Summary
Compulsion Games’South of Midnightreturned a year after its announcement in 2023 to wow those watching the Xbox Games Showcase. Its gorgeously rendered mix of gothic fantasy and deep-south US folklore makeSouth of Midnighta treat for the eyes, and fans of animated cinema will immediately recognize why.
Steeped in the world ofdeep-south folklore,South of Midnightsees protagonist Hazel swept into a fantasy realm. The game’s setting sees this ancient folklore becoming interwoven with the mundane, forcing the conventional to face off with the macabre and the whimsical. Both the game’s original 2023 trailer and its latest gameplay reveal emphasize this fairytale aspect, with the magical creatures displayed taking on a distinctly fey-adjacent disposition.
South Of Midnight’s Artstyle Will Appeal To Fans Of Spider-Verse, Puss in Boots 2, TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, And More
The most immediatelygripping thing aboutSouth of Midnightis its art style, one that applies handrawn textures and a reduced frame rate to its animation. The direction on display is very effective, mimicking the stop-motion animation of the game’s first trailer while leaning on the uncanny qualities of the game’s gothic setting. However, though the direction is its own, the core concepts at play with this design wear their influences proudly. Those keeping up with animated cinema since 2018 will have noticed a shift in direction, one spurred by Sony’s groundbreakingSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse—and it’s this shift in philosophy that has clearly impactedSouth of Midnight.
South Of Midnight’s Art Will Excite Fans Of Spider-Verse And Other Similar Films
The art ofInto the Spider-Verseand its sequelhave been major influences on the animation zeitgeist, with the trilogy-in-waiting being something of a pioneer in this regard.Into the Spider-Verseused not only a lower frame rate and 2D textures, but a heavy helping of other drawn effects that all work together to resemble its comic book roots. The immensity of detail used in every frame of this style flows in tandem with the reduced frame rate to make every shot look like a comic panel—both stunning and visceral.
The consistent use of a low frame rate is definitely applicable toSouth of Midnight, but its fantasy genre iscloser toPuss in Boots 2. That film was one of 2022’s biggest surprises, taking the medium by storm with its gorgeous visuals, gripping story, and memorable villains.Puss in Boots 2makes lighter use of a reduced frame rate, rolling it out only during action sequences. This serves to show off one of the style’s biggest benefits, that being how it makes each action sharper and faster, giving scenes a jolt of energy.
There is a huge fandom for this style in the animation scene, with works likeTMNT: Mutant MayhemandEntergalacticmaking use of it. Even Disney gave the look a shot with 2023’sWish, to mixed results. The crown jewel of this design philosophyhas to beAcross the Spider-Verse, albeit with an asterisk. While the film is undeniably a visual masterpiece, one that blends 2D and 3D in a way that is beyond brilliant, the allegations of excessive crunch and directorial mismanagement made against the picture somewhat tarnish its title.
South Of Midnight Is Also Taking Heed Of Films Like Coraline And The Nightmare Before Christmas
On the other hand,South of Midnighthas other inspirationsbeyond modern classics likeSpider-VerseandPuss in Boots 2. Given that the original trailer for the game was done in stop-motion, it’s likely that the game’s final look was made with the goal of resembling that medium. To that end,South of Midnightcertainly draws on the works of Henry Selick, whose animation direction for projects likeThe Nightmare Before Christmas,Coraline, andWendell & Wildhas cemented the reputation stop-motion has for macabre whimsy.
South of Midnight
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creators of Contrast and We Happy Few, South of Midnight is a spellbinding third person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South.As Hazel, you will explore the mythos and encounter creatures of Southern folklore in a macabre and fantastical world. When disaster strikes her hometown, Hazel is called to become a Weaver: a magical mender of broken bonds and spirits. Imbued with these new abilities, Hazel will confront and subdue dangerous creatures, untangle the webs of her own family’s shared past and -if she’s lucky - find her way to a place that feels like home.A DARK MODERN FOLKTALE: When a hurricane rips through Prospero, Hazel is pulled into a Southern Gothic world where reality and fantasy are interwoven, and ancient creatures from folklore emerge. In this coming-of-age adventure, Hazel journeys forth to rescue her mother and delves into a haunting web of folklore and family secrets, untangling her own identity.CONFRONT MYTHICAL CREATURES: Wield an ancient power to restore creatures and uncover the traumas that consume them. Cast weaving magic to fight destructive Haints, explore the diverse regions of the South, and reweave the tears in the Grand Tapestry.
