South of Midnight

South of Midnight is an early game of the year contender, but that’s not all. It’s one of the best games released in this generation, a game seriously vying for a place on my list of favorite games of all time, and an utter masterpiece that future developers will talk about. At this point, I’m not sure how much more I can really gush about South of Midnight, so please, just play this game.

South of Midnight is an incredible experience – and a rare fantasy adventure that grasps deeper themes whole-heartedly, telling a story that is cinematic, dynamic, beautiful, and heart-wrenching at every turn. What a wonderful world we live in, that games like South of Midnight exist.

Different, fun to play, with loads of collectibles to find and a deep story that pulls at the heart, South of Midnight is THE video gaming gem of the year so far.

South of Midnight is a masterclass in picking a theme and sticking to it all the way through. The usage of music as a character world/lore enhancement is one of the best examples out there of what TO do. From the character models, to the music, and beyond; South of Midnight shows how to build a game around a style and committing fully.

South of Midnight has so much soul that the specifics don’t matter. It told a story that has been criminally undertold in the games landscape so far, with fresh characters, in a darkly intriguing world. I’d take all the underwhelming combat in the world if it meant we got more games like this one.

South of Midnight represents everything gaming is about. Gaming at its core is a true amalgamation of all major art-forms. Music, visuals, story, art-style. The ability to take all of those and make something that stands out is no easy feat. South of Midnight not only accomplishes it, it excels at it. Compulsion poured their hearts into making something they were truly passionate about. You feel it every second of it you play.

The story is really good, the whole atmosphere of the game is beautiful, and fluid traversal is a joy to use. South of Midnight is a game you need to play - if only so you can experience the rollercoaster it is.

A beautiful and wonderful surprise, South of Midnight is a delightful fantasy adventure title that crafts a uniquely southern story about connection and rebuilding harmony in a way that’s rare in videogames today. Hazel and the cast of characters are pleasant, the powers and abilities Hazel uses are plentiful and pleasing, the world is rich with engrossing natural environments, and the breeziness inherent within the game’s storytelling and accessibility makes it a stunning experience. The repetition does grate, and scrapping against haints could use more sparkle and empowerment, but otherwise South of Midnight is one of the best games this year and thoroughly deserves your attention.

South of Midnight is a powerful and charming adventure about the healing power of empathy. Its well-written and thoughtful narrative is backed up by a beautiful art style and a tactile sense of place that makes it impossible not to be drawn into its fantastical, though often harrowing, world. Though the combat isn’t quite as slick as it could be, especially compared to the tight platforming and level design that encourages exploration at almost every turn, it’s still well worth the price of admission, especially considering it will be on Game Pass at launch. The only baffling omission from the package is the lack of New Game+ to mop up the floofs and journal entries you’ll inevitably miss. What I’m trying to say is that I already want an excuse to play through South of Midnight again, and that’s probably the highest praise I can give it.

South of Midnight stands as one of the best story-driven games I’ve experienced in a long time, one that invites deep exploration of its lore and reflection on each character’s journey. Beyond its compelling narrative, the game is simply a joy to play, thanks to its versatile combat and traversal mechanics. For those seeking an immersive story, South of Midnight is the perfect remedy. And with Xbox Game Pass, it’s readily available at your fingertips upon release.

Classic gameplay with lots of variety. Captivating stories to think about. An insider tip that we luckily didn't miss.

Compulsion Games signs what is undoubtedly its magna opus with South of Midnight. A tremendous adventure in a fictional corner of the deep south of the United States that takes a multitude of influences to create a world as peculiar as it is attractive. Shocking visually, outstanding musically and with characters and interpretations more than up to par, the new Microsoft Studios manages to catch with an addictive and fluid gameplay that ends up shaping a rounded product and 100% recommendable.

Ultimately, Compulsion Games has created a love letter to the South, to its beauty and its stories. The dark fairytale we see in South of Midnight is narratively one of the heaviest hitters I’ve played, and that’s something special.

For me, South of Midnight is a bit of a triumph, and exactly the sort of thing I want to see more of from Xbox Game Studios. It's not perfect, and its combat mechanics are a bit lacking, but the game has so much soul, personality and charm that it's hard not to fall in love with it. I was engrossed with the storybook visuals, the well-delivered narrative and the satisfying traversal from start to finish, and I really can't recommend this one enough on Xbox Game Pass. Those of you that are more combat-first may not take a shining to this game quite as much as I have, but if you're looking for an engaging adventure that delivers soulful stories in spades, South of Midnight shouldn't be missed.

South of Midnight is Compulsion's best game by a country mile, emerging as an assured and beautifully crafted Southern Gothic folktale that feels like a bracing breath of earthy, swampy air.

South of Midnight proves that even simple pieces of fabric can be woven into something beautiful. What may seem like a straightforward game with unremarkable gameplay unfolds into a unique experience, offering a little something for everyone—whether it’s satisfying parkour, engaging combat, or simply exploring a breathtaking, magical world.

To call South of Midnight a ‘perfect’ Game Pass title would be disrespectful because the reality is that our industry has become obsessed with bloated experiences, and it’s led us to believe that anything less isn’t worth paying for – at least at full price. The truth though, is that we need more creatives being just that, and South of Midnight is part of Xbox’s supposed plans to let its developers cook. We just have to hope that the kitchen doesn’t close when service is over, because we need developers like Compulsion Games to make games like South of Midnight – shorter experiences that tell new and exciting stories set in immersive worlds, even if the gameplay feels familiar, because nothing beats a good story.

Thanks to its vibrant art, music, and storytelling, I had a wonderful time with South of Midnight. Its narrative goes to some surprisingly dark places, yet it still brims with whimsy, making it a fitting adaptation of the source mythology's similar tone. I couldn't have told you what a Rougarou was a few weeks ago, but thanks to this game, I've got a catchy melody of its name that plays on repeat in my head. It's fitting that, like the stories and songs it seeks to honor, South of Midnight has successfully passed Southern folklore on to a new, wider audience.

South of Midnight is that game that we all need to play at a certain time. Not because it is an indispensable masterpiece in the catalog of all players. But because it offers a fun proposal, limited and full of pampering that serves to “detoxify” us from that bad habit that the industry has taken of offering us everything bigger and bigger.

An incredible mix of exploration, story, and setting, South of Midnight certainly resonated with me. While its individual parts mightn’t be groundbreaking, the way in which Compulsion Games has combined them certainly is. This is definitely one worth checking out.

South of Midnight is a stunningly beautiful and moving experience. While the gameplay doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, it combines excellent writing and music to move your soul in ways only the best games can. This title is an enormous step-up for Compulsion Games, and I hope this isn’t the last we see from Hazel Flood.

With a thoughtful message, soulful world, and beautifully imaginative design to push things along, Compulsion delivers a classic adventure seemingly beyond their weight class with South of Midnight. It’s the exact, elusive story-driven diamond in the rough that Xbox has been in search of for generations now.

Both look and sound are truly excellent. Be it the design of the various locations of the game, the performances of the actors bringing it to life or the absolutely fantastic soundtrack. If you allow yourself to get immersed in the world of “South of Midnight” you will find an experience that feels oddly authentic despite the setting being fairly magical. The weakest points are when “South of Midnight” starts to feel too much like a videogame by placing upgrade points on a path during very emotional scenes or being structurally way too obvious. Nevertheless the experience is one of a kind and can be extremely engaging.

South of Midnight hits the bullseye when we’re talking about the art aspects of the game: the stop-motion graphics are awesome, the OST is nothing short of amazing, and both help bring the Cajun culture to life. Still, combat feels more like an obligation than something that was really thought out, and seems disconnected from the rest of the game.

South of Midnight is a fantastic representation of the deep south and its folklore. It has great visuals, engaging characters, a charming story, and music that will leave your jaw on the floor. While there are certainly flaws with the repetition of the combat, the frustrating platforming, and the lack of development of certain characters, these issues pale in the face of just how well Compulsion Games managed to execute this great work of art.

The captivating visual style, rich atmosphere, and cast of strong characters easily make you forget the mediocre gameplay in this one-of-a-kind action platformer.

South of Midnight feels like a mature fairy tale, thanks to an interesting story and a unique aesthetic. However, its gameplay brings it down due to a repetitive cycle and a lack of variety in objectives.

South of Midnight has a good story, and is a good action adventure game. It may get a little repetitive at times, but the story keeps you in enough to keep playing. I gave it all the time I could, and maybe it deserves another playthrough, since I walked away asking more questions then I started with. I only need to hear the music once though, I guarantee.

Elevated by its stop-motion-inspired animation style, South of Midnight is an enthralling experience that avoids open-world bloat to tell a deeply touching tale.

South of Midnight isn't going to impress with constant new mechanical gimmicks, and the gameplay loop quickly becomes predictable, but it is almost hypnotizing in its presentation. Hazel and her supporting cast are delightful, and they're wonderfully brought to life by exceptional animation and voice acting. South of Midnight's twisted take on the American Deep South is bold and captivatingly rendered, but gameplay-forward players are likely to find it lacking.

Compulsion Games' action-adventure title manages to stand out in spite of by-the-numbers gameplay.

The game is fun and offers a very interesting narrative approach. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the stories in the overall plot, and I found the gameplay more than captivating, although certain of the protagonist's abilities could certainly have been better utilized.

South of Midnight may not be a standout in the gameplay department, but the dazzling art style, interesting world building and fearless storytelling more than make up for it. Games Pass continues their recent string of successful launches with another great title, bravely exploring themes of trauma, healing and empathy in a refreshingly unique new setting.

South of Midnight proves itself to be a great new IP for Xbox and Compulsion Games’ best work yet. Despite some narrative-related issues and lukewarm combat, there is a lot to enjoy. If you have Xbox Game Pass, this is an absolute must-play. It exudes Southern charm throughout and doesn’t let up for a second. If this is the start of our journey with Hazel, then consider me seated and ready to go to Prospero again.

South of Midnight is one of the greatest gems of this generation, a design that takes us back to the days of the PS3, with spectacular graphics, easy-to-learn gameplay and a lot of fun that flows at a good pace. It's a title to enjoy and cherish.

South of Midnight is a game that, with certain successes and limitations, leaves an indelible mark thanks to its unique atmosphere, proving once again that video games can be powerful vehicles to explore both the shadows and the lights of folklore and human history.

South of Midnight is one of the hits that Xbox Game Studios has been crying out for. With a simple but captivating narrative, the game presents good characters and moves you with clear and profound messages. Despite the somewhat repetitive combat, the game is fun in its simplicity and finds its brilliance in a restrained and great folkloric world, governed by beautiful songs and led by the excellent protagonist Hazel.

South of Midnight has razor-sharp controls and a stunningly unique audio/visual presentation that stands out as one of the most memorable in gaming this year, despite having some predictable combat and exploration.

South of Midnight delivers one of the most interesting and visually stunning settings in recent memory. It feels like a tribute to the Deep South; it shows reverence to actual folklore while adding its own interesting twists that interweave with Hazel’s family history and the story Compulsion Games wanted to tell. Its traversal and combat don’t offer anything we haven’t seen before, but it’s a well-made experience, with its biggest crime being overly familiar systems. What it lacks in gameplay innovation, it more than makes up for with its quirky storytelling and style; ultimately, South of Midnight offers a distinct and gripping point of view that’s hard not to fall in love with.

And that's what South of Midnight is: an unapologetic love letter to the American Deep South; specifically, the gothic vibes that permeate the mythology and superstitions of the region as well as the history and culture of the people who live there. It doesn't exactly wow with its combat and platforming, but these parts of the game are mechanically sound, and South of Midnight's memorable characters, incredible visuals, and catchy soundtrack are so strong that it doesn't really matter that the gameplay is just decent. South of Midnight is the type of story that will sit with you, and a good reminder that we need more games about the American Deep South. Compulsion Games hasn't made a direct sequel to any of its games yet, but it needs to make an exception here--I am not done with this world.

South of Midnight is a refreshing and satisfying action-adventure that has all of the trappings and nostalgia of the classics of yesteryear, yet has all of the bells and whistles you’d associate with modern gaming.

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.

South of Midnight is an impressive narrative feat from Compulsion Games. It’s a well-paced adventure that goes big on characters and story, though combat and platforming feel a bit uniform. I hope it’s not the last we’ve seen of this world and these characters.

Compulsion Games has crafted a love letter to Southern Gothic with its third-person action-adventure game South of Midnight. The characters feel larger-than-life and intimately relatable all at once, while the narrative doesn't shy away from the brutal nature of the South's history. Combat is fun, though limited enemy variety does drag toward the end of the game. Overall, it's a story that feels intimate and uncomfortable, and one I hope others experience.

South of Midnight is a straightforward but well-executed action-adventure game on the surface, with a simple but satisfying mix of combat and platforming. It’s focused, filling out its 12-hour runtime nicely without ever dragging or relying on unnecessary padding. Beyond those basics, however, is a certain heart and artistry that elevates the whole package, inviting you to peer into the deep American South through its folklore, nature, and culture. It might not be the most profound exploration of family life, but it’s delivered in ways that feel authentic. From its striking art style to the evocative tunes that bring big story moments together, Hazel’s journey is a captivating one no matter where you come from.

South of Midnight is, for me, an unmissable experience despite playing it safe in a couple of key areas. This is an exceptional adventure that I simply couldn’t put down and I truly hope it’s not the last journey I’ll venture on with Hazel. While the combat and traversal is both entertaining and proficient, it does lack development as the game progresses creating somewhat of a repetitive feeling. But I couldn’t help but find myself partially overlooking that as South of Midnight offers such a remarkable story and what could be the year’s best soundtrack. Just like Hazel, South of Midnight occasionally stumbles, but it’s most definitely still a journey worth venturing on.

South of Midnight is a fascinating journey into the magic of the Deep South, among beautiful scenery, strange characters and game mechanics that, while not inventing anything, are fun and engaging. The art department, both visual and audio, is phenomenal, while something could have been done to improve combat and the story pace, but it's nonetheless a game that all lovers of the action-adventure genre should try.

South of Midnight is a fun and charming action-adventure game that features a beautiful, unique, and tear-jerking world steeped in Southern gothic folklore.

South of Midnight is a good experience, and that's it. Nothing memorable about it, and even its positive aspects fall short of the standards many are accustomed to. In an industry constantly striving to be exceptional and driven by the desire to become the next big thing, Compulsion Games rejects any pretense of doing so, and it's admirable that they're taking this path, but at the same time, the lack of ambition leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. South of Midnight isn't bad, but it's hard to think of anything that makes it interesting.

South of Midnight establishes itself as a good platform adventure that is enhanced by a deeper than expected narrative and an absolutely captivating artwork. While the combat falls a bit short, we are faced with one of the Xbox games with the most personality of the generation.

While South of Midnight pioneers in its narrative, art design, and the seamless incorporation of social challenges into its world, its gameplay, though not flawed, treads familiar ground without introducing anything new.

The narrative, setting, and music shine with unique charm and emotional depth, yet the generic gameplay, repetitive combat, and technical issues prevent it from reaching its full potential.

South of Midnight is a pure mid-budget game that doesn't even try to challenge the biggest launches of the first half of the year, but has enough character and charm to provide about ten hours of decent fun.

Paradoxically, where South of Midnight decides to use original ideas and boldly jumps into the deep end, it swims with grace and charm, while where it is afraid to abandon the lifeline of genre cliché, it simply stays afloat. If we were to distill the outstanding things from this item, we would get an excellent concept album with an accompanying animated film. It's a pity, because if the game designers had dared to go a bit crazy, it could have been a really great game, but it is simply good; a really interesting, refreshing interlude for two or three evenings, after which you will probably be left with another item on your playlist and a little more knowledge about a corner of the States that we don't usually see. And an awakened, but still unsatisfied appetite for folklore from other parts of the world.

South of Midnight is one of those little games you remember long after you've finished it, no matter how short it is. Visually, it's unique, and its music is also brimming with personality. Although it clearly lacks variety and depth, the gameplay remains effective, both for combat and for platforming. It's a pleasure to play before moving on to other things.

South of Midnight, all things considered, presents itself to the players as the most conventional of action/adventure games, based on a pleasant, if somewhat repetitive, gameplay structure and supported by refined writing and first-rate artistic direction. It's a shame that the presence of some naivety on the design front does not allow it to reach peaks of excellence, especially if you consider the care instilled in setting up an audiovisual framework of this caliber. More form than substance, therefore, but if you are looking for a good title in which to invest a dozen hours of lightheartedness, perhaps letting yourself be transported by a story capable of touching the strings of the soul, then the new work of Compulsion Games could be for you.

The experience offered by South of Midnight is as evocative as it is imperfect: the Xbox exclusive developed by Compulsion Games delivers a brilliant mix of storytelling, style, and music, but pairs it with gameplay that has clear limitations - somewhat derivative and never truly flawless in the implementation of its rather overused mechanics.

South of Midnight is a decent single player action-adventure, overall and without giving too much weight to the linear gameplay or to some technical and structural limitations. Narratively and artistically it is really intriguing, too bad that from a gameplay perspective it shows much less courage.

South of Midnight proves to be a marvelous auditory spectacle driven by exceptional artistic direction. The captivating world of the Gothic South, enhanced by stop-motion aesthetics and a masterful soundtrack, immerses us in a fantastic and touching story. But the offering is hampered by a cruelly generic gameplay loop that undermines a memorable adventure for its artistic purpose, and one that deserves to be discovered despite its few pitfalls.

Beautiful, both visually and musically, the game is solidly rooted in folklore and local traditions. South of Midnight combines parkour sections with confined battles to tell an engaging story full of characters from legends, brought to life. It doesn't overstay it's welcome but isn't very challenging either.

South of Midnight stands out for its setting, artistic design, and storyline, but when you pick up the controller, its weaknesses become apparent due to an extremely derivative gameplay experience that feels all too familiar from many other titles. Compulsion Games poured all its creativity into bringing this deep South of the United States to life, but ultimately delivered a repetitive gameplay system with little to say. I found myself playing through the interactive sections without much enthusiasm, viewing them more as a necessary step to get through as quickly as possible to uncover what the story had to offer. The narrative, however, is crafted with great care and delivers glimpses of “real” lives that are both striking and memorable, just like the mythology built around Hazel’s world. From a technical standpoint, the execution is inconsistent: the audio and soundtrack are excellent, but the graphics exhibit some noticeable rough edges, despite the strong artistic vision. The stop-motion effect (which I recommend disabling), while fascinating, makes everything feel too choppy, and the lack of some frames affects the overall fluiditY….South of Midnight is a good game, more for its story and atmosphere than for its gameplay. While the technical limitations may be attributed to a modest budget, the gameplay choices feel overly safe, ultimately holding back the ambitions of a title that had the potential to deliver more—though it remains an enjoyable experience.

South of Midnight comes out swinging with an incredible story, but the gameplay just isn’t there to back it up. If you love a good story and an awesome soundtrack, it’s still worth a look.

There are a few excellent moments scattered across its approximately eight hours, particularly its boss fights. It all comes back to your investment, though. If you can play this game on Game Pass, it feels like an easy decision. There’s plenty here for me to recommend you do just that. If you’re dropping money specifically on this experience, though, it feels like you deserve to expect a little bit more. That some part of actually playing this game feels truly interesting instead of just fine. I very rarely got that during my time with South of Midnight. Still, with a solid enough foundation, I’d love to see the team at Compulsion Games try for a sequel that builds on its strengths and does more to provide a great overall experience.

The concept of South of Midnight may captivate those who enjoy story-driven adventures, thanks to its stop-motion-inspired art style and a narrative rooted in regional mythology with a deeper message. However, in terms of gameplay mechanics, it feels a bit generic. Still, while it’s far from a perfect game, it offers a worthwhile experience for players who value storytelling over action.

If I wasn’t reviewing South of Midnight, I would probably just watch it on YouTube. The gameplay is fine, but nothing special. The linearity of the experience also holds it back at times. As such, the real star of the show is the writing, characters, and incredible art style. The cutscenes are some of the most elaborate and well-animated I have seen in a long time. South of Midnight begs to be an animated movie at some point, so I hope it happens.

Artistically, it is certain that Compulsion Games offers us its finest copy, with a game that constantly flirts with the beautiful and sometimes the sublime, all cradled by a soundtrack as captivating as it is enriching. But if the coating is more than successful, the gameplay proposition is much less so, since South of Midnight languishes in a rather staggering classicism. With its limited and repetitive gameplay loop, the structure of its levels that is far too linear and conventional, disappointing bosses and a bestiary of distressing poverty (there are 6 different enemies during the 15 hours of adventure), we realize that Compulsion Games has favored form over substance. Be careful, it is far from being catastrophic, but there is nothing exciting either, and it is all the more regrettable that certain mechanics, although conventional, manage to work at times. South of Midnight is clearly a game built for Game Pass: it plays well when it's part of the subscription.

South of Midnight is a tremendous display of artistry, even if its gameplay doesn't hit the same heights.

South of Midnight scores points with its stories, great atmosphere and fantastic soundtrack, but fails to inspire in terms of gameplay.

South of Midnight takes players on a journey through America's Deep South, showcasing beautiful environments and imaginative mythological elements. Its excellent soundtrack and distinctive stop-motion aesthetic combine to create a unique and memorable audiovisual experience. However, the gameplay falls flat, offering one-note design with overly simplistic platforming and combat.

South of Midnight’s endless imagination and slick presentation make for a perfect weekend playthrough for Game Pass subscribers. But it doesn’t quite have the chops to make it the fun single-player action game that I had hoped for.

South of Midnight is an amazing experience - wrapped in a fairly basic and reasonable game. With an equally amazing art line that creates an immersive experience, which gets stuck here and there on the rocks along the way. The game's boring gameplay first and foremost does not respect the rest of its elements, and prevents it from being a smooth ride - even if it does not completely prevent the overall experience from being unforgettable.

With its masterful art direction, South of Midnight nevertheless suffers from gameplay that is far too poor, a bestiary that doesn't renew itself enough, and a story that doesn't follow through on its project or deepen its subtext.

South of Midnight doesn't reinvent anything, but it does a competent job of everything it attempts. With all that’s going on in gaming right now, that's worth something. South of Midnight respects your time, delivers an emotional narrative, trusts that you know how to play it, and is bursting with texture and taste. This is a future classic for someone, and it might just be you.

South of Midnight is a charming (if predictable) action-adventure experience that's perfectly happy to play it safe. Nods to folklore and the Southern Gothic tradition are well conceptualized through mechanics, lore, and environments, even if areas like narrative order suffer for this stylization. Familiarity soon fades into monotony across nine of its 14 chapters, though it's hard to stay bored when South of Midnight's world is such a smooth and effortless joy to explore. The result is a spellbinding tale that struggles to find its rhythm, but once found, absolutely sings.

South of Midnight is a good game - nothing more, nothing less - one that storytelling-lovers will find enjoyment from and one that fans of tight and refreshing gameplay will find a bit repetitive and flat.

From its engaging narrative which finds a young woman desperately searching for her mother, to its stunning visuals that are a treat for the eyes, there's a lot to love about South of Midnight. It's just a shame that the combat is a bit repetitive and that the powers you acquire are uninspired.

South of Midnight has some incredibly strong storytelling chops, brought together by its stunning visual design and excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, the experience is bogged down by boring, repetitive combat and lackluster platforming, but it's worth rushing through those parts to experience everything else South of Midnight has to offer.

South of Midnight impresses with its gripping story and excellent audiovisuals, but the repetitive combat and basic platforming drag it down. Nonetheless, it’s a stylish, enjoyable journey for those willing to overlook the gameplay shortcomings.

South of Midnight is a game with an interesting story and a distinctive art style, but the gameplay itself is fairly standard at its best and irritatingly repetitive at its worst, whether in combat or exploration. The overly talkative protagonist also hurts the experience, though the game may still find its audience — it’s not a bad game, but far from a memorable one.

There’s real dedication to recreating the Deep South with detailed folklore, local dialects in its dialogue and music evocative of the region. The plight of a community suffering from poverty, the effects of capitalism and crime is handled with nuance, it’s just a shame the gameplay doesn’t match up.

South of Midnight impresses with its unique Southern Gothic setting and stunning visuals, but falls short due to repetitive gameplay, shallow storytelling, and lackluster combat.

South of Midnight is ready to offer atmospheric and dark fairy tales of the South, enhancing the effect due to excellent visuals and excellent musical accompaniment. However, Compulsion Games once again failed to support their ideas with interesting gameplay.

It’s a weird juxtaposition, to have a progressive story against a regressive game, but that kind of contradiction feels almost perfect for South of Midnight. It is, after all, a game about how messy we are as people, and how, sometimes, it makes us so unique in the end.

What you’re left with is a game whose best ideas are all optics. The fairytale southern style plays out like a modern, YA take on Toni Morrison’s fiction while summoning some of the whimsical, damaged beauty of 2012’s Beasts of the Southern Wild. The soundtrack is a rambunctious collage of howling blues, twanging folk and lilting jazz. Compulsion Games bottled much southern magic during the making of this seemingly risky gambit for Microsoft, yet failed to take risks where it really mattered: this unique setting deserved more.

Despite its fantastic visuals, superb voice acting, and a gorgeous, intriguing world filled with character and charm, South of Midnight sadly falls flat. A lack of variety in enemy types and some dull combat make combat encounters tedious and frustrating towards the end, whereas the story, which starts off so promising, ultimately gets lost in the hollers along the way.

South of Midnight excels in key areas, but its gameplay is so underwhelming that it's hard to truly appreciate everything it does well.

Clearly the aim here has been to make something broad, to bring this story and its amplification of southern culture to as many people as possible. But in the process the joy of more rewarding interactivity, or more uniquely defined identity beyond the familiar platforming and fighting patterns, has been lost. So, again, the overwhelming sense here really is one of disappointment. Not that South of Midnight is a disappointing game - far from it - but that it's such a shame for it to get so close to being something so genuinely special. This is a game of just remarkable craft - we've not even mentioned the stop-motion style of animation! It's lovely - and likewise remarkable attention, thought, and care. If only just a little more of that care had been afforded to the playing of it.

South of Midnight is a gorgeous adventure with wonderful performances, striking visuals and solid platforming gameplay. Its combat, however, is repetitive and reductive in equal measure, letting the overall package down considerably.

South of Midnight feels like a game that wanted to soar but never really left the ground. It’s undeniably gorgeous and hints at a level of creativity that, under better direction, could have led to an unforgettable adventure. However, between the undercooked combat, stilted platforming, and a meandering story that can’t decide on its central theme, it’s tough to recommend without a few asterisks. Hazel deserved more, and so did we. For now, South of Midnight remains a curiosity—worth a glance if you’re keen on its aesthetics or folk-infused premise, but ultimately lacking the cohesion it needs to shine.