South of Midnight presents a visually stunning adventure set in the enchanting landscapes of the American Deep South. As players immerse themselves in its captivating world, they may be surprised to discover the absence of a manual save feature. Initially puzzled, I explored the pause menu only to find that the game relies on an auto-save system, prompting a leap of faith into this automatic saving approach.
Given the game’s challenging segments and the vast array of collectibles—over 2,000 items—having a reliable saving method is crucial. No player wants to painstakingly gather every Floof cache in a chapter or defeat a formidable foe, only to risk losing that hard-earned progress. Whether you’re aiming to conquer all achievements or simply want to complete the approximately 10-hour storyline, understanding the save mechanics is essential for a smooth gaming experience.
Manual Saving is Not an Option in South Of Midnight
The Game Utilizes an Automatic Save Feature
South of Midnight opts for an aggressive auto-save mechanism, which may disappoint gamers accustomed to manual saving. Every time you accomplish something significant—such as defeating an enemy or solving a puzzle—a small icon will appear in the lower-left corner of the screen, confirming that your progress has been successfully auto-saved.
This notification offers peace of mind, reassuring players that unexpected interruptions, like crashes or power losses, won’t erase their progress. The game typically saves before entering new combat zones or following the completion of tricky puzzles, meaning it captures critical milestones effectively.
Understanding the Absence of Manual Saves
Auto-Saves Strive to Meet Player Needs
While Compulsion Games has yet to clarify why a manual save option is absent in South of Midnight, there are several potential explanations. This decision could stem from a design philosophy aimed at optimizing the game’s experience, particularly given its relatively short playtime of around 10 hours, or it may be due to technical constraints. Many players express hope for the introduction of a manual save feature in future updates, especially since the game is widely accessible on platforms like Xbox Game Pass.
On the bright side, players can revisit previous chapters to collect items they may have missed initially. The game’s notification that “the number of collectible items accumulates”can be somewhat misleading at first glance. However, it essentially means that when you reload an earlier chapter, you have the chance to gather missed collectibles—such as skill and health upgrades—without losing any progress in your main save file.