South of the Circle

 PlayStation 5
South of the Circle Image
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

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  • Summary: Antarctica, 1964.

    A crashed aircraft, tail to the sky. Cambridge academic Peter stumbles from the wreckage in search of help, fighting the cold. As his attempts to escape the ice grow more desperate, the lines between his past and present begin to blur. A love story between colleagues    Antarctica, 1964.

    A crashed aircraft, tail to the sky.

    Cambridge academic Peter stumbles from the wreckage in search of help, fighting the cold. As his attempts to escape the ice grow more desperate, the lines between his past and present begin to blur.

    A love story between colleagues Peter and Clara, set against the backdrop of the Cold War, South of the Circle is a narrative adventure game about memory, survival, and the consequences of not dealing with the past.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Aug 9, 2022
    85
    South of the Circle presents an evocative narrative that will have you thinking about it long after you finish it. A unique minimalist art style paired with an excellent voice cast and soundtrack are the cherry on top of a heartfelt story. Unfortunately, the lack of impact from any of your decisions in addition to a relatively short run time hinder what otherwise is a flawless experience.
  2. GameSpew
    Jul 29, 2022
    80
    While not every part of the story hits the mark – we didn’t quite gel with the ending, for example – it’s still very easy to recommend South of the Circle. If you’re the type of person who enjoys interactive dramas, like the recent As Dusk Falls or Gone Home, you’ll likely find yourself engrossed in the narrative that unfolds here. It’s interesting, cleverly told and very intelligent – and, if nothing else, it’ll likely encourage you to learn more about the Cold War and the Antarctic Treaty. Any game that inspires us to educate ourselves more about the world around us is a win in our book.
  3. IGN Italia
    Jul 29, 2022
    80
    South of Circle is a well written intense short adventure about life, love, choices an politics. The narration is brilliant and convey a very emotional trip through different timelines, even if the interaction is limited to dialogs and a very few other moments.
  4. Slant Magazine
    Aug 8, 2022
    80
    While its aesthetic showcases no small amount of innovation, the game’s biggest triumph is in accomplishing so much with the most basic of dramatic tools.
  5. PlayStation Country
    Aug 8, 2022
    80
    South of the Circle is an exquisitely produced dramatisation of the rampant paranoia present at the height of the Cold War almost sixty years ago. It shows how it affected the world geopolitically as well as on a more personal level for the wonderfully depicted protagonists of the piece. Special mention must go to Ed Critchley's excellent score and the stellar voice cast.
  6. BaziCenter
    Aug 14, 2022
    75
    South of the Circle might be a bit shorter than you'd expect, but its extremely story driven and engaging, and if you are into that type of game you'll definitely have a good time playing it.
  7. Push Square
    Aug 23, 2022
    50
    To be fair, the game is visually appealing, with a minimalistic art style that manages to convey the feeling of the time. It's an interesting experience and a unique premise (how many other Cold War disaster games are you going to play this year?), but ultimately that can't save the title from falling a bit flat.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 1 out of 3
  1. arcode
    Oct 11, 2022
    10
    With an outstanding artistic section, the narrative-adventure South of the Circle gets your attention and, from the beginning of the game,With an outstanding artistic section, the narrative-adventure South of the Circle gets your attention and, from the beginning of the game, makes you think about the consequences of your decisions. The rich story and the touching soundtrack that accompanies it, make it one of the best game-thrillers ever released.… Expand
  2. Ghalandar
    Oct 10, 2022
    9
    South of the Circle is a great storytelling adventure where you're required to deal with a very tough situation, with both political andSouth of the Circle is a great storytelling adventure where you're required to deal with a very tough situation, with both political and personal consequences. From exploring the fear of being alone in an unknown place surrounded by enemies, to reevaluating your past decisions in your personal life, South of the Circle feels like a well written film.… Expand
  4. Acedia23x
    Sep 16, 2022
    3
    The game has a nice art style and a good artistic presentation The voice acting is good as well. Unfortunately the gameplay is almostThe game has a nice art style and a good artistic presentation The voice acting is good as well. Unfortunately the gameplay is almost non-existent, in some instances the game plays itself. The story is well presented but filled with a ton of 1960s cliches. And the game is not subtle about it either. It reemphasizes the same points all over again, without providing a balanced view on certain cultural aspects of that era. This is unfortunate because the game has a good start, but looses it with its plot fast. I sadly cannot recommend… Expand

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89
#89 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2022

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