South of the Circle Reviews

South of the Circle is ranked in the 63rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Loved
Aug 11, 2022

As Peter steps into the Antarctic snowstorm, he is suddenly an active participant in his own survival. South of the Circle triumphs by interweaving hopefulness and impending doom without feeling emotionally manipulative. It suggests that life is a culmination of sad and spectacular moments, promises, people, and conversations, all inevitably misremembered. It’s the kind of game that could have made me cry, but instead, it led me to a place of sombre tranquillity. Through Peter, we are advised not to judge stories by their destination, but by their precious in-betweens: a sugar cube plopped into a cup of tea, a train ride, a shared summer sunset, and a cumulonimbus cloud stupendously blooming.

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4.5 / 5.0
Aug 12, 2022

South of the Circle runs for about three or four hours, and that is the completionist time. This means that you can do pretty much anything there is to be done in this game in only four hours. So it is an experience you can get through in one sitting, which is something that we all need sometimes. If you want to experience something short and sweet at the same time, South of the Circle is the game you must check out.

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7 / 10.0
Jul 31, 2022

It's a narrative game from start to finish with very little interaction required of you. And when they do come, the various choices will not change the result at all. However, the story is intriguing and will keep you hooked until the end and the visual style is sublime. It would be nice to say a lot more about the game but in all honesty, there is not much to add. The game ends rather quickly (about 3 hours) and whether it's your time of game or not, is entirely up to you. As for me, I recommend it for fans of the genre.

Review in French | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Aug 21, 2022

South of the Circle is a fantastic story-rich game. Its core mechanics are touching, emotive, and laced with replay value. You'll admire the developers eye for detail and the wonderfully melancholy plot that unfolds.

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Lee Mehr
Top Critic
4.5 / 10.0
Sep 5, 2022

South of the Circle feels akin to frostbite: it's difficult to feel anything for the characters after continued exposure to suffocating game design & mismanaged narrative.

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Unscored
Sep 20, 2022

South of the Circle presents a fantastic story about losing ourselves and our values only to fit in the society. The narrative is slow but the payoff is definitely worth the time. Unfortunately even using Life is Strange as template, the mechanics feel undercooked and not as functional as in other games.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Expansive
Tom Hynes
Liked-a-lot
Aug 19, 2022

South of the Circle is a really well-presented game, from art, music, voice acting, narrative and direction, everything aligns almost perfectly, crafting a high-stakes, enjoyable adventure through to its divisive, but ultimately clever conclusion. Its conversation system is different and intriguing, though sometimes feels like a shot in the dark in certain situations and can alienate some players with its focus on timing. All told, it’s a game we should all make time to play!

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Nov 12, 2022

At the world’s most southern point, wrapped around the south pole, you will find Antarctica. Also known as the world’s fifth-largest continent. It may not be the biggest, but it is most certainly the coldest in the world. You wouldn’t think that a land mass being 98% of thick ice, would hold many tales that are worth telling. However, developer State of Play has taken this beautiful blank snowy canvas and created one of the greatest stories of 2022.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 5, 2022

Telling a tale that spans multiple times and places, it makes for a different sort of romantic journey

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B-
Sep 15, 2022

There are worse ways to waste three hours than in the presence of very good voice actors doing their thing over gorgeous visuals. And, like I said, the game always tries to make you feel like you're in the presence of something great. But the reality is, no matter how much South of the Circle aspires to greatness, with a story like this, it's never more than merely okay.

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