South of the Circle is the story of Peter, a scientist at the University of Cambridge. Set in the early 1960s, the game makes heavy reference to the social and cultural movements of the time. There is a deep fear of Russian spies and numerous references to the Cold War, and there is also an implicit gender equality focus on the story, discovered through Peter’s research partner and romantic interest, Clara.
The game opens with Peter in a plane crash in Antarctica, and flips between the current scenario and the events of that moment, skipping back and forth through various points in Peter’s life. Playing through the game, and especially the moments in the Antarctic where Peter is desperately trying to find salvation, it feels like you’re always on the verge of mysteries that never fully materialize.
South of the Circle is a linear game, and there is little to be explored. Peter can interact with certain objects in each scene, but these seem to have no bearing on the story. Dialogue choices are given through a series of symbols, which are explained first, but it is up to the player to remember the relationship between the symbol and the behavior in which Peter will react to the conversation, although it appears that They have no real effect.
Between the story of the Cold War and the focus on Peter’s studies, the story of Circle of the South is quite dry and grim, with little opportunity for respite. The game goes on for hours—about four—so there isn’t much opportunity to get caught up in all the plot intricacies, and in fact it feels like it tries to do too much at times, often without any obvious connection to the original story. . For example, how does the university professor’s reluctance to credit Clara on Peter’s paper tie in with the survival story?
To be fair, the game is visually appealing, with a minimalistic art style that manages to convey the spirit of the times. It’s an interesting feel and a unique premise (how many other Cold War disaster games are you going to play this year?), but that ultimately can’t keep the title from falling a little flat.
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