South of Midnight

A beautiful adventure game inspired by folklore of the southern states (US). The gameplay is divided into two distinct sections. One is exploration and traversal and the other is combat. Combat only happens in clearly marked arenas and can feel a bit repetitive. The game only features a limited set of enemy types and the arenas lack any unique mechanics and are almost all just a oddly shaped circles. Likewise the skillet available to fight these enemies is also very manageable. Bosses are a change of pace as they usually have a basic mechanic attached to them and the arenas introduce some hazards. Overall the combat is serviceable and manages to break up the exploration and as such it gets the job done. The exploration is bit more diverse switching between more open areas and connecting corridors that are linear. The changing environments add to the flair. The areas are just big and complex enough to hide collectibles as well as upgrade resources but not overtly so. The puzzles are of the simple kind and will not impede progress. One of the highlights is certainly the claymation or stop-motion inspired aesthetics and the presentation. The game is beautiful and pleasing to look at. Luckily the stop-motion effect can be turned off for smoother gameplay. The songs are nice too however a bit on the nose thematically. Another plus is the rather fresh setting of the southern states and their folklore. The story is solid and the entire game is well acted and voiced. That said Hazel is bit more on the talkative side. The game is not very long, with around 10 hours it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Overall I enjoyed my time with the game.