A storm is coming…
Ever since the first trailer dropped for South of Midnight, it had my interest. The mix of setting and unique art style really stood out to me. I was cautiously optimistic though, as Developer Compulsion Games did the same for me with, We Happy Few, which turned into a game that I simply did not enjoy. After rolling credits on South of Midnight though I can safely say, this is by far the best game the team has done to date. While it has some issues along the way, the narrative and characters really carry this game through to the end. Let’s dive into what makes South of Midnight one of the sleeper games of 2025.
The story of South of Midnight follows Hazel Flood’s adventure that begins with a nasty storm in the deep south. Things take a turn for the worst when her home is washed down the river, with her mother inside. This sets the stage for her to embark on a journey where she discovers her hidden weaver powers. Along the way she runs into several characters, both real and mythological, that unravels into one of the most compelling stories I have experienced in a long time. I love folklore and seeing these come to life in the game’s style is incredible.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
What sells the story are the combination of the characters, setting, and music. It all blends so well and creates a world that just kept me intrigued from beginning to end. This begins with the performances. Hazel is excellent, and she reacts to her new powers and the chaos around her believably. Her reactions to some situations are exactly what I would do when I saw something like that. The supporting cast is equally good with standouts like the narrator Catfish and some truly devilish villains. This is supported by the incredible soundtrack that features some great tunes. The biggest standout is that each area features a song theme for it. This starts with the melody as the level starts and builds to a full vocal performance telling the story along the way. It is outstanding.
Speaking of sound, the mix of choir and banjo throughout really sets the mood. One of the coolest things is that all of Hazel’s powers use a mixture of the choir singing as they are performed. It is subtle, but once I noticed it, it really sells the mood. Also hearing the whispers when you hit the button to point the way is beautifully haunting. This game excels at presentation. The storybook cutscenes between levels are fantastic. Really all around this game looks and sounds amazing.
Moving on to the visuals, the one thing that stood out in that initial trailer was the stop motion animation. South of Midnight uses this technique on everything in the world and it can be jarring at first, but the more I saw it, the more I liked it. There is a toggle in the options to turn it off for game play, but the cutscenes will still have the effect. It is a striking effect that really gives this game a unique look. As for performance it runs mostly solid at 60fps with some dips here and there, especially when a lot of effects are onscreen. Each new area in the game has its own identity, and I loved most of them. The intro is especially impressive as it simulates a hurricane really well. This is a striking game.
Alright now let’s get into the game play itself. South of Midnight is a linear action/adventure game. Each chapter has a theme, and a world designed to be run through mostly in one direction. There are side paths where the upgrade currency can be found, these are called Floofs and are used to upgrade Hazel’s abilities. Most of these are easy to find, but some are pretty tricky. There are also health upgrades in certain levels, collecting three will increase Hazel’s overall life meter. Finally, we have collectibles that tell the story of the world that can be collected and read. Some are downright traumatizing. That is the theme of this game, there are a lot of disturbing stories around the world.
Most of the levels have the same structure and by the end I was kind of over it. Thankfully it ended before it became too repetitive. That is my biggest gripe about the experience, it is the same layout for a lot of stages. Even Hazel was done with it by the end as the last sequence she belted out something along the lines of getting this over with. I loved the idea at first, it was a unique way to handle the progressions, but would have liked to see it changed up a bit over the course of the game.
Combat reminds me of Devil May Cry in more than one way. Hazel has a decent repertoire of moves that expand over time. She has a Scorpion-like grapple that pulls enemies in, a strong push attack, an area of effect slam, and more. These are gained over time including a helper friend named Crouton who can possess enemies and attack other enemies. Every combat encounter locks Hazel into an arena where all enemies must be defeated before I could move on. There is a lock-on for attacks and the combos and dodging mechanics remind me of other action games. It takes a little while to get into the groove, and even on normal difficulty it can be challenging, but the more I played, the more I got a grasp on the cadence.
The adventure runs anywhere from 8-12 hours depending on difficulty and exploration. It is nice that there are five different difficulties ranging from basic invincibility for those that want the story, to more hardcore where learning all the mechanics is imperative. After completing the game, I could revisit any chapter to collect missed items. Sadly, not all mark how many I missed, but I say a full completion is still well under 20 hours, which I love. The pacing is fantastic and just when things started to get repetitive, it ended. The game starts and ends with a bang and everything in between kept me going.
South of Midnight is by far the best game Compulsion has crafted. I love the story, characters, and world. The unique graphics are gorgeous to look at, and the combat is fun and interesting. Being on Game Pass is just the cherry on top. There is a lot to love here and another great game from Xbox this year. Their cadence finally seems to be in place and Xbox owners are eating well. Definitely recommended for just about anyone who enjoys action-adventure games.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
