Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight has officially launched today for Xbox Series X/S and PC, prompting players everywhere to fine-tune their setups for optimum gameplay performance. As a Southern Gothic-inspired action RPG featuring stunning animation, the game thrives on seamless performance, which is crucial for executing quick maneuvers, reacting to aggressive attacks, and capitalizing on fleeting opportunities. Although mastering its combat can prove challenging, players are equipped with numerous strategies and tools, including customizable settings that can enhance their gaming experience.
For those new to PC gaming configurations, the extensive graphical options in South of Midnight might seem overwhelming. While it may be tempting to select the lowest graphic preset and dive straight into the enchanting ruins of Prospero, doing so would sacrifice the rich, unique artistic visuals the game offers. After conducting numerous tests, I have compiled a comprehensive list of optimal settings that maintain impressive performance, even on more modest PC configurations.
Optimal Screen Preference Settings for South of Midnight on PC
Calibrating Your Monitor for Enhanced Gameplay
Upon launching South of Midnight, the game will execute a quick benchmark test to personalize the settings based on your hardware capabilities. I highly recommend allowing this feature to run as it usually provides a solid foundation of settings customized for your machine, requiring only minor adjustments to eliminate screen tearing.
To modify the graphical settings, pause the game by pressing Esc, navigate to “Options,”and select “Graphics.”This submenu presents two categories: Screen Preference and Graphics. For now, let’s focus on optimizing the Screen Preference settings.
Remember to apply your changes by pressing A before exiting the menu to avoid having to redo your adjustments.
Should you require further assistance, see the table below that outlines all Screen Preference settings with explanations and recommended options for optimal performance. Remember, your experience may vary depending on your specific hardware configuration.
|
Setting |
Recommended Option |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
HDR |
Off |
High Dynamic Range (HDR) enhances color range but may hinder GPU performance and not all monitors support it. |
|
Image Calibration |
Gamma 2.2 |
This is the standard brightness level with professional settings; fine-tune to personal preference without affecting performance. |
|
Window Mode |
Fullscreen |
Fullscreen maximizes screen real estate and may enhance performance, as the monitor exclusively displays the game. |
|
Resolution |
1920 x 1080 |
This setting is optimal for most setups, but if performance issues persist, consider lowering to 1280 x 720. |
If you’re uncertain whether your monitor supports 4K or HDR, check under your PC’s settings by navigating to System > Display > Advanced display. There, you can view your monitor’s specifications, including recommended resolution and HDR capability.
Top Graphics Settings for South of Midnight on PC
Achieving Optimal Performance in South of Midnight
The subsequent table focuses on the Graphics settings within the game, providing a detailed guide to each option. These recommendations should effectively balance visual quality and performance, enabling you to fully immerse yourself in the vibrant world of South of Midnight.
|
Setting |
Recommended Option |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
Motion Blur |
Off |
Disabling motion blur may improve frame rates as it reduces the strain on your GPU. |
|
Upscaling |
DLSS/TAAU |
Upscaling can enhance frame rates by increasing the game’s resolution, with DLSS available for compatible Nvidia GPUs, while TAAU is a fallback for others. |
|
→ Quality |
Ultra Performance |
This setting preserves quality while maximizing performance through intelligent upscaling. |
|
V-Sync |
Off |
Keeping V-Sync disabled can prevent frame rate drops unless excessive screen tearing occurs. |
|
Frame Rate Limiter |
Off |
This limits the maximum frame rate, which can be adjusted if performance issues arise. |
|
Shading Quality |
Medium |
This setting balances surface detailing and performance, allowing for a rich visual experience. |
|
Anti-Aliasing Quality |
Low |
While it smooths object edges, keeping this low won’t affect visual clarity significantly. |
|
View Distance Quality |
Medium |
This dictates how much of the terrain is visible at once, and medium settings rightfully enhance playability. |
|
Shadow Quality |
Low |
Setting shadows to reduced quality has minimal impact on gameplay aesthetics. |
|
Post-Process Quality |
Medium |
This affects the rendering of special effects and offers a balanced quality-to-performance ratio. |
|
Texture Quality |
Medium |
This impacts on-surface detailing. Medium provides a visually appealing experience without exhausting your GPU. |
|
Effects Quality |
Medium |
This determines the rendering of special effects, and medium keeps visual fidelity at an acceptable level without lag. |
|
Foliage Quality |
Low |
This affects the depiction of foliage; setting it to low boosts performance while maintaining gameplay fun. |
The three visuals above illustrate the graphics quality at various settings: highest, lowest, and the recommended options. As displayed, adhering to these settings ensures that South of Midnight remains visually engaging without compromising performance significantly, providing the player the ability to navigate its challenging combat scenarios effectively.
Minimizing Stuttering Issues in South of Midnight on PC
Understanding the Unique Animation Style
If you encounter persistent stuttering, it may be caused by the game’s distinctive aesthetic, which draws inspiration from stop motion animation. This technique often appears jumpier than traditional or computer-generated animation due to its frame-by-frame photographic approach, lacking advanced fluid motion techniques.
Stop motion has graced various notable films and specials from classic Rankin/Bass holiday features to more recent works like The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Fantastic Mr. Fox, showcasing the craft of studios like Laika and Aardman.
Should you find this visual effect jarring, fortunately, the option to disable it is included. Simply toggle the “Stop Motion Effect”setting in the gameplay options to off, allowing for smoother character and environmental movements typical of computer-generated experiences.
With this guide, you’re now equipped with all the tools required to customize your graphical settings effectively. Following these recommended adjustments will enable South of Midnight to operate smoothly across a variety of PC specifications while maintaining an enjoyable, visually stunning experience. Don’t hesitate to experiment further with settings based on your individual system capabilities.