South Of Midnight: Release Date, Preorders, Gameplay, & Story Details

South of Midnightis an upcoming Soulslike by Compulsion Games, creators of Contrast and We Happy Few. A Southern Gothic fantasy featuring a fantastical journey populated by massive monsters that draw on Southern folklore, it's one of the more unique-looking takes on the Soulslike formula to appear in recent days. It features a distinct, stop-motion inspired art style, intricately designed creatures, a blues-inspired soundtrack, and what appears to be some very satisfying platforming and combat.

More information on South of Midnight was provided at Xbox's 2025 Developer Direct, where it featured alongside Doom: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur, and the newly announced Ninja Gaiden 4. In addition to an in-depth look at its gameplay, story, and development process, South of Midnight also revealed its release date and platforms for later this year. Here's everything to know about Compulsion's upcoming South of Midnight.

South Of Midnight Releases April 8, 2025

South Of Midnight Release Date & Platforms

Hazel from South of Midnight looking shocked while sitting in a swamp. — South of Midnight protagonist looking shocked while sitting in a swamp.

South of Midnight will be released on April 8, 2025, as revealed during the recent Developer Direct. It'll be available at launch on Xbox Series X/S consoles and Windows PCs, as well as any platforms where Game Pass can be streamed. South of Midnight will be a day-one Game Pass release for all of the above platforms; subscribers to the PC and Ultimate tiers can play it on its release date at no additional cost.

South Of Midnight Story & Character Details

South Of Midnight's Protagonist Hazel Explained

South of Midnight centers on Hazel, who begins the game as a regular young woman, staying with her mother in their home on the bayou as a massive hurricane rolls in. Their hometown of Prospero is ripped apart by the storm, and the town is transformed, Wizard of Oz-style, into a fantasy world where Southern folktales come to life, and dangerous creatures called Haints are out to get her.

In short order, Hazel meets a giant, friendly, talking catfish, named simply Catfish, who tells her she's a Weaver, one of a lucky few with access to restorative powers that take the form of a sort of spectral sewing kit. Hazel's job is to travel the world and mend people, places, and things with her magical needle and thread, helping to repair homes, hearts, and souls with her newfound powers. Catfish promises to help her find her mother, training her in the ways of the Weaver along the way.

As she goes, Hazel gets to know the inhabitants of her town: Bunny, who appears to live in a massive Gothic manor; Itchy, who shares his knowledge of forgotten folklore; and Laurent, with whom she butts heads. As a weaver, Hazel can see and interact with the Grand Tapestry, a sort of web connecting everyone and everything in the world. It's through this Tapestry that she can access her powers and repair her home.

Seeking answers, Hazel travels through maps inspired by real-world locations in the American South, including swamps, farms, and the Appalachian mountains. Hazel battles against regular old enemies and massive bosses with devastating attacks, including a giant alligator, a patchwork griffin, and, perhaps most importantly, the four-eyed Huggin' Molly.

While Huggin' Molly's role in the story isn't exactly clear yet, it appears to be a major one; she's the only boss mentioned by name in the story trailer (see below), and whenever her name is brought up, it's with an air of foreboding. She may be the main antagonist, the final boss, or better yet, a misunderstood antihero who gets redeemed in the game's back half.

South Of Midnight Trailer & Gameplay Details

South Of Midnight's Story Trailer

South of Midnight blends Soulslike combat and puzzle platforming gameplay to create a multifaceted action-adventure experience. First, the combat: Hazel's enemies are called Haints, and exist as physical manifestations of the corruption that plagues her hometown. They range from mindless zombies to giant monsters, and players will need to adapt to different strategies in order to defeat each one. Timing is central to success in combat, as is smart use of Hazel's Weaver skills; Haints can use powerful defensive abilities to keep themselves alive, and Hazel will need to use everything at her disposal to pierce their armor and win each fight.

South of Midnight also features end-of-combat "executions"; Hazel will have to finish off her enemies by approaching them and entering a command to unravel them.

And speaking of Weaver skills, Hazel will learn a variety of new perks and Weaver abilities throughout the game. These range from combat skills, like the use of sharp hooks and spindles, to more peaceful, puzzle-solving spells that might allow her to summon a platform or glide through the air. She'll be able to level these up with the use of in-game items that appear to be called "floofs," unlocking new perks and abilities to power up before she faces greater threats.

Map and enemy design features a unique (but very Compulsion) aesthetic. Animations are jerky and uneven, inspired by stop-motion animation for a sort of uncanny look. Many creatures appear to be woven out of cloth, or patched up like quilts. Character faces are rendered in that distinct, polygonal style typical of Compulsion games.

South Of Midnight Pre-Orders & Pricing

How To Pre-Order South Of Midnight

Hazel fighting a giant, flailing boss in a room full of tiny alcoves in South of Midnight.

For the time being, South of Midnight appears to be a digital-only release. However, for those who prefer to play it without subscribing to Game Pass, it is currently available for pre-order. As a standalone game, South of Midnight costs $39.99 USD. It can currently be pre-ordered via both the Xbox and Microsoft stores. No pre-order bonuses have been announced as of yet, but may be revealed closer to launch.

Unless they're planning to play it over more than two months, it may be more cost-effective for most players (especially on PC) to subscribe to Game Pass for the duration it takes them to finish South of Midnight.

And that's all there is to know about South of Midnight (for now). With its distinct art style, engaging gameplay, and intriguing story, Compulsion's next effort looks like one of the most unique games due to be released in 2025. Keep an eye out on Xbox and Compulsion's social media channels between now and April 8 to learn more about the upcoming South of Midnight.

Source: Xbox/YouTube