The embargo is lifted, and reviews have poured in for South of Midnight, the third-person action-adventure tale from Compulsion Games and Xbox Game Studios.
Looking across the scores and comments the game has garnered so far, the majority of critics have liked it, with praise for the story, art direction, and soundtrack, while the combat and other aspects of gameplay are proving more divisive.
At the time I’m writing this, South of Midnight is sitting at a 78 on Metacritic from across 62 reviews, while it’s also at 78 on Opencritic, which pulls from 75 reviews.
I’ve pulled a selection of quotes and scores from several outlets, which you can read below:
- GamingTrend (95/100): “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.”
- Pure Xbox (9/10): “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.”
- PCMag (8/10): “South of Midnight is a game about growth, understanding, and learning that the only way to navigate this scary world is through curiosity and empathy. The gameplay leans on well-worn action-adventure genre tropes but rewards you with rich Southern culture. Like a rusty family heirloom, I cherished the experience despite its flaws. South of Midnight is an early dark horse contender for game of the year and easily earns our Editors’ Choice award.”
- Inverse (7/10): “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.”
- Eurogamer (6/10): “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. “
A dark journey unlike many other games
It’s not surprising to me that some critics are divided on aspects of South of Midnight like the combat, and while the setting and story are near-universally well-received, there’ll be differences in how strongly that particular aspect resonates with someone.
For my part, I’ve really enjoyed this experience, giving the game 4 out of 5 stars in our South of Midnight review, writing that “I’ve enjoyed this yarn of a young Weaver aspiring to save her mother, and I truly hope we get to see more of Hazel in the future. South of Midnight is a love letter to Southern Gothic and the South, and it’s one I hope people can come away from filled with more meaning.”
South of Midnight launches on April 8, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (via Steam and the Xbox PC app). As an Xbox first-party game, it’s included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Early access is available now for Premium Edition buyers.
