Players who like the fairytale atmosphere and uncommon legends should look with a keen eye at South of Midnight. This action adventure from Compulsion Games and Xbox Game Studios has just premiered, taking players to an alternate version of the American Deep South.
Table of Contents
Release date and platforms
South of Midnight was developed by Compulsion Games, a Canadian studio known primarily for We Happy Few. Some of you may remember it as one of the most thrilling announcements of Summer Game Fest in 2023. However, we had to wait until the following year to see any gameplay. The game finally came out on April 8, 2025. Given that it was published by Xbox Game Studios, it’s not surprising that South of Midnight is available on PC and Xbox Series X|S. It’s also included in the Game Pass subscription, so you don’t have to buy the game to play it.
Currently, there is no information about the plan to release South of Midnight on PlayStation 5. However, Microsoft usually doesn’t hold its exclusives forever. Hence, we assume that Hazel will eventually reach Sonyland.
South of Midnight: Setting, story, and protagonist
South of Midnight takes us to the Deep South, the region of the US usually associated with high humidity, dangerous swamps, blues, jazz, and mosquitos. Players follow Hazel, a young girl whose hometown of Prospero has been destroyed by a hurricane. After the disaster, she embarks on a journey to rescue her mother. It won’t be a simple task because Hazel suddenly finds herself in a Southern Gothic world inhabited by mythical creatures straight out of folklore. Moreover, she can wield the magic power of a Weaver, a healer of broken bonds and spirits. On her adventure, Hazel will help magical beings and uncover her family’s history.
Gameplay
It’s a third-person perspective action-adventure game, so it features everything you can expect from a TPP action-adventure game. You will explore a twisted version of the South and use Hazel’s newfound powers to solve puzzles and fight against destructive spirits called Haints.
The game isn’t particularly long. You can beat it within 10-12 hours, according to the devs. Players’ statistics indicate that you can even rush it in 9 hours, but players who can’t uninstall games before unveiling all their secrets should reserve about 15-16 hours. It’s still not very much, but I don’t see it as a flaw. In the world of bloated 100+ games, I always warmly welcome a good, condensed adventure. I believe that even players who convert games’ prices for playtime should be satisfied. The official price of South of Midnight is only €39.99.
South of Midnight: Visuals
Visuals inspired by stop-motion animation techniques are among the most distinctive features. They interact well with the game’s fairytale story. However, I’m aware that it’s not a universally beloved effect. Personally, I always need a moment to get used to a stop-motion effect when I’m playing a game or watching a movie that uses it. And some people just don’t like this style of animation at all. Fortunately, South of Midnight lets them switch it off in the accessibility tab.
Subnautica 2: Everything you should know about the game
The deep blue is calling once again, but this time, the waters are completely uncharted—and full of behind-the-scenes corporate drama. If you are one of the millions of survival fans asking if Subnautica 2 is out, we have fantastic news for you. The highly anticipated sequel has officially splashed down! The Subnautica 2 release marks […]
