Fans of atmospheric adventures have a new journey to embark upon this spring, as Compulsion Games, the studio behind the unsettling We Happy Few, announced an April 8, 2025 release date for their southern gothic tale South of Midnight. The reveal came by way of a haunting new trailer during January’s Xbox Developer Direct event, offering a glimpse into the game’s storm-ravaged world where folklore springs to life.
A World Woven from Myths and Legends
South of Midnight casts players as Hazel, a 19-year-old suddenly swept into a dark parallel realm after a hurricane tears through her home. There, she discovers the power to manipulate the very threads of fate that bind people and events together. Armed with these otherworldly weaving abilities, Hazel must navigate treacherous swamps and ghostly towns while battling against haints—malevolent spirits and creatures ripped straight from the pages of southern lore.
As Hazel, players will face off against foes like the massive alligator Two-Toed Tom and the child-snatching specter Huggin’ Molly. Zaire Lanier, writer and narrative designer at Compulsion Games, shed light on the arachnid antagonist’s unsettling origins:
Inspired by a Southern legend, Huggin’ Molly is a monstrous woman-spider. Her dress is a quilt patchwork made from children’s clothes and her trademark red yarn that she spins like a web. Folks say Huggin’ Molly still ventures out of her mountain lair to snatch random children that wander off from town.
– Zaire Lanier, Compulsion Games
Unraveling the Truth
Hazel’s mission is to uncover the truth behind these haunting tales, laying tormented souls to rest and restoring balance to a world torn asunder. Compulsion promises that major confrontations against region-controlling haints will boast unique mechanics and dynamic soundtracks that evolve as the tide of battle shifts.
South of Midnight‘s weaving powers go beyond mere combat applications, empowering Hazel to reshape the environment to overcome obstacles. By conjuring objects and manipulating the ethereal threads, players can traverse the perilous, hurricane-battered landscape and delve into the secrets lurking in the shadows.
Spinning a Southern Gothic Yarn
This ability to weave story and setting together is one of South of Midnight‘s most intriguing aspects. By making the player’s powers and the world around them intrinsically linked to the game’s southern gothic inspirations, Compulsion aims to craft an experience where folklore doesn’t just flavor the narrative but fundamentally shapes the gameplay.
It’s an ambitious approach, one that could pay off in a rich, cohesive adventure that envelops players in its haunting mythos. If Compulsion can nail the atmosphere and make the act of unraveling these dark tales as engaging as the stories themselves, South of Midnight could spin a yarn that sticks with players long after the credits roll.
The Road to Release
With its April 8th release date, South of Midnight looks poised to make a splash on the Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will be available on Windows and Steam, as well as launching day one on Xbox Game Pass, giving subscribers a chance to dive into its unsettling world at no additional cost.
Players who purchase the Digital Deluxe version on Xbox will also gain early access starting on April 3rd, getting a head start on uncovering the secrets that lurk in the shadows of South of Midnight‘s twisted reality.
As the weeks tick down to release, expect Compulsion Games to reveal more morsels of their southern gothic vision. For fans of atmospheric adventures and the dark corners of American folklore, South of Midnight promises to be an eerie odyssey worth marking on your calendar.
