Xbox’s latest is a memorable adventure

April 8, 2025

Compulsion Games isn’t new to building interesting worlds with unique art styles and creative gameplay mechanics, so it’s no surprise its latest effort, South of Midnight, fits in that space so snugly.

What may be a surprise to some is just how confidently the team has executed one of this year’s most interesting and enjoyable action platformers. I was engrossed from the moment the tale kicked off all the way into its final conclusion and were left feeling there’s nothing else quite like it out there right now.

Set in Prospero, a fictionalised town in the American South, this amped-up reality entrenched in Southern mythology feels like something from a Disney movie or Roald Dahl novel while still having a distinctly adult undertone, as it deals with heavy material in each character’s own part of the story.

Hazel Flood is on a quest to save her mother from the impact of a huge storm, when she discovers she is a Weaver – a once-in-a-generation being that can see the threads of life’s tapestry and manipulate it to heal the world’s wounds (as well as navigate around in a pretty swift fashion).

You’ll find Stigma all around your hometown, grown and fed from the grief, sadness and horrific secrets of the townsfolk – which manifests as a parasitic goo which also spawns Haints, demonic-like creatures always looking for a fight. You’ll fight Haints in little break-out hubs, which unlock more of the level or story after you destroy the Stigma producing them.

south of midnight — Xbox Game Studios / Compulsion Games

Combat is fast and fluid, with a satisfying mix of slash attacks and specials, which can pin enemies down, blast them away for some space or even get them fighting for you in a pinch. As you quickly progress, different Haints will spawn to make things a bit more complicated – from tanks to others that blast explosives from a distance and create barriers to protect enemies you’ve been focusing a bit too much on.

It all feels very Darksiders and satisfying – if a little by-the-numbers at times. The catch here is health, however. There’s one refill in each encounter space, which will give you a little boost but that’s it, so it’s easy to get a little too cocky and forget just how low you’ve let that health bar get before an unruly swipe takes you down.

Each area is full of memorable characters to engage with and have their own fantasy creature to handle in order to heal the world. From the Rougarou (a huge fire-breathing bird) and Two-Toed Tom (a massive crocodile) to Huggin’ Molly (a half-woman half-spider who snatches children), they’re each steeped in Southern mythology and all offer a unique battle that will test your reflexes.

Thankfully, there’s upgrades to be had which will strengthen those attacks, to help keep your edge sharp in a fight. They’re earned by collecting ‘Floofs’ around the map and hidden under metal plates. While they take a little bit of wandering off the beaten trail to find, they’re not buried in hugely obscure places and more than anything encourage a little bit more exploration in each level.

While the gameplay style may not be revolutionary, it’s executed confidently and leaves Compulsion to take a big creative swing when it comes to the game’s stylised and deeply memorable character design. It’s incredibly striking, in a way that reminds me of the first time I played Psychonauts or MediEvil – there’s something special here that is hard to put into words.

The soundtrack is a huge part of its unique charm, too. It doesn’t just craft an intoxicating vibe throughout each area, but the levels’ key monster will also have its own theme song, which eventually kicks in as you get closer to the final battle, making the game almost a Disney musical.

Split into 14 chapters, the adventure has a tight runtime that moves along at great pace as you meet new characters and understand the layers of their grief to heal the world around you and find the hope often left tucked away in those moments. It’s one of the more memorable stories I’ve played in a while, and hopefully won’t be the last we see of Hazel.

South of Midnight is an enthralling experience, avoiding open-world bloat to tell a touching tale that’s elevated by a stunning stop-motion-inspired animation style.