Let me be honest with you—the first time I booted up South of Midnight, I was completely captivated by its hauntingly beautiful world and atmospheric exploration. The art direction is stunning, the storytelling feels fresh, and Hazel, the protagonist, moves through this Southern Gothic-inspired setting with a grace that makes simply wandering around an absolute pleasure. But then, combat starts. And oh boy, does it flip the script. Suddenly, the serene exploration gives way to frantic, often punishing encounters that, unless you're playing on the easiest setting, can feel like the game just switched difficulty modes mid-stride. I remember thinking, "Wait, did I miss a tutorial?" because the shift isn't just noticeable—it's jarring.

Combat in South of Midnight is confined to clearly marked areas, which initially feels like a relief. You know when you're safe and when you're not. But as soon as those Haints—the game's primary enemies—start spawning, the calm evaporates. The first wave isn't so bad, but as you take down the initial foes, more pour in. These Haints don't mess around; they hit hard, they hit fast, and before you know it, you're overwhelmed. I've had moments where I cleared two enemies thinking I was in the clear, only to have three more materialize out of nowhere. It keeps you on edge, but not always in a good way. What makes it tougher is Hazel's move set. She has this assortment of abilities—a telekinetic shove, a tether pull—that sound cool on paper but, in practice, feel almost useless early on. I found myself relying almost entirely on her standard melee attacks because, frankly, that's what worked. At least until I grinded for pick-ups to upgrade those skills. Even then, the improvements didn't feel game-changing. Her attacks simply don't match the damage output of the Haints, and when you're facing a group, it becomes a battle of attrition you're likely to lose.

Let's talk defense—or the lack thereof. Hazel's main defensive option is dodging, and while it's serviceable, it's far from reliable. There were times I dodged what I thought was an incoming attack, only to get hit by another Haint coming from off-screen. Most standard attacks from enemies don't have clear indicators, which I found frustrating. You're left guessing, reacting on instinct, and when you're up against multiple enemy types, it becomes a recipe for disaster. There is one saving grace: when Haints are about to unleash a powerful combo or area-of-effect attack, they glow bright yellow. That's your cue to back off, and honestly, without that, I would've thrown in the towel much sooner. But even with that visual cue, the lock-on mechanic tends to fall apart in group scenarios. I can't count how many times I tried to focus on one enemy, only for the camera to swing wildly and leave me open to attacks from behind. It led to more than a few unnecessary game-overs, and after a while, I started avoiding combat where I could—which, in a game that forces it, isn't really an option.

From a design perspective, I get what the developers were going for. They wanted to create tension, to make combat feel dangerous and consequential. But in execution, it often tilts into frustration. The disparity between exploration and combat isn't just tonal; it's mechanical. Hazel feels agile and responsive when she's exploring, but in a fight, she can come across as sluggish and underpowered. I've played about 15 hours so far, and I'd estimate that 70% of my deaths came from situations where I felt I had little control—dodges that didn't register, attacks that came out slower than I expected, or lock-on failures that left me exposed. It's a shame because there's so much to love here. The world-building, the characters, the visual storytelling—all top-notch. But the combat, at least in the early to mid-game, feels like it's working against the player rather than with them.

If you're jumping into South of Midnight, my advice is to embrace the easiest difficulty setting if you're here for the story. I switched after my fifth or sixth game-over in the first major combat zone, and the experience became infinitely more enjoyable. You still get the challenge, but it doesn't feel unfairly stacked against you. For those who want to tough it out on higher difficulties, be prepared to grind for upgrades early on. Focus on improving Hazel's core abilities, and don't be afraid to run away when things get too heated. The game doesn't always reward persistence; sometimes, it just punishes it. All in all, South of Midnight is a game of contrasts—beautiful and brutal, immersive and irritating. It's got heart, but it also has Haints that will make you question your life choices. And if you can push through the rough patches, there's a memorable experience waiting on the other side.