Gaming News In the middle of a heat wave, I traveled to Antarctica in a narrative-driven video game that plays on emotions
A standalone storytelling game with atypical melodies came out this week that I was excited to discover. So I put on my warmest suit to introduce South of the Circle, a contemplative game that’s simple and complex at the same time.
There are times in life when you think about everything you’ve been through, everything that made us who we are today in that very moment. We then tell ourselves that perhaps we should have acted differently, that everything would have changed, that life would have been better… Every person who lives on this earth has had fun rebuilding their life in their heads one day , hoping for a better conclusion. On this familiar ground, South of the Circle proposed to take us, a narrative game signed by State of Play and co-published by 11 Bit Studios. My brain immediately clicked. Seeing the studio behind the charming and award-winning Lumino City join forces with those who created the mind-blowing This War of Mine could only pique my curiosity. When the title originally released on Apple Arcade finally became available on other platforms, I had every reason in the world to try it out. Add an original artistic direction to those already mentioned and well done and here I am ready to vacation between Antarctica and Cambridge during the Cold War era. But it was mostly for a journey into the heart of human emotions and the chaotic life of Peter that I embarked on for an hour. A journey of which here is the story.
This is an indie review of JV:
There’s Wanted, your new column about quirky and fun indie games, and there’s this column. It is dedicated to the narrative games that you will want to discover in a register that is a little more personal, such as a post and with some video clips.
Life’s simple pleasures
In the middle of a scorching summer, it’s oddly good to watch a blizzard pass before my eyes. I almost forgot the danger that this meteorological event can pose. Fortunately, the game is there to implement my ideas. Little by little, I see an airplane taking shape that has involuntarily sunk into the Antarctic snow. On board I find Peter and his pilot Lloyd. Panic and worry set in immediately. This is how one of the five groups of emotions appears that will accompany me during my game session. South of the Circle’s selection system is indeed very special. Forget the exact sentences, it’s the emotions and other feelings that interest us in this storytelling game. In fact, each of Peter’s responses depends on the emotions you choose (excited, pessimistic/concerned…). If the latter are given at the beginning, as the story progresses they will only be represented by icons, which you will therefore have to keep in mind to select them, and quickly. Confused at first, I finally get the logic and when my brain plays tricks on me I can always go to the menu to refresh my memory. Some might say that this approach can be confusing, but I personally find that it forces the player to fully focus on the story unfolding before their eyes and invites them to make it their own.
So my role is to guide Peter’s feelings. And between the pressure he is under for his thesis, his meeting with the beautiful Anna or even the social and political upheavals of his time, the boy has something to be emotional about. But if he looks back at all the times he was stranded in Antarctica seeking help on his own, it’s because it was his earlier choices that led him to get on that plane. Not surprisingly, some more important decisions will allow you to affect Peter’s story, although I haven’t been able to see how yet. But from what I’ve seen, South of the Circle isn’t burdened with excessive branching. The game is made simple and sober, be it for its selection system, the first themes addressed or even its artistic direction that had seduced me so much. But beware, simple does not mean tasteless, quite the opposite. South of the Circle’s sleek graphics give it a unique twist that’s beautiful to look at. The color plays are mastered, the atmosphere well rendered and the soundtrack, although understated, always sounds right to accompany every moment. Artistically, South of the Circle is a gem. As far as the game is concerned, the actions are limited to a few moves and the choices described above. This title relies more on the narrative than the game, you have to know that. Personally, I accepted the terms of the contract and embarked on seeing where this story would take us, Peter and I.
Like in the movies
Let’s put the story back in place if you don’t mind. So Peter is on a crashed plane with Lloyd. The pilot’s leg is stuck, he can’t get out. So it’s Peter who must face the freezing cold of Antarctica alone to seek help from the nearest base. So two periods intertwine: on the one hand this present struggle for survival and on the other hand a not too distant past that reminds Peter why he came to this. The idea of advancing over multiple time periods scared me a bit, I have to admit. Playing with time can quickly become confusing or disrupt the rhythm of the story. But that is absolutely not the case in South of the Circle. The transitions are beautifully done, whether in terms of colors, lighting effects, or the story itself. Without batting an eyelid, I allow myself to be transported from Antarctica to Cambridge, from an abandoned base to a crowded train, from a car driving through the snow to a university office. Sometimes I even felt like I was being pushed into a cinema seat when I was watching a film by a particularly gifted director.
South of the Circle is really just about a movie, and that’s what makes its story so compelling. Despite the graphics, which are far from the realism sought by some, the characters, their conversation and their stories are believable and we can identify with them very quickly. No secret, syncing has a lot to do with it. State of Play has actors like Anton Lesser (Qyburn in game of Thrones), Gwylim Lee (Brian May dans Bohemian Rhapsody) or Richard Goulding (Edward Adeane in The crown). Granted, these aren’t big names in cinema, but still more than qualified actors who always know how to find the right tone on this and that line. Acoustically, I almost thought I was back at university, in the middle of a discussion with a professor after a symposium. I felt the pressure of my thesis supervisor, the interest borne by young Anna, Peter’s fear after the crash… If the few translation errors at the level of the subtitles sometimes make you wince, no complaints about the dubbing that allowed me to fully delve into history. A story that presents itself without claim, without fantastic or particularly breathtaking events. Just the story of a man who has to live his life despite the pressures and disappointments… Work, love, demonstrate… Make choices and find your place in society, with others or at their expense. Themes that will not fascinate all players, but which managed to grab me and spark in me the desire to continue.
Lovers of atypical narrative experiences and simple stories, there’s something about South of the Circle that will bring a comfortable bracket to your life. The game has just been released for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series and Xbox One.
