustrated transitions and old-timey charm. But this isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past, it's a modern story with modern technology and Hazel speaks like any teenager would. That blend of modern and mythical gives South of Midnight a voice all its own.
South of Midnight leans into action-adventure with a mix of light puzzle-solving, fluid movement, and combat that gradually opens up. You’ll swing across tree branches, scale crumbling structures, and glide over murky waters with a smooth rhythm that feels instantly natural. Hazel’s platforming tools—double jumps, gliding, wall-running—give you just enough freedom without overcomplicating things. Exploring the swampy South feels satisfying, especially when you're rewarded with upgrade points or health boosts tucked away in hidden corners.
Combat begins with a single-button strike, but soon evolves into something with more flavour. Hazel wields enchanted Hooks that let her pull enemies close or knock them away, and over time she gains access to Spindles—spells that snare foes in web-like strands. Combining these powers with her stuffed companion, Crouton, adds a fun layer of strategy. You can even let Crouton possess an enemy for a short time, turning the tide during tougher skirmishes.
Fights are spaced out deliberately, which gives you time to breathe and absorb the environment. Boss encounters stand out for their creativity, not just size. One personal highlight? Facing off against a massive alligator that’s grown so large it crushes a chapel underfoot. It was chaotic, funny, and oddly poetic all at once. Moments like that keep things fresh without overwhelming you.
The pacing strikes a balance between combat, traversal, and story beats. Some levels favour climbing and exploration, while others lean into short chase sequences or tightly scripted encounters. You’ll rarely feel stuck in one mode for too long. When you're not unravelling stigma or battling strange swamp creatures, you’re piecing together folklore through collectibles—short notes that actually feel worth reading.
Hazel’s abilities grow slowly but meaningfully. Unlocking upgrades feels earned, and you’re never bombarded with too many choices. Instead, the game encourages you to experiment and lean into the tools that suit your style. Whether you prefer stunning enemies with magic or launching into air combos, there’s just enough room for creativity without becoming overwhelming.
If you’re looking for tight combat or high-stakes challenge, this isn’t that kind of game. But if you enjoy thoughtful pacing, satisfying traversal, and occasional bursts of creative chaos, you’ll feel right at home.
South of Midnight looks and sounds like a moving folktale. Its stop-motion-inspired animation creates a slightly jerky, handmade quality that gives every scene personality. Characters feel like they’ve been stitched together from cloth and wood, while the world looks like it’s sculpted from clay and moss. It’s a bold style choice that works, setting the game apart from anything else released this year.
The environments shift between foggy swamplands, broken-down trailer parks, sunlit forests, and twisted ruins. Colours are earthy but never dull, with subtle lighting that changes based on time of day and weather. There’s a scene where Hazel climbs the remnants of a shattered riverboat, and the view from the top—swamp stretching in every direction, vines swaying in the wind—felt like something straight out of a dream.
Story moments are backed by illustrations on parchment, shown between chapters like pages from a living book. It’s a small touch, but it strengthens the Southern Gothic atmosphere the game leans into so well. Music helps too—banjos, fiddles, and humming vocals set a tone that’s folksy but slightly off-kilter. Even ambient sounds, like cicadas or distant thunder, do a lot of heavy lifting.
Voice acting hits the mark, especially with Hazel and the catfish narrator who tags along throughout your journey. The cast delivers their lines with warmth, humour, and just the right amount of mystery. Their voices add heart to the darker themes without ever feeling heavy-handed.
On a technical level, performance holds up for the most part. Load times are short and transitions between areas are quick. There were a few dips in frame rate, especially during larger boss fights or dense areas, but nothing that derailed the experience. These stutters feel separate from the intentional movement style and are minor enough to overlook.
Menus and HUD elements stay simple, and the art direction does most of the talking. You won’t find a cluttered screen or overbearing indicators here. Instead, the world gently guides your eye to points of interest, whether it’s a glowing red corruption or a faint shimmer hinting at a collectible.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: Compulsion Games
Publisher: Xbox Games Studios
Genre: Action-Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Compulsion Games has always done things a little differently. From the shadowy theatrical flair of Contrast to the unsettling, dystopian weirdness of We Happy Few, their catalogue leans into atmosphere and offbeat storytelling. South of Midnight, their latest adventure, swaps gas masks and pharmaceuticals for muddy trails, haunted bayous, and a heroine armed with folklore and a pair of enchanted Hooks. It’s developed by Compulsion and published by Xbox Game Studios, and it's their most confident release to date.
You step into the worn-out sneakers of Hazel Flood, a teenager caught between real-world tragedy and supernatural chaos. One moment, she's dealing with family drama and a coming hurricane. The next, she's stranded in a myth-soaked version of the Deep South, chased by monsters and guided by a talking catfish. It's as weird as it sounds—in a good way.
This game doesn’t just tell a story—it spins a yarn full of magic, music, and muddy secrets. It blends action, platforming, and puzzle-solving with a distinct stop-motion look that gives everything a handmade feel. Are you ready to dive into a world where old ghosts still have something to say, and every tree seems to watch you back?
Hazel Flood’s journey begins with a storm, both outside and within. After clashing with her mother, she storms out, only to return moments later as disaster strikes. Her home is swallowed by rising waters, and with it, her mother vanishes. That loss pushes Hazel into a warped version of the American South, where folklore walks, spirits speak, and the swamp hides more than just gators.
You’re not just looking for answers—you’re stitching together a family history buried under trauma and myth. Hazel discovers she's a Weaver, someone who can unpick the dark corruption known as stigma, a tar-like blight creeping through this twisted world. Her power ties directly to the emotional scars left behind by others, including her own. You’ll store these traumas in fragile blue bottles, freeing the haunted and confronting their pain. It’s a heavy but powerful idea, handled with care.
The people you meet along the way feel grounded, even in such a surreal setting. Their stories are often short but memorable, touching on grief, shame, and legacy. Some are sad, others strange, and a few are surprisingly dark. These tales shape Hazel’s path without stealing the spotlight. You’re always reminded that this is her story, even as she carries the weight of others.
A talking catfish acts as both guide and narrator, chiming in with humour, context, and the occasional Southern proverb. It’s a clever storytelling device that adds personality without overexplaining. The main thread—finding Hazel’s mother—remains constant, even as side stories pull you deeper into this otherworldly swamp.
Each chapter feels like a page from a folktale, complete with illustrated transitions and old-timey charm. But this isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past, it's a modern story with modern technology and Hazel speaks like any teenager would. That blend of modern and mythical gives South of Midnight a voice all its own.
South of Midnight leans into action-adventure with a mix of light puzzle-solving, fluid movement, and combat that gradually opens up. You’ll swing across tree branches, scale crumbling structures, and glide over murky waters with a smooth rhythm that feels instantly natural. Hazel’s platforming tools—double jumps, gliding, wall-running—give you just enough freedom without overcomplicating things. Exploring the swampy South feels satisfying, especially when you're rewarded with upgrade points or health boosts tucked away in hidden corners.
Combat begins with a single-button strike, but soon evolves into something with more flavour. Hazel wields enchanted Hooks that let her pull enemies close or knock them away, and over time she gains access to Spindles—spells that snare foes in web-like strands. Combining these powers with her stuffed companion, Crouton, adds a fun layer of strategy. You can even let Crouton possess an enemy for a short time, turning the tide during tougher skirmishes.
Fights are spaced out deliberately, which gives you time to breathe and absorb the environment. Boss encounters stand out for their creativity, not just size. One personal highlight? Facing off against a massive alligator that’s grown so large it crushes a chapel underfoot. It was chaotic, funny, and oddly poetic all at once. Moments like that keep things fresh without overwhelming you.
The pacing strikes a balance between combat, traversal, and story beats. Some levels favour climbing and exploration, while others lean into short chase sequences or tightly scripted encounters. You’ll rarely feel stuck in one mode for too long. When you're not unravelling stigma or battling strange swamp creatures, you’re piecing together folklore through collectibles—short notes that actually feel worth reading.
Hazel’s abilities grow slowly but meaningfully. Unlocking upgrades feels earned, and you’re never bombarded with too many choices. Instead, the game encourages you to experiment and lean into the tools that suit your style. Whether you prefer stunning enemies with magic or launching into air combos, there’s just enough room for creativity without becoming overwhelming.
If you’re looking for tight combat or high-stakes challenge, this isn’t that kind of game. But if you enjoy thoughtful pacing, satisfying traversal, and occasional bursts of creative chaos, you’ll feel right at home.
South of Midnight looks and sounds like a moving folktale. Its stop-motion-inspired animation creates a slightly jerky, handmade quality that gives every scene personality. Characters feel like they’ve been stitched together from cloth and wood, while the world looks like it’s sculpted from clay and moss. It’s a bold style choice that works, setting the game apart from anything else released this year.
The environments shift between foggy swamplands, broken-down trailer parks, sunlit forests, and twisted ruins. Colours are earthy but never dull, with subtle lighting that changes based on time of day and weather. There’s a scene where Hazel climbs the remnants of a shattered riverboat, and the view from the top—swamp stretching in every direction, vines swaying in the wind—felt like something straight out of a dream.
Story moments are backed by illustrations on parchment, shown between chapters like pages from a living book. It’s a small touch, but it strengthens the Southern Gothic atmosphere the game leans into so well. Music helps too—banjos, fiddles, and humming vocals set a tone that’s folksy but slightly off-kilter. Even ambient sounds, like cicadas or distant thunder, do a lot of heavy lifting.
Voice acting hits the mark, especially with Hazel and the catfish narrator who tags along throughout your journey. The cast delivers their lines with warmth, humour, and just the right amount of mystery. Their voices add heart to the darker themes without ever feeling heavy-handed.
On a technical level, performance holds up for the most part. Load times are short and transitions between areas are quick. There were a few dips in frame rate, especially during larger boss fights or dense areas, but nothing that derailed the experience. These stutters feel separate from the intentional movement style and are minor enough to overlook.
Menus and HUD elements stay simple, and the art direction does most of the talking. You won’t find a cluttered screen or overbearing indicators here. Instead, the world gently guides your eye to points of interest, whether it’s a glowing red corruption or a faint shimmer hinting at a collectible.
The Verdict
South of Midnight offers a unique blend of Southern folklore and modern storytelling, delivering a memorable experience with tight gameplay, satisfying platforming, and engaging exploration. Hazel’s journey, paired with its distinctive visual style and immersive soundtrack, pulls you deeper into a world of mystery and emotion. Despite minor frame dips, the game stays true to its vision, crafting a rich atmosphere that feels both intimate and expansive. If you’re seeking a game with a strong identity and plenty of heart, South of Midnight is worth exploring.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
South of Midnight details
Platform: Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: Compulsion Games
Publisher: Xbox Games Studios
Genre: Action-Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.