South of Midnight Preview: A Magical Southern Tale Comes to Life

South of Midnight should be on your radar if you love games that blend folklore, magic, and a deep emotional story.

Stepping into the Role of Hazel, the Weaver

You play as Hazel, a young woman who discovers she has a rare gift known as Weaving. In the game’s third chapter, Hazel and her mother, Lacey, prepare for an oncoming hurricane. However, the storm sweeps their home into the river, taking Lacey. Desperate to save her mother, Hazel embarks on a treacherous journey and soon uncovers her newfound ability to manipulate the world around her through magic. Along the way, she encounters the ghost of Mahalia, a Weaver from the past, who teaches Hazel how to master her powers.

A World of Southern Folklore

South of Midnight is steeped in Southern folklore, bringing old folk tales to life in a beautifully eerie and vibrant world. The deeper you go, the more enchanting and mystical the game becomes. The world feels alive, filled with creatures and spirits inspired by real legends.

Combat: A Delicate Dance Between Power and Survival

One of the most intriguing aspects of the game is its combat system. Hazel faces off against supernatural enemies known as the Larva Haint, grotesque creatures that summon swarms of bugs to attack. Combat can feel overwhelming at times, but strategic dodging is your best friend.

Hazel's Weave abilities allow her to manipulate enemies creatively. She can:

• Hold and throw enemies into each other for extra damage.
• Push back enemies, creating space and dealing damage simultaneously.
• Use melee attacks when her abilities are on cooldown.
• Unravel fallen enemies, preventing them from resurrecting.

A single-use health orb appears in each battle area, offering a much-needed lifeline. Combat is designed to be challenging, but South of Midnight gives players various difficulty options, including an intriguing Combat Skip and Boss Skip feature for those more focused on story exploration.

Platforming and Exploration

Exploration plays a massive role in Hazel’s journey. As a Weaver, she can temporarily rebuild platforms to traverse broken paths. Players will unlock abilities like double jumping, gliding, and wall running, moving to feel fluid and engaging.

Hazel will also come across:

• Health Filaments – Collect three to permanently increase her life bar.
• White Orbs – Gather these to upgrade abilities and enhance combat skills.

A Visual and Auditory Masterpiece

From the moment you step into South of Midnight, the visuals are breathtaking. The hand-painted character models blend seamlessly with the world, creating a unique and mesmerizing aesthetic. The game’s animation evokes the feeling of a theatrical performance, with a musical score that flows perfectly with Hazel’s journey. With each jump, a note is sung in harmony with the environment, making traversal feel like an artistic experience.

The world feels rich and immersive, from the sound of croaking frogs to the distant hum of buzzing insects. It genuinely captures the essence of the Southern swamps, making every step feel like a step deeper into folklore.

A Story Rooted in Emotion

While Hazel’s main goal is to find her mother, her journey is also about personal growth. Throughout the game, players will collect bottles from bottle trees, which allow them to trap painful memories preserved in the Grand Tapestry. These memories unlock new areas and reveal emotional backstories behind certain obstacles. When uncovering a trapped memory, the game presents a stunning Broadway-style performance, offering a beautifully artistic way to tell deeply personal stories.

It’s clear that South of Midnight is more than just an action adventure—it’s an emotional experience. With Adriyan Rae bringing Hazel to life through her compelling voice performance, it’s easy to feel connected to the character and her struggles.

Customization and Accessibility

For those who prefer a smoother gameplay experience, South of Midnight offers the option to disable stop-motion animation during gameplay (though not in cutscenes).

The game also provides five different difficulty settings, ranging from a story-focused mode to Grand Weaver, which intensifies combat significantly. With customizable gameplay settings, players can tailor the experience to their preferences.

Final Thoughts: A Game to Watch

After spending time with South of Midnight, I can confidently say that this game has the potential to be one of the most unique and compelling releases of 2025. It blends Southern folklore with an engaging story, immersive world-building, and challenging gameplay.

Are you ready to explore this beautifully eerie world and uncover the secrets of the Weavers? South of Midnight launches on April 8, 2025, for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).