If you played the developer’s other games, including We Happy Few and Contrast, then South of Midnight is a more traditional action-adventure game. You control Hazel, who’s searching for her mother, Lacey, after a sudden flash flood tears through their house and home town. Unbeknownst to her, she possesses the abilities of a Weaver who must harness the Strands and repair the Grand Tapestry.

This journey spans the American Deep South, offering stunning stop-motion cinematics as Hazel meets folklore creatures like Huggin’ Molly, Two-Toed Tom, and many more (with several serving as bosses). Combat is fairly straightforward, with players possessing dual hooks to execute melee attacks and spells for various effects. But as action-packed as it can be, South of Midnight is as much about healing and helping people move on.

Check out our review for more details. We gave it an eight out of ten, praising the setting, storytelling, characters, music and art direction.

On March 24th, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will finally be added to the service for Ultimate, Premium and PC subscribers. Guard Crush Games’ Absolum follows on March 25th, which also marks the acclaimed rogue-lite beat ’em up’s debut on Xbox Series X/S.

Nova Roma, a city-building title from Lion Shield, will premiere in Game Preview for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers, coinciding with its early access release. Survival crafting fans can look forward to The Long Dark becoming available on March 30th for Premium, PC, and Ultimate. Finally, Resident Evil 7: biohazard will be playable on March 31st, joining the Resident Evil Village.

But wait, there’s more. Barbie Horse Trails kicks off next month alongside Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the latter finally available to Premium subscribers. If that wasn’t enough, Square Enix’s march to include every single mainline Final Fantasy title on Game Pass seemingly continues with Final Fantasy 4 on April 7th.

Surprisingly, only two games will be leaving the service on March 31st. Check them out below:

• Peppa Pig World Adventures (Cloud, Console, PC)
• Mad Streets (Cloud, Console, PC)

Of course, that brings us to the second point of confusion – the Nintendo Switch 2 version. The development team didn’t confirm whether it would launch later or on the same day, so there’s little else to do but wait for more details.

Regardless, South of Midnight should make a strong addition to any action-adventure fan’s library. Currently available for Xbox Series X/S and PC, the story follows Hazel, who loses her mother and home in a flash flood. Seeking a way to find her, she learns about the Strands and her heritage as a Weaver.

What follows is a Southern Gothic fantasy where Hazel battles the Haints using enchanted weaponry. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the presentation, aside from the incredible soundtrack, is the stop-motion cutscenes, which further add to the feeling of an animated adventure.

For more details, check out our review of the Xbox version. South of Midnight crossed more than a million players within its first month, so its PS5 reception should be interesting.

Released earlier this year for Xbox Series X/S and PC (it’s also playable on Game Pass), the action-adventure title is a fantastical journey through the American Deep South as Hazel. After losing her home in Prospero, she embraces her destiny as a Weaver and ventures through the region, encountering strange and mystical creatures.

That also means fighting enemies known as Haints, mending the Grand Tapestry and finding her mother. Throughout it all, she’ll come to embrace her family’s lineage. For more details on South of Midnight, check out our review. Despite the straightforward combat, it’s a fantastic Gothic South odyssey with stop-motion visuals and incredible music. It crossed one million players in less than a month of its release.

With The Game Awards starting in a few minutes, what could Microsoft announce on the big stage? Perhaps Starfield for PS5? Stay tuned for more updates.

30. Dynasty Warriors Origins

After the terrible open-world approach of Dynasty Warriors 8, it felt like curtains for the franchise. Fortunately, Dynasty Warriors Origins goes back to basics, focusing more on the large, cinematic battles that have defined the franchise. While the ability to play as multiple iconic heroes (at least for more than a few minutes) is sorely missed, it nails the combat and the sheer wonder of systematically tearing through armies.

29. Atomfall

As much as Fallout lays claim to the post-nuclear apocalyptic crown, Atomfall offered its own unique take on the formula. Set in the aftermath of the Windscale Fire, it’s full of mysteries to pursue, but you’ll need to actually gather the clues – combing the landscape, interacting with (and maybe trusting) untoward characters, and ultimately escaping. Or just kill everyone in your path. Either approach works.

28. Mafia: The Old Country

Family matters, especially in the Mafia series, where it can both unite and destroy. Much like Dynasty Warriors – which isn’t a comparison I would have made in this life, but here we are. The Old Country doesn’t try for a massive open world, nor does it waste your time. It tells a gripping story about family, loyalty and betrayal in early 1900s Sicily, presenting complex characters with excellent performances and more than enough fun gameplay (especially the new knife fights). No more and certainly no less.

27. South of Midnight

Hazel’s journey through the Southern Gothic world of South of Midnight may not be the most memorable among this year’s stories, but it’s certainly unique. Told through stunning stop-motion visuals, its combination of exploration and combat feels solid while keeping the focus squarely on the magical realism of its narrative and characters.

26. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Leenzee’s first action RPG is heavily inspired by the first Dark Souls with its world design, and it shows. But it’s the customization, combat and mechanics – including madness – that set it apart. Wuchang’s late Ming Dynasty setting and lore also offer more than terrifying threats to combat – and more than enough options, both in melee and magic, to fight back. PC performance remains a stickler, but it’s surprisingly substantive for its price.

25. Starfield

So Bethesda’s latest doesn’t offer the best story or the best use of procedural generation or proper interplanetary or the most beloved companions – alright, I’ll stop by. But the gunplay, especially with the addition of zero gravity, is solid and that “just one more” feeling of discovering a new planet, laden with strange creatures and gorgeous vistas, is present. There’s still room for improvement, but it’s a solid base, if nothing else.

24. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

“Suffering builds character” is seemingly Senua’s arc at this point. As she ventures to Iceland to save her people, the Furies return, and the Shadow remains as oppressive as ever, but it’s all par for the course, especially when caught in desperate battles for survival. Hellblade 2 isn’t a massive overhaul of everything its predecessor did well, instead enhancing the cinematic presentation for an even bloodier narrative. And that’s alright.

23. Ninja Gaiden 4

Speaking of bloody, Ninja Gaiden 4. Thank you for coming to my pseudo-review. But in all seriousness, for a series that ended as controversially as it did after the third game, it’s just so good. The exploration, the movement, the combat, the new Bloodraven techniques – even controlling Ryu Hayabusa, limited as his weaponry was, turned out to be a lot of fun. There are plenty of nitpicks, but Ninja Gaiden is officially back, and I couldn’t be happier.

22. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

“Wake up, Sleeper,” you’ll hear when starting. A familiar phrase, carrying far more weight this time as you traverse the Helion System’s asteroid belt. The clock is still ticking on your body, and it’s all you can do to take on jobs, hire companions, roll the dice, and try to survive. Additional mechanics such as Push and Stress offer even more twists and turns, but the series’ sharp writing and characterization remain as incredible as ever.

21. Dying Light: The Beast

I’ve missed Kyle Crane and seeing him move past the righteous but naive courier of the first game into the “My anger is healthy” protagonist in The Beast feels right. Techland wisely offers much more, though, from smarter enemies and a more perilous night with much more dangerous Volatiles to silky-smooth parkour and melee combat that could give Dead Island 2 a run for its money. All this combines for a fulfilling experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome.

20. Lies of P

NEOWIZ took us by surprise when it revealed Lies of P, a Souls-like take on the classic tale. Perhaps even better is the fact that it went above and beyond expectations, offering incredible combat and parrying mechanics with fun weapon customization and challenging bosses. As dangerous and devious as Krat felt, it was also alive, capturing that ruined beauty that defines so many of FromSoft’s greatest.

19. Cronos: The New Dawn

A new Dead Space may never happen, yet Chronos: The New Dawn is a surprisingly solid substitute. The story of the Traveller, their eventual shift from rigid and robotic to actually feeling emotions in this post-apocalyptic landscape of Cronenbergian horrors, is a compelling one. Throw in some classic limb dismantling and time traveling, and you have one of the more underappreciated horror games of the year.

18. Monster Hunter Wilds

The successor to Monster Hunter World. The mainline Monster Hunter for current-gen consoles that we’ve all waited for. Perhaps the best-selling Monster Hunter to date in terms of controls and actual combat…is also one that’s been perpetually on fire this year when it comes to performance, end-game, lack of “Monster Hunter-ness,” take your pick. Nevertheless, it’s only improved ever since, packing tons of worthwhile challenges and rewards with even more – like its first Elder Dragon, Gogmazios – on the way.

17. The Outer Worlds 2

Taking everything it learnt from the first game, The Outer Worlds 2 is a sleeker, smarter, and arguably more entertaining role-playing game as a result. Factions and companions remain the centrepiece, whether you’re deciding who to stab in the back (and hear complaining about you on the radio) or who to give up. But between all its branching decisions and multiple quest approaches, The Outer Worlds 2 is equally content to let you go on a killing spree.

16. Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite is officially in maintenance mode – what’s a fan to do without any campaign DLC? Quite a lot, thankfully, thanks to Forge Mode, new multiplayer maps, Exchange updates, and much more. For all its faults, from the controversial reveal to launch, it still offers some of the best gameplay in the series. Best to appreciate it all now before the player counts plummet for good.

15. DOOM: The Dark Ages

Credit to id Software – even after finding a formula that inspires utter joy and mixed emotions alike, it’s not afraid to create another that somehow, inexplicably, does the same. So yes, The Dark Ages is much slower than Eternal, but the methodical gameplay, punctuated by the incredible Shield Saw and more in-depth melee combat, still feels so good.

14. Assassin’s Creed Shadows

It’s kind of crazy that Shadows turned out to be one of 2025’s most controversial releases. Once you get past all that, its depiction of Japan is actually quite beautiful, while Naoe’s parkour and stealth remain some of the best in the franchise. Sure, there are qualms over the story, voice-acting and pacing, but infiltrating castles and assassinating your target – or breaking down the front door to challenge everyone to a fight – is fun, and backed by tons of other in-depth systems.

13. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

Call it nostalgia that harks back to the days when Bethesda could craft a compelling world, but Oblivion Remastered is just such a breath of fresh air in so many ways. Interesting side quests with multiple outcomes, an intriguing story where you’re decidedly not the chosen one, numerous secrets – there’s so much to take in. Much of the quirkiness and bugs remain (with Virtuos sadly adding some new ones), yet it remains one of this year’s better open-world RPGs.

12. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

What is the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone if not a microcosm of humanity itself, boiled down to our most base instinct? Depending on who you are, it can be a place of wonder, of Anomalies dancing about and causing havoc. It can be a place of community as various factions, friendly and hostile, go about their business without your input. Maybe it’s all of these things, wrapped in an unforgiving veneer, but at least there’s plenty of guns to go around. Whatever your reason for venturing into the Zone, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 promises an experience unlike anything else out there.

11. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Despite all the contemporary movie flops, adventure really does have one name, and it’s still Indiana Jones. The Great Circle, is an original tale through Indy’s eye. And while that first-person perspective may seem like the antithesis to an Uncharted or Tomb Raider, MachineGames pushes stunning locales where observation is as important as platforming and reflexes. Where stealth is optional and going in, fists swinging, is as viable as whipping enemies unconscious. With a lengthy campaign, immersive environments, sharp writing and phenomenal set pieces, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a standout in gaming as a whole.

10. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

From the very first hour, Clair Obscur pulls you into its bold, beautiful world and doesn’t let go. It dazzles with its brutality, enveloping you in a combat system that’s tactical yet active and oh-so-satisfying – especially when nailing every single parry and counter-attacking as a squad. The constant push ahead accompanies phenomenal art direction, an unforgettable soundtrack, and – my favorite – ten or so new mysteries to go with every answer. Sandfall Interactive has crafted more than an ode to the greatest turn-based RPGs of yore. It introduced us to a whole new world, full of possibilities, even if all roads lead to tragedy.

9. Blue Prince

This year saw no shortage of excellent rogue-like experiences, but from out of nowhere, Blue Prince emerged with a gameplay loop that had no business being as fun as it was. The premise is simple: As the heir to a massive estate, you must find the 46th room. Easy enough, right? Except you have to create the actual blueprint to reach it, pulling from a pool of rooms like architectural gacha. Will you put down that Observatory for the sake of something good? How about a coat check to carry over a tool to the next run? With a limited number of steps and a clean slate daily, Blue Prince is wholly addictive while challenging you to ponder every single possibility.

8. ARC Raiders

We’ve said a lot about why ARC Raiders is so good, even if you’re not an extraction shooter fan, but it’s still fascinating. Even after so many runs top-side, you never know what to expect, whether it’s a friendly Raider who could end up stabbing you in the back or a desperate struggle for survival against a Rocketeer. As varied as the experiences can feel, the fact that it’s backed by such great presentation and gunplay is just the cherry on top.

7. Split Fiction

Like many games, Hazelight Studios’ biggest, most expensive title to date was kind of buried beneath all the other great games this year. The curse of launching early, perhaps, but regardless, this is the co-op experience of the year. Between the simply awesome co-op setpieces, spanning futuristic settings with mech suits and fantasy worlds with giants and dragons, is the simply bizarre and borderline concerning. What more do you need?

6. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Even after all the other games that have been released this year, Silksong continues to call to me, its subtle tones belying the sheer humiliation that its toughest bosses wish to inflict. Despite the abundance of two-mask damage sources, the punishing platforming, the surprisingly dangerous enemies, and the runbacks, I still want to keep exploring Pharloom. I want to take in its sights, serenade strangers and friends with the Needolin, find some solace in our shared struggle, and conquer the lands. It’s an unhealthy obsession, sure, but such is the lure of song and silk.

5. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Henry’s latest visit was more than customary – it’s also one of the freshest RPG experiences in ages. Everything in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 feels so organic and detailed, right down to identifying plants and cataloguing them or the entire blacksmithing process. There’s plenty to be had in terms of questing and testing your mettle or your sword against all kinds of opponents, but it’s just so refreshing to see a game react so naturally to your choices. The way you dress, how you address people, even whether you’re covered in blood or not – it all matters, and it’s amazing.

4. Forza Horizon 5

Racing games come and go, but only a few truly stick around, much less cement their legacy among tens of millions of players. Forza Horizon 5 is one such title, and if you haven’t journeyed to its version of Mexico, replete with stunning locales and heart-pounding races, you’re missing out. Everything about the Horizon experience feels fresh thanks to the revamped progression and Accolades system. Even if you aren’t chasing the Hall of Fame, however, there are hundreds of cars to collect and customise to your heart’s desire while rocking out to some incredible tunes.

3. Baldur’s Gate 3

The game that introduced – and reminded – millions of the magic of Dungeons and Dragons. However, it’s just so much more in every way, whether you’re seeking a reactive role-playing game where almost every decision can lead down a path of possibilities or an incredible cast of characters, penned to perfection and voiced beyond. Then there’s the turn-based combat, which doesn’t just reward build-crafting but environmental awareness and an urge to experiment. From a paragon of virtue to the truly evil at heart, from blade-singing wizards to a magical archer and everything in between, this is a role-playing title that truly lets you live out your fantasies, and then lets you loose in an unforgettable world.

2. Elden Ring

Almost four years and an expansion later, and we’re still thinking about The Lands Between. The realm where mythical figures collapsed – or did they? An easier task than most, laying claim to the Runes and ruins, but this is FromSoftware’s wheelhouse on a scale unlike anything ever seen before. It’s a journey of strength and madness – of overwhelming bosses and buried secrets. Where a simple jaunt down an elevator can lead to a vast underground city with a roof of stars and a palace devoted to blood. To say that Elden Ring is a Souls-like masterpiece would be selling it short. An experience that supplements the addictive challenge with a thirst for exploration, and an unending burrow of secrets – it’s simply essential for anyone and everyone.

1. Cyberpunk 2077

Future conversations about consumerism and technology overriding humanity to the point of utter dystopia? A typical day in Night City, where gun vending machines are found across from gangs across every corner, Arasaka owns the uptown districts, and a deranged rocker/revolutionary is running around in the player’s head. Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t deviate too much from the action RPG/immersive sim-lite genre so much as drown you in Mike Pondsmith’s vision of a completely hopeless future, and it’s an unbridled success. But even with that pedigree, that attention to detail and the oh-so-invasive advertising that’s looking less like a parody every day, Cyberpunk 2077 is a phenomenal game in its own right, with excellent combat, incredible side quests, extensive build-crafting, and a memorable story. Whether you become a legend or never fade away, the Night City odyssey is a trip and a half.

Compulsion Games has confirmed that its recently released action-adventure title South of Midnight has crossed 1 million players since its release a little under a month ago. Speaking to Game Rant, the studio’s CEO Guillaume Provost said, “I can confidently say we’ve had more than a million players on South Midnight since its release.”

Interestingly, Provost went on to add that regardless of how South of Midnight has performed, Compulsion Games’ role within Xbox’s first-party portfolio isn’t to deliver blockbuster success, but instead craft experiences that help make Microsoft’s lineup more diverse.

“[Our role] is not to make blockbusters like Call of Duty, but to provide games that add distinctiveness, where we can either serve audiences that haven’t been served before or create projects that add diversity to the portfolio,” Provost said.

In our review of South of Midnight, we awarded it a score of 8/10, saying, “With an eye catching aesthetic, unique setting, and a refreshing lack of bloat, South of Midnight is an enjoyable narrative driven action-adventure romp of the type we get all too infrequently in the age of live services and open worlds.” Read the full review through here.

South of Midnight is available on Xbox Series X/S and PC, and is also available via Game Pass.

In a post on social media platform BlueSky, Piscatella shared charts showing off the most played games on all platforms across the US, Canada and Mexico: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam (US), Steam (Canada), and Steam (Mexico). These charts measure active player counts for the week ending on April 12.

For the consoles, Call of Duty dominated the number one spot in terms of active players, followed by Fortnite. Things diverge from there onwards, however; where GTA 5 Remastered sits at number 3 for PlayStation, the spot on Xbox Series X/S is taken up by Minecraft.

Going further down the charts, South of Midnight sits at number 9 on Xbox, between Rainbow Six Siege at number 8 and EA Sports College Football 25 at number 10. When it comes to the top 15 played games on Steam, however, South of Midnight was unable to break through into the charts.

South of Midnight is a single-player action adventure game that takes place in the American Deep South. Players take on the role of Hazel – a young girl that has set out on a journey to become a Weaver. Along the way, Hazel has to deal with encounters based on different myths, as well as take on the forces of the Haints in order to survive and complete her journey.

The studio had previously explained that, with the story in South of Midnight, it didn’t want a “chosen one” narrative. At GDC 2025, writer Zaire Lanier spoke about creating the game’s narrative, saying that Hazel’s state of mind at the start of the game is “in this weird liminal space between [being] a kid and becoming an adult.”

According to Lanier, the game’s narrative works because of the idea that “anyone can be a Weaver, it’s something that the land will choose for you, when you’re in a time of deep need. So Hazel, when she’s chasing after her mom’s trailer in the hurricane, the land chooses her.”

“It’s kind of at random, she blinks and you can see the strands in the sky,” Lanier explained. “Weavers are able to see the fabric of the universe – we call it the grand tapestry – and they’re able to manipulate those strands to do various types of spells. Their mission is that they heal stigma in the land where bad things have happened.”

“[Weavers] are able to see into your traumas. They don’t fix your traumas for you, only you can do that, but they listen to your story, they see your story, they get to see those memories, and I think sometimes that’s what you need.”

South of Midnight is available on PC and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also available through PC and Xbox Game Pass. Check out our review for more details.

Circana Player Engagement Tracker – Top 15 Titles by Total Weekly Active Users (Not Concurrent) – W/E Apr 12, 2025- South of Midnight reaches 9th on Xbox- …not many other big changes at the top of the rankings tbh

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2025-04-21T12:58:40.825Z

In the interview, Spencer mentions titles like South of Midnight, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Obisdian’s The Outer Worlds 2, but he also mentioned that he wants to avoid accidentally leaking unannounced projects that might be coming out some time in 2025.

“For us and the rest of this calendar year, I really feel great about the slate of games,” said Spencer. “We just had Avowed come out, and I have to go backwards and just say Obsidian continues to do a great job. We’ve obviously talked about The Outer Worlds 2, South of Midnight, DOOM. There’s more stuff, some stuff that’s unannounced and I’m walking in my head to make sure I don’t leak anything.”

In light of Microsoft’s relatively recent push towards releasing its titles on to non-Xbox consoles, Spencer was also asked about his thoughts on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. He responded by referring to Nintendo as “a great partner.”

“It lets us continue to grow our community of people that care about the franchises that we have, and that’s really important for us to make sure we continue to invest in our games,” he said. “I’m really a big believer in what Nintendo means for this industry and us continuing to support them. And getting the support from them for our franchises, I think, is an important part of our future.”

As for its upcoming titles, Microsoft had confirmed earlier this month that it would be hosting an Xbox Games Showcase event on June 8. The event, livestreamed digitally, will focus on first-party Xbox games, as well as new titles by third-party developers from all over the world.

The most recent title published by Xbox has been South of Midnight, which came out earlier this month on PC and Xbox Series X/S. The title, also available through Xbox and PC Game Pass, takes place in the American Deep South and focuses on the story of Hazel’s journey to become a Weaver. Check out our review for more details.

There have also been rumours going around that Bethesda is on the cusp of shadow-dropping a remake of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. While no official announcements have been made so far, the game is rumoured to be coming out some time in the week that starts on April 21.

In the meantime, Microsoft is also getting ready to release Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 today. The title got a trailer just last week to hype up its release on Sony’s console. For more details, check out our review of the PS5 version of the game. Also check out our graphical analysis of the PS5 port, and why fans of Sony’s Uncharted series shouldn’t miss out on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Based in the American Deep South, the story sees Hazel on the journey to become a Weaver and fix the Grand Tapestry following the destruction of her hometown. This leads to encounters with various myths, though she must also battle enemies known as the Haints to survive. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the presentation is its visuals, which embrace a stop-motion-like style, though you can turn it off during combat and exploration.

South of Midnight retails for $39.99, with the story taking roughly 12 hours to complete (per HowLongToBeat). Check out our review – we gave it an eight out of ten, praising the presentation, story-telling and characters while criticizing the overall polish and Hazel’s constant talking.

You play as Hazel, a young woman living with her mother in the American Deep South town of Prospero, which finds itself caught in the middle of a raging hurricane. Disaster strikes early on in the game, and Hazel soon awakens to a mysterious magic known as Weaving, which she must put to use as she embarks on a quest to rescue and reunite with her mother, and heal the decaying land around her with her newfound powers. South of Midnight makes a strong impression with its setting and storytelling right off the bat, and there continue to lie some of its biggest strengths well past those early moments.

"South of Midnight makes a strong impression with its setting and storytelling right off the bat, and there continue to lie some of its biggest strengths well past those early moments."

Most impressive is the incredibly distinctive identity it carves out for itself. Blending its contemporary Deep South setting with local folklore and mythology, it crafts a gothic modern-day fairytale that instantly sets itself apart from anything else out there. From the gorgeous and highly detailed environments that you find yourself on throughout the course of Hazel’s journey to the wonderfully eccentric and quirky cast of characters, each of whom shines thanks to sharply written dialogue and excellent acting performances; from the monsters that you cross paths with to the storybook framing device the game adopts- South of Midnight keeps finding ways to highlight its key strengths, and more often than not, does so in a way that feels very different from most other story-driven action adventure games.

Games inspired by the Deep South that highlight its folklore, culture, and everything about it this constantly and proudly are few and far in between, which means South of Midnight manages to stand out from the crowd in this department. It does still have some flaws of note- Hazel, for instance, clearly got the “I’m an action-adventure protagonist who has to comment on everything in sight” memo. She’s talking to herself constantly and refuses to shut up, which means she got on my nerves more than a few times, even though she is otherwise a fun and charming protagonist. Even so, with its many notable storytelling strengths, it more than makes up for its few writing-related flaws.

Another area where South of Midnight instantly catches the eye is with its visuals. It uses a highly stylized art style that fits perfectly with its modern fairytale framework and folklore-infused setting, and combines it with a stop-motion animation style that helps it stand out even more. Whether you’re moving through its stunningly crafted environments or watching its lovingly directed cutscenes, South of Midnight is wonderful to witness, both in motion and otherwise. Its stop-motion animation style might prove distracting to some in gameplay – personally, I didn’t mind it once I’d gotten used to it – but the game does give you the option to turn that effect off outside of cutscenes.

"South of Midnight uses a highly stylized art style that fits perfectly with its modern fairytale framework and folklore-infused setting, and combines it with a stop-motion animation style that helps it stand out even more."

Where it shows ambition and unbridled creativity in the narrative and visual departments, on the gameplay front, South of Midnight is happy to chart a well-trodden path. Close your eyes and picture a linear, third-person action-adventure game with a mix of melee and magical combat, some light exploration and progression mechanics, and a focus on nimble and parkour-based traversal, and you probably already have a pretty good idea of what you’re signing up for. South of Midnight doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but ends up being anywhere between serviceable and forgettable to legitimately fun and solid in most areas of note.

When the game starts out, the gameplay feels maybe a little bit too simplistic and straightforward, but over the course of its opening a couple of hours, it briskly introduces one simple gameplay mechanic on top of another that are all fairly simplistic tropes by themselves, but are used in combination pretty effectively. Light and heavy attacks in combat, dodges rolls and perfect dodges, telekinetic abilities that let you push and pull enemies and things in the environment- mechanics like these (and others) are the kind that you have seen in a multitude of games in the past, but though South of Midnight doesn’t use them in any way that feels too different or extraordinary, it does get the basics right.

What that means is that gameplay, though it’s never breathtaking by any means, can often be more engaging than you might expect if all you had played of the game was its first hour or so. Levels are pretty condensed and the environments you find yourself in are never too sprawling, but South of Midnight’s light exploration elements remain fairly compelling throughout. Progression is pretty standard and, if I’m being blunt, unimaginative, but it does just enough to make you care at least a little bit about the next upgrade you’ll unlock, if not the one after that.

"More than a few times in recent years, we’ve collectively lamented the death of the so-called AA action-adventure game, so to see one as distinct as South of Midnight is heartening."

Combat can be surprisingly fun when you’re taking on multiple enemies of different types at once, weaving together different abilities while dishing out your own attacks. Particularly enjoyable is the traversal. Once again, it brings together familiar elements like ledge climbing, wall running, and what have you, and that moveset remains largely fun to use across the game’s runtime. Both combat and traversal can sometimes feel a bit rough around the edges at times due to the occasional instance of clunky movement, unresponsive inputs, or iffy hit detection, but by and large, South of Midnight is a fun and well-functioning gameplay experience.

In the gameplay department, what stands out most about South of Midnight is how much it feels like a throwback game, specifically where its design style and sensibilities are concerned. More than a few times in recent years, we’ve collectively lamented the death of the so-called AA action-adventure game, so to see one as distinct as South of Midnight is heartening, to say the very least- not least because it’s coming from a major AAA first-party publisher. It’s not often that we get a dozen-hour-long single-player story-driven game that wastes no time with semi-open world maps, skill trees, multiplayer elements or what have you, and South of Midnight deserves recognition not just for being just that, but being a really good version of that.

With strong writing, memorable characters, stylish visuals, great music, and an excellent setting, South of Midnight pumps itself full of personality and carves out a unique identity for itself, while with its combat mechanics, progression system, traversal, and light exploration, it sticks largely to the status quo, perhaps even to the point of being unambitious. In the end, when those two halves combine, what we get is a brisk and enjoyable game that leaves a stamp on you one way or another. South of Midnight is the sort of game that feels like a victory for the medium simply by existing in exactly the form that it does.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.