It’s not one of the most anticipated blockbusters, and yet it’s perhaps one of the most original games of the moment. Available now on Xbox Game Pass, South of Midnight attracts more and more players thanks to its unique visual styleits haunting soundtrack and one immersive story served by a universe inspired by the folklore of the South of the United States.
Developed by Compulsion Games And playable on Xbox Series X/S and PC, this narrative action-adventure game stands out as a pleasant surprise in the Xbox catalog, despite some flaws mentioned by the players themselves.
A captivating atmosphere, divisive gameplay
In her review, Kate GAMINGbible sums up the essence of the game well: “South of Midnight offers a remarkable story and what might just be the best soundtrack of the year. Much like Hazel, South of Midnight stumbles at times, but it’s certainly an adventure worth checking out.”
On Reddit, the feedback is just as passionate. One player said: “I finished this game today and I was pleasantly surprised. It kept me engaged. I’m not saying the storyline is difficult, but it was enough to keep me entertained.” Another added: “Totally agree, it has a bit of a retro feel, like an Xbox 360 game. Nothing complicated.”
The combat system is the subject of debate. Several users find it “a bit repetitive”, with “lots of recurring enemies and only one weapon”. But many put these faults into perspective by highlighting “the story, the atmosphere and the music”, considered excellent.
Careful artistic direction and striking narrative experience
Where South of Midnight hits the mark is in its artistic direction and his graphic universe singular, which recall the best stylized games of the previous generation. As one player points out: “I found the level and character design to be excellent. Beautiful graphics and an incredible soundtrack. The combat was a bit average, but we quickly forgot about it given the quality of the rest of the game.”
Another summed up the experience like this: “An incredible game if you’re looking for great art direction and lore. A little repetitive, but it’s more of a narrative game than a true hack’n’slash.”
South of Midnight is therefore not perfect, but it reaches an audience in search of games that say somethingvisually bold and musically immersive. And with its free availability via Xbox Game Pass, it would be a shame to miss out.