South of Midnight Reviews

South of Midnight is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Apr 25, 2025

South of Midnight has so many characters I want to see more of because of their natural dialogue and strong relationships, both built and pre-existing. It does feel like it tries to do a lot in a single game, in the event that a sequel can’t be made. But there’s so much to like here, that Compulsion Games should get to make another game set in this world, for it’s so lived in. South of Midnight is bona fide storybook classic full of character and culture, and a game to be remembered and treasured.

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83 / 100
Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight's action may not have the strongest hook, but its poignant tale of hope and sorrow tailored to Deep South mythos keeps its head raised high.

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3 / 5
Apr 3, 2025

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.

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IGN
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight is a straightforward but well-executed action-adventure game elevated by the artistry and heart of the American Southern culture that’s wrapped around it.

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6 / 10
Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight is a gorgeous game with a lot to like, but its combat holds it back from reaching its true potential.

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Apr 3, 2025

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.

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Apr 3, 2025

"Whatever South of Midnight lacks in innovation, it makes up for with unmistakable ambition."

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8.5 / 10.0
Apr 7, 2025

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.

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8 / 10
Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight makes up for its orthodox gameplay with a fantastic story, well-researched setting, and an incredibly catchy lyric-driven soundtrack.

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Kotaku
Zack Zwiezen
Top Critic
Unscored
Apr 7, 2025

This new action-platformer on Xbox Game Pass is fantastic despite repetitive combat

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4 / 5.0
Apr 3, 2025

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.

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Tom's Guide
Top Critic
Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight is the modern folktale of the American Deep South I never knew I wanted, with stunning stop-motion art style, an enthralling cast of mythical, gothic creatures and engaging stories. While combat can fall flat after a while, and taking the path less traveled doesn't bear many rewards, the haunting yet charming allure of this action adventure will have you coming back for more. TODAY'S BEST DEALS Check Amazon Check Walmart

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Jay Ku
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Apr 8, 2025

I had a blast playing through it and loved the creativity and passion behind its interpretation of Cajun folklore. I really would love to see more games that showcase the down-to-earth culture of the American South that is very much misunderstood by many.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 15, 2025

A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.

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8 / 10
Apr 10, 2025

The Southern Gothic aesthetic is wholly under-explored in gaming. Because of that, South of Midnight feels utterly refreshing and genuinely magical and mysterious.  In turn, Hazel is an undeniably compelling character, and you can't help but want to see how her journey plays out. It's yet another unmissable step on Microsoft's path to redemption.

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Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight is a weighty adventure that pays tribute to the deep South with astonishing art, impeccable sound design, and the best music you’ll hear in a video game this year. It’s an emphatic journey about connecting with our most vulnerable neighbors when they need it most rather than leaving them to suffer alone. The artistic craft on display is unimpeachable, though the full package is weighed down by the demands of a big genre game that Compulsion isn’t fully able to keep up with.

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Hobby Consolas
Top Critic
78 / 100
Apr 3, 2025

South of Midnight establishes itself as a solid platforming adventure, bolstered by a deeper-than-expected narrative and absolutely captivating artwork. While the combat and core gameplay fall a bit short, this is one of the most distinctive Xbox games of the generation.

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8 / 10
Apr 3, 2025

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.

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6 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2025

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.

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VGC
Top Critic
Apr 3, 2025

It presents a setting, characters and subject matter that aren’t frequently explored in this medium, and everything is presented so wonderfully that it absolutely deserves your attention. Much as I loathe the term “a great Game Pass game”, it truly is worthy of a few nights of your life if you’re subscribed to Microsoft‘s service.

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