Compulsion Video games’ legendary journey recreation, South of Midnight, is a one-of-a-kind story. Drenched in folklore and distinctive stop-motion graphics to deliver the darkish tales and heroic tales of the Southern Gothic to life, the Xbox Sport Studios property is a severe contender for 2025 Sport of the 12 months, particularly contemplating that in just below a month of its launch, the sport has already amassed 1 million gamers.
The story follows a younger lady named Hazel (voiced by Adriyan Rae, who additionally shared movement seize duties with Nona Parker), reeling after a hurricane devastated her hometown as she journeys by way of the very best peaks and the bayou to seek out her mom, who went lacking through the flood. Pulled right into a magical actuality the place folklore creatures emerge, Hazel embraces her powers as a Weaver—a magical mender of damaged spirits—to confront formidable creatures known as Haints as she unravels the secrets and techniques of her household and people round her.
Beneath, author Zaire Lanier speaks with Deadline about cinematic inspirations, crafting relatable narratives and constructing the world of South of Midnight.
DEADLINE: You get employed to jot down for this recreation. You hear concerning the basic idea, which is that this Black lady residing within the South, and he or she’s received some magical powers. What was the very first thing going by way of your thoughts?
ZAIRE LANIER: I used to be simply actually excited concerning the premise. Video games with Black feminine leads are uncommon in gaming, particularly on the AAA stage. I used to be floored that I used to be going to have the ability to work on a venture like this. I used to be enthusiastic about it being set within the South with magical realism. I used to be excited as a result of I used to be like, “Oh, I can symbolize and write about individuals I grew up with and have been round my entire life who don’t get represented in these methods in video games.” So, I used to be excited and really nervous as effectively.
DEADLINE: What are some video games that impressed you rising up, or video games that you simply hold returning to?
LANIER: I didn’t recreation a lot as a child. My grandmother purchased us an Xbox, however we solely performed it once we went to her home. Star Wars: Knights of the Outdated Republic was the primary story-driven recreation I ever performed. I used to be 10, and I used to be simply flabbergasted on the finish. I bear in mind dropping the controller and operating to inform my grandma [about the story], and he or she was attempting to be a supportive grandma, however she didn’t know what the hell I used to be speaking about [laughs]. I didn’t actually recreation a lot till I used to be most likely 16 or 17. I performed Name of Responsibility or Ratchet & Clank with my cousins. I finally purchased a PlayStation, and the primary video games I performed had been The Final of Us, Dragon Age: Origins, and The Strolling Useless video games. So, I began enthusiastic about, “Effectively, somebody has to jot down these.” It had by no means actually popped into my head that this might be a profession. I didn’t even get into recreation writing till I used to be about 25 or 26. I went to highschool to be a health care provider, after which I made the transition to this. However proper now, I’m actually obsessive about Helldivers, and I play Valheim.
Huggin’ Molly and Hazel in South of Midnight
Compulsion Video games
DEADLINE: What inspirations did you and the workforce pull from to create Hazel’s story?
LANIER: When it comes to the analysis for the sport’s fictional locale of Prospero, the workforce made journeys, so that they went all the way down to Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, and the Carolinas as effectively. They simply went and talked to locals. We introduced up Donna Washington, an award-winning storyteller, as a result of a lot of the storytelling custom within the South is oral. It’s not such as you’ll discover a assortment of tales until it’s a Br’er Rabbit-type factor, as a result of there are some established Br’er Rabbit tales. Then you’ve got the extra basic native legend or folktale, so we introduced her as much as discuss these facets.
We additionally had motion pictures and books as references. We did Eve’s Bayou, Night time of the Hunter, some Zora Neale Hurston, like Their Eyes Had been Watching God, and Toni Morrison’s Beloved. Hazel is a conglomeration of loads of the younger Black girls in my life, myself included. Like most Black Individuals, my household comes from the South, so I talked to my grandparents as effectively. I spent summers within the nation. One among my greatest inspirations was Spike Lee’s Crooklyn. The principle character, Troy, her mother is sick, and it’s a coming-of-age story. I’ve all the time been fascinated by the best way they painting Troy rising up over that point interval, and studying extra about her mom and turning into extra understanding as her mom is sick. I wished to seize that very same feeling whereas I used to be engaged on Hazel, and her character and her character journey all through Midnight.
Hazel and Lacey (Cynthia Ok. McWilliams) South of Midnight
Compulsion Video games
DEADLINE: A bit of extra about Hazel. What’s one thing you wished to get throughout along with her character?
LANIER: She’s very earnest. No matter she’s going to do, she’s going to do all of it in. I wished her to be somebody that you’d wish to be your pal. Or in case you had been a mother or father, you’d need your little one to be her pal. That sort of child within the class, somebody would say, “Oh, why don’t you go speak to Hazel? She looks as if a pleasant younger woman.” She’s nonetheless a teen, so she’s somewhat impulsive, perhaps somewhat fast to anger, however you possibly can inform she all the time means effectively. She’s empathetic, somewhat boastful and cocky. She has her moments, however who hasn’t at that age? All of us have somewhat little bit of that in us.
DEADLINE: Hazel’s sentient plushie doll, Crouton, is so cute. Discuss extra about why he was built-in into the story.
LANIER: Including Crouton simply added extra recreation mechanics. As soon as every little thing will get swept away within the hurricane, she will get this bizarre little factor, a bit of her on a regular basis life that’s out of the blue additionally imbued with magic. Crouton’s additionally named after my cat Crouton. However he’s only a memento to remind her of her mother. We have now that scene within the swamp the place he shakes Hazel awake after Bunny tosses Hazel off the cliff. He’s somewhat bit of sunshine in some very heavy moments that now we have.
DEADLINE: Sure, the darkness of the storytelling. The folklore story that received me probably the most was Huggin’ Molly, the spider-woman, who was perceived as snatching the youngsters from the townspeople. However as a substitute, she was attempting to spare them from abuse from their households. How did this concept come about?
LANIER: There’s a complete additional layer of story the place Hazel walks round and sees individuals being affected, factories which can be closed down—mainly, the ultimate demise throes of a small city. And sometimes within the midst of these demise throes, when it’s systemic, once you don’t have cash for good public colleges, you don’t have assets for public well being, typically that turns into loads of hardships throughout the neighborhood. And I believe Huggin’ Molly is simply the magical folks story model of a CPS virtually. It’s not good. Such as you talked about, there are these youngsters residing within the mountains with an enormous spider lady, doubtlessly eternally youthful, as a result of [they’re thinking] there’s somebody on the market who’s attempting to assist me and hears me. As a result of it’s a folktale, typically logic doesn’t make 100% sense, however I believe folktales are sometimes instructed as a method to problem a warning or to inform a lesson. For instance, you discover a magic lamp, you get three needs to make your life higher. Right here, there’s a magic lady within the mountains who’s going to take these kids away from their abusive mother and father as a result of they don’t have the assets to get the assistance they want. And that’s what Molly represents.
Once you speak to the children within the zone, they’re glad. They’ve beds, meals and these bizarre little toys. But it surely’s an excessive resolution to an issue that nobody actually is aware of easy methods to repair. Lacey [Hazel’s mother, a social worker] talks about that wrestle along with her reminiscence objects too, about how a lot of what she sees, she needs she may undo, however the one method she will be able to do that’s by magical means.
Crouton (Ahmed Finest) in South of Midnight
Compulsion Video games
DEADLINE: What was probably the most difficult story so that you can put collectively?
LANIER: A difficult second for me to jot down was most likely Altamaha-ha and Mahalia’s story as a result of it includes a lot delicate historic context. And once you’re writing narrative in a recreation, you solely have a lot area to present each story as a result of it’s interactive. For actually severe topics, typically that can lead to you glossing over one thing that requires much more element and time put into it. So, attempting to stroll the road between together with these parts and feeling like we had been respectful in the direction of these realities whereas additionally giving Hazel time to course of what she’s seeing as a result of it’s traumatic, and applies on to her and her neighborhood. These had been exhausting to do, however it was rewarding. I believe we pulled it off fairly effectively as a workforce. Additionally, Altamaha-ha was simply unhappy as shit. All of the tales are actually unhappy, however that one, I used to be identical to man… I’d’ve cried a few instances whereas [working] on the script.
DEADLINE: Everyone knows there are components of the gaming neighborhood which can be simply so anti-DEI. However I’ve seen a considerable amount of help from all around the gaming neighborhood for this one. How are you feeling now that the sport is out? Is there anxiousness? Has something specifically resonated with you since its launch?
LANIER: I’m actually proud. I used to be undoubtedly extraordinarily anxious about it. You don’t wish to essentially be the consultant for Black video games. As a result of they don’t come round fairly often, it may possibly really feel that method typically. Not that the workforce or anybody ever made me really feel that method, however it was simply me personally. South Midnight for me is only a human story. There’s one thing in it for everybody. And I actually hope for individuals who grew up within the South, Black individuals within the South, there are components of it that really feel very hyper-specific to us that we might perceive. But it surely’s the identical factor of like, if I play Yakuza or Ghost of Tsushima, I don’t essentially get all of the nuances that will be obvious if I got here from that tradition, however it’s a recreation I nonetheless actually get pleasure from as a result of it’s received good storylines — and Yakuza is simply actually humorous. I’m nonetheless in a position to be immersed into the story and revel in it.
For me, seeing individuals say, “I discovered a lot about this tradition that I don’t know something about” is wonderful. I noticed a streamer in Romania saying how a lot they preferred South of Midnight. Then seeing somebody who’s like, “This felt like my childhood.” Or individuals saying, “I’ve been taking part in with my youngsters, they usually prefer it.” These issues to me imply much more to me than any vitriol or hate I get. My entire life I’ve been taking part in video games with individuals who don’t symbolize me, and I’ve cherished them. So, I don’t know what else to inform them, you understand what I imply?
I’m actually glad and proud that individuals appear to love it. They actually just like the story, and it’s actually thrilling that Hazel is likeable. I undoubtedly really feel the load off my shoulders. Whether or not individuals cherished it or hated it, I simply wanted to only know what individuals thought of it, and now I do, and I really feel good. I’m hoping that this recreation for some little lady goes to be like Knights of the Outdated Republic for me as a result of I might have cherished to have a Hazel again then.
DEADLINE: Hazel and her mother, Lacey, have a fancy relationship. What’s one thing you wished to get throughout?
LANIER: Hazel’s graduating from highschool and on the brink of go to varsity, and also you’re in that bizarre area the place you’re legally an grownup however you had been only a little one final week. And you’ve got loads of confidence in your self. However with Lacey, there’s loads occurring behind the scenes along with her job as a social employee. Hazel retains studying all this new details about her mother, and he or she involves have a better understanding of her mom. And that’s not saying Lacey is ideal or Hazel isn’t proper to have a number of the points she has along with her mother, however I believe for Hazel, the sport is about her gaining a brand new perspective on her mother. Hazel has to comprehend that her mother as soon as had hopes, goals after which her husband, Hazel’s dad, died, after which she had a boyfriend after that, who mainly leaves. She then has these youngsters that she sees abused day by day, and he or she feels powerless to assist. Their relationship is Hazel coming to phrases with every little thing about her mom and her flaws, but additionally the enjoyment she has in watching Hazel develop up. She has her personal very fond recollections of Hazel. I don’t suppose loads of youngsters take into consideration their mother and father’ personal happiest recollections of hanging out with them. It’s not one thing you consider till you’re older and also you have a look at previous photos.
Lacey’s journey is realizing that Hazel is an impartial lady. On the finish of the sport, they should work collectively to cease Kooshma. And I believe it’s that sense of neighborhood and belief in one another. They’re undoubtedly going to argue once more. It’s them figuring out; we will get by way of this collectively.
Hazel and Kooshma in South of Midnight
Compulsion Video games
DEADLINE: Kooshma is the massive dangerous, however he’s untouchable. You struggle his henchmen. What went into him being an ethereal large dangerous that also exists after the struggle is over?
LANIER: We wished Roux [a henchman] to be a figurehead; he’d be your face-to-face interplay with the world of goals and nightmares. You go to his cabaret within the caravan and see all these extraordinarily damaged individuals. At the very least for me, Kooshma is tangible, however he’s additionally only a idea, virtually as a result of he’s feeding on individuals’s hopes, goals, and no matter they’re unable to recover from. I really feel like Kooshma represents the lack to virtually let go of one thing or the lack to work by way of one thing. And that’s why I believe partially you possibly can by no means kill Kooshma as a result of there’s all the time damaged dreamers, and folks in ache and all that. Hazel broke the cycle by realizing that one thing was off.
DEADLINE: With that stated, we’d like a sequel, some DLC, one thing. What’s the tea?
LANIER: That’s above my pay grade. I do not know. [laughs].
[This interview has been edited for length and clarity]
