It’s crazy how suddenly the market has become flooded with really good games, trying to get everyone’s attention, causing the games to come out before April or early April to mesh together in the public consciousness. I say that because South of Midnight, the newest game from the developers of We Happy Few, and their first game since Microsoft bought them, has been buried in the public zeitgeist, when, after playing it, I feel like this should be talked about in the current mindset.

This is a game that knows how to use atmosphere. From the moment you start, South of Midnight pulls you into a bayou setting soaked in a Southern Gothic folklore setting, full of moss-covered ruins, forgotten ghosts, and the haunting rhythm of blues music that seems to echo through the trees. It’s not often we see this style in modern games, and Compulsion Games leans into that with a confidence they didn’t quite have back in We Happy Few. This world feels alive in a strange, dreamlike way, like you’re wandering through the remnants of something sacred and broken at the same time.

You play as Hazel, a young woman who discovers she’s tied to a lineage of magical storytellers, or “Weavers.” The plot feels like Pan’s Labyrinth collided with the first season of True Detective, though with less nihilism and more personal reckoning. It’s not just about defeating a great evil, it’s about confronting memory, trauma, and how stories shape who we are. That was the real hook for me; the supernatural elements are great, but they’re always tied to emotion or personal history. A boss fight might involve defeating a monster formed out of a family grudge or navigating a puzzle built around a half-forgotten memory.

Gameplay-wise, South of Midnight doesn’t break new ground in mechanics, but it refines and blends ideas in a way that feels fresh. Exploration feels fluid—Hazel’s weaving powers allow her to shift parts of the world around her, opening paths or revealing hidden truths. Combat is simple but stylish, with a mix of weaving magic and grounded, improvisational melee. Think Control meets Alan Wake 2, with a bit of Tomb Raider DNA in how it structures its progression. There are some pacing issues in the middle third of the game, especially with a few fetch-quest-style detours that slow things down, but it’s never dull. Every area has some kind of thematic or emotional weight that keeps you curious.

What really elevates South of Midnight is the presentation. The animation style is stunning—almost painterly in how it moves, like a Southern gothic graphic novel come to life. There’s a slight stop-motion feel to some of the characters’ movements, which might sound off-putting at first, but it works beautifully in context. It makes the world feel uncanny, which is exactly the point. The voice acting is equally strong—Hazel’s actress carries so much of the game on her shoulders, and she nails the mix of fear, frustration, and quiet determination that defines her character.

It’s also worth mentioning how the game treats its themes. South of Midnight isn’t afraid to address the legacy of the American South—not just its folklore, but the deeper scars underneath. Slavery, generational trauma, broken families, forgotten communities—all of it is woven into the fabric of the game, and it never feels exploitative. It doesn’t try to solve anything or wrap it in a neat bow. It just acknowledges it. And in a genre that often dodges anything resembling real-world weight, that feels bold. If there’s one drawback, it’s that South of Midnight feels like it might slip through the cracks. It doesn’t have the franchise weight of a Spider-Man 2 or the shock value of an Elden Ring expansion. It’s quieter. More introspective. But that’s also why I hope people find it. We need more games like this—titles that take risks not in scale, but in tone and storytelling.

So, since this is on Game Pass, is this worth your time? If you manage to have a free afternoon, yes, it is worth it. In a year that’s already overflowing with major releases, South of Midnight might end up overlooked. But if you’re willing to sit with it, to really listen to what it’s trying to say, you’ll find one of the more resonant gaming experiences of 2025. It’s a ghost story, a coming-of-age tale, and a quiet meditation on the stories we carry—all wrapped into a Southern fantasy that lingers long after the credits roll.

Score: 8 out of 10

Reviewed on Xbox Series X