Midnight southern análisis

Compulsion games surprise us with an adventure of platforms and action which does not revolutionize but which leaves us a big taste in our mouths

A few years ago, Microsoft and Xbox took a step forward in the video game industry with the acquisition of several studies, in order to strengthen the Game Pass catalog. Among them was the acquisition of Compulsion gamesA Canadian study responsible for two titles such as contrast and we are happy. The two stood out for their spectacular artistic conception and their original proposals, although they have not become great successes. Now, in 2025, Compulsion games come back with the south of Midnight, an adventure of platforms and action with a unique aesthetic which, without a doubt, represents its best work to date. If you want to know all the details of this particular work, the Xbox community is the ideal place.

A more adult story of what it seems …

Midnight It transports us to Prospero, a region inspired by the southern United States, characterized by its swamps, the presence of caimanes and a rural environment. The protagonist, Hazel, is a young woman who has led a difficult life. His father died when he was a child and his mother, a social worker, was absent most of the time due to his profession. The story begins with a simple premise. After the passage of a devastating hurricane, Hazel must find his mother, who disappeared without trace. However, He soon discovers that she is not a common girl, but a weaver, someone who has the capacity to repair links, to cure the injuries of tormented minds and to face the creatures born of his suffering.

Although at first glance, it may seem a traditional fantastic story, Midnight hides much more than it seems. Your story tackles deep and heartbreaking problemsLike the desire between brothers, the loss of a child or the resentment of a girl towards her father. All this is masterfully linked to the elements of southern folklore, creating a much richer and more moving story of what could be expected, without neglecting the humorous part. Special mention to the character of Siluro, a gigantic fish who will help our protagonist in his adventure and who, without a doubt, seemed one of the most memorable characters in the title.

Simple, but very funny

The south of Midnight is an adventure of platforms and action with a fairly conservative proposal. The genre does not reinvent, but it also does not need, in fact, its arrival in the Xbox catalog feels more than necessary. Its structure is linear and is divided into chapters, where Hazel must progress in different scenarios using his weaving skills, facing enemies and collecting various collects, which give more details on the world of game, or help improve the skills of our protagonist.

His gameplay recalls titles such as the new Tomb Raider trilogy or the recent Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor. Throughout history, Hazel will unlock new skills, useful for both exploration and combat. They include double jump, the characteristic dashboard and the possibility of browsing the walls. Although they are mechanical already seen in other games, they remain fun and satisfactory to execute

On the other hand, the level design is very well reached. Although the scenarios are mainly linear, they always offer alternative routes that lead to hidden secrets and collectibles. This encourages exploration, because to access these elements, it is necessary to overcome sections of platforms or small puzzles. Although these challenges are quite simple, and perhaps more open areas with a greater number of secrets would have enriched the experience, the general design remains very solid. Including more elaborate optional challenges, in the option of the option of the recent Tomb Raider, would have been a great success for the game.

Decaffeinated fights

Without a doubt, the weakest point in the south of midnight is its fight. These clashes are developed in combat sands, areas that are slightly more open than we have to clean enemies to move forward. The system follows a hazard and oblique bar, with a fairly frantic rhythm. Hazel has a normal attack, an elusive and a series of special attacks that inflict more damage. However, the fight seems simple and flat, therefore a greater variety of movements would have greatly benefited the game. Another aspect that affects the combat experience is the movement of movement of particular enemies, which sometimes makes it difficult to anticipate their attacks. Fortunately, this option can be disabled from the menu, allowing more fluid animation for those who prefer it.

Another aspect that plays against him is the small variety of enemies, which is quite limited if we exclude the final bosses. In addition, the difficulty is quite weak: within 15 to 20 hours of the adventure, I only died a few times. Therefore, if you are looking for a real challenge, I recommend starting the game in the highest difficulty. Hazel's skill shaft also feels limited. If you explore most scenarios and collect enough skill points, it is possible to unlock all improvements when there is still enough to finish history. This reduces the feeling of progression and leaves the second half of the game without encouraging to continue to explore the steps.

The special mention deserves the final bosses. Although your number may seem rare during the adventure, each fight is extremely fun and is designed exceptionally. Without a doubt, to face them is a real pleasure, although in general their level of difficulty, I do not assume any challenge.

An artistic joy

South of Midnight is, in artistic terms, sublime. Their environments and characters have a beautiful design, making a truly spectacular southern atmosphere. The use of style animations stop motion It is another of his great successes, with a kinematics that has nothing to envy films like Coraline or Mary and Max. Lighting also deserves a special mention. The game uses light and shadows exceptional, creating impressive visual impressions. Without a doubt, the south of Midnight is a title that invites you to stop and contemplate the horizon, enjoying every detail of its landscapes.

In the technical section, the game works well in general, at least in its version for Xbox Series X, although it is not exempt from small drawbacks. Sometimes image and light gels are presented, in addition to a certain burst, with elements that take care too close to the player. I also noticed graphic insects with the shadows, which appear and suddenly disappear. None of this ruin the experience, but these are details that, hopefully, they are corrected in future updates.

A BSO that removes the hypo

The sound section of Midnight It is, like its artistic direction, simply spectacular. His soundtrack is incredible, with a selection of songs countrytypical of the South of the United States, which accompany both moments of action and the most emotional way. Dubbing is also worthy of praise, with exceptional interpretations in all the characters. From Hazel, the protagonist, in Siluro, who also acts as a narrator, to the different secondary characters, each voice brings charisma and depth to history. It should be mentioned that the voices are in English, but the game has subtitles in Spanish. As the only drawback, the subtitles disappear too quickly, which can cause certain lines of dialogue to lose at times.

Conclusions

The new compulsion game work is undoubtedly its best job to date and a type of game that the Xbox family needed urgently. A simple adventure and action platforms, focused on history but without neglecting the gameplay. Among those who, without being too long or dense, leave a big taste in the mouth at the end of them.

It is true that it is not too risk and that, except in its audiovisual and narrative section, it does not stand out above other similar experiences. However, he doesn't need it either. It is a direct and funny game with a history in motion. Perhaps a greater audacity in the game or incorporating more innovative mechanisms would have made it even more round, but even, it is positioned as one of the most remarkable proposals in the Xbox catalog this year.

In short, there is a life beyond the immense role-playing games or shooting games, and Compulsion Games managed to give in the nail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLGW-TO1RQC