The adventure in “South of Midnight” begins with Hazel, our protagonist, grappling with the chaos of a fierce storm. In the blink of an eye, her mobile home is swept away by the floodwaters, with her mother still inside. This heart-wrenching event sends Hazel on a quest filled with both emotional and physical challenges as she seeks out her mom, traversing a landscape teeming with mythical creatures inspired by tales from the Deep South.
Among the most formidable beasts Hazel encounters is Two-Toed Tom, an enormous albino alligator with an uncanny island-like formation on its back. Tom marks the game’s first major showdown. But before the confrontation, players delve into his deeply unsettling past—a storyline that’s likely to resonate profoundly with anyone who cherishes wildlife.
Tom’s backstory is tragic. For most of his life, he was bound to his master’s side, caged and deprived. His owner, a man tormented by his daughter’s decision to leave home and follow her dreams of becoming a country singer, turned his own frustrations onto Tom. Jolene, the daughter, succeeded in her musical pursuits, unknowingly leaving Tom to endure hunger until his master decided otherwise. It’s said that in his desperation, Tom gnawed his own toes—a chilling scenario that adds layers to the emotional weight of the game. Those rare feeding moments were always heralded by the sound of a bell, a Pavlovian control over the creature.
Upon returning, Jolene faced her father’s scorn; he branded her success as a familial shame. The strained homecoming sowed seeds of resentment in Jolene, who, yearning for Tom’s freedom, rang the bell behind her sleeping father. The ensuing chaos saw Tom, driven by instinct and conditioning, take deadly action against his abusive keeper.
Drawing from local legends, Two-Toed Tom stands as a modern rendition of a notorious figure that once haunted the swamps of Florida and Alabama. The legendary Tom was a monstrous alligator that preyed on livestock and humans alike, losing toes to cruel traps set by hunters. The lore describes him as an indestructible force, impervious to bullets and even explosions.
After striking that fatal blow against his cruel master, Tom found release, but not freedom. Jolene, now reeling with guilt, allowed Tom to return to the wild. En route, he stumbled upon a pig farm, where he indulged in a feast beyond his wildest imagination. Tom devoured the entire stock, growing ever larger with each mouthful.
Years of subsistence on the edge of starvation instilled in Tom an insatiable hunger, a relentless drive to consume whatever he could find—inanimate objects and living beings alike—all feeding this once-enslaved creature’s voracious appetite. The town of Prospero came to fear this transformed giant, the legendary Two-Toed monster, whose every step is a reminder of the horrors of his past.
“South of Midnight” unfolds on various platforms, supported by Unreal Engine 5. It’s an intriguing concoction of folklore and fantasy designed by the innovative minds at Compulsion Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. Released on April 8, 2025, it offers more than just gameplay; it’s a narrative experience steeped in deep regional lore, earning its place in the gaming world, though perhaps with mixed critiques—a 6 out of 10 from Game Rant, indicating room for growth in its ambitious storytelling.
