South of Midnight’s Hidden Gem: The Unexploited Wall-Run Mechanic That Could Have Soared!

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As a passionate admirer, I must share that the experience with “South of Midnight” has been somewhat divisive, boasting a 78 Critic Average on OpenCritic. Though it garnered acclaim for its moving narrative, visually striking aesthetics, and enchanting soundtrack, its gameplay mechanics have received some constructive criticism.

In summary, the combat and platforming elements in the game “South of Midnight” received criticism for being repetitive and only slightly changing over the 12-hour action-adventure. While some aspects were enjoyable, they weren’t particularly revolutionary. However, there is a unique platforming mechanic in the game that stands out more than others, but it’s not fully utilized due to level design that restricts its full potential.

South of Midnight’s Wall-Run Is an Innovative Feature That’s Held Back From Greatness

South of Midnight’s Wall-Run Tries Something New

As a gamer, I’ve been leaping off walls since the ’90s, thanks to games like Ninja Gaiden. But it wasn’t until 2003’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time that wall-running really took off. Over the past two decades, this parkour move has shown up in countless titles, from third-person perspectives to first-person shooters. Even though the mechanics are usually consistent these days, modern games still find creative ways to make wall-running feel fresh and exciting.

It’s quite remarkable that South of Midnight introduces a unique aspect in gameplay, particularly when it comes to movement. As players navigate walls, they are granted the flexibility to adjust their vertical position using the right analog stick, thus modifying the final destination’s elevation.

This isn’t a groundbreaking invention, but it’s something fresh – a feature that allows players to adjust their vertical motion during wall-running in video games is seldom seen. For instance, games based on real-world physics like Mirror’s Edge make players naturally follow an arc as they move horizontally along walls, while more arcade-style games such as Split Fiction keep players at the same height while wall-running. The exception to this rule is very uncommon in video game design.

As a gamer, I can tell you that when it comes to most games, running along the ground is the norm. But when it comes to Spider-Man games, things are flipped! Instead of just sticking to the floor, our friendly neighborhood superhero can scamper up walls like it’s no big deal, and zip horizontally too – talk about versatility!

South of Midnight’s Level Design Doesn’t Highlight This Wall-Run Mechanic

Although it’s exciting that the game South of Midnight boasts such a cutting-edge characteristic, in actual play, it seems somewhat unnecessary. In the exploration phases of the game, most platforms in the world are positioned at the same level as the wall-run initiation point. Consequently, players seldom find themselves needing to adjust their vertical trajectory during movement within the game.

In many chase scenes within the game ‘South of Midnight’, players often don’t have to adjust their jumping height during wall-runs to reach platforms that are either above or below their starting point. This is particularly relevant given that ‘South of Midnight’ offers a double-jump ability, enabling players to jump higher at the end of a wall-run.

In a slightly modified version, South of Midnight‘s layout could have showcased its unique wall-running feature more effectively. By incorporating some platforming challenges where players must reach elevated areas or chase sequences demanding quick dodging of oncoming obstacles while wall-running, it could have truly shone. Unfortunately, it seems that potential was not fully utilized, making it a somewhat underwhelming experience.

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2025-04-13 03:05