The third-person action-adventure game South of Midnight is what it refers to as "wide linear." This references to the size of the territories that may be explored, but also to the fact that some locations remain locked until you complete particular plot points.
They provide the following game summary on their website:
"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."
The setting of South of Midnight is the current day but with a Southern Gothic theme and magic realist style. Although Compulsion claims to be creating the first game with such a subject, this claim may not be entirely accurate. Shadow Man, a 1999 video game by Acclaim Studios, to revels in a voodoo-centered Southern gothic concept.
However, Compulson explains that Southern Gothic encompasses more than just voodoo in a blog article for Xbox Wire:
"It was very liberating to work with existing stories about creatures, but have zero eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence. My grandmother used to tell really short stories about some of these creatures, mostly reduced to the level of superstition.
Like, ‘We paint our porch ceilings blue, so the Haints [evil spirits from Southern folktales] can’t come in.’ And this is essentially about as much as we know about Haints."
Similar to this, the magic that the main character Hazel employs is distinctively Southern. Conceptually, weaving differs from the traditional conception of magic as conflict.
"It’s full of fractal geometry expressed as knitting and doilies – everything is themed after textiles. Essentially, you take the strands that make up the universe and weave or spin them into useful forms for the player to use.
Weavers are born with the ability to see deeper and see the way the universe is really constructed by these energized, semi-autonomous strands. The universe has intention, but sometimes it breaks down. And that’s why we have Weavers – to repair tears in the grand tapestry that makes up every person, place and thing in existence."
The enormous guitarist Shakin' Bones is another character who Hazel attempts to question in the announcement video. The story of Robert Johnson, who struck a pact with the devil at a crossroads and went on to become the greatest guitarist ever, is the inspiration for the song Shakin' Bones.
Shakin' Bones is one of several Southern legends that Compulsion has included in the game. They are known as Archons, and they could be on your side or your adversaries'. As mentioned in Shakin' Bones section, South of Midnight will also feature a lot of music.
There is currently no release date for South of Midnight, however, it will be made available on Steam for Windows and Xbox Series X|S. On Game Pass, it is Day One as well.
Watch the trailer down below.