A year after the Xbox release of "South of Midnight," Hazel's journey through the myths of the South arrives on PlayStation 5. The atmospheric adventure impresses with its unique style, but it still needs to prove whether the gameplay gaps have been closed. Find out in our review.
Originally, "South of Midnight" launched as an Xbox exclusive in April 2025, netting a 7.5 average. Now the title hits PS5, aiming for similar traction. This port raises one major question: did the devs use the extra year to patch the gaps and address valid critiques? It’s time for a reality check.
A web of mysteries
Hazel stands at the core. She returns to Prospero—a Southern mosaic of mist, myth, and lived history. What starts as a standard fantasy plot quickly pivots to a grounded narrative about identity and family. Hazel encounters beings straddling the line between folklore and fantasy: river spirits, animalistic guardians, and whispering shadows. These stories interweave with the game’s social themes. "South of Midnight" digs into guilt and memory without the sentimentality. It stays raw.
The narrative structure remains linear, but it uses its linear form cleverly. Small decision points and optional side encounters offer nuance without artificially lengthening the game. Dialogues are precise, deliberately spoken slowly, and the original English voice acting uses regional accents to create depth. This aspect has both positive and negative components, as the language barrier will remain noticeable for some without localization.
The PS5 contributes to a virtually uninterrupted narrative flow: no excessive loading, no frame rate drops during cutscenes. Story and presentation merge seamlessly, significantly enhancing the emotional impact. The story is generally easy to follow, yet told with a certain depth that prompts reflection and offers the occasional plot twist. It's engagingly narrated and invites exploration without being overwhelming.
Everything is interconnected.
In terms of gameplay, "South of Midnight" treads familiar ground – but with a distinct character. As a third-person adventure, it combines exploration, magic, and melee combat into a calm, tactical experience. Hazel's powers are built on a system that demands balance: magic doesn't arise from pure energy, but from resonance. It must be charged, controlled, and used strategically.
Hazel can use her knitting needles to inflict serious damage on enemies, while she strategically utilizes her weaving powers to take down even larger foes. The Weaver System isn't just for combat; it's also inextricably linked to movement in the vertical world. Hazel employs a double dash and a short glide to navigate the sometimes expansive jumping sections, and skillful combination of these moves is essential.
Her magic also allows her to materialize platforms from old memories, remove the all-consuming corruption from paths, or move ghostly objects like floating carts to pave new routes. She is aided by charming companions: while the small cloth doll "Crouton" crawls through the narrowest spaces, the "Talking Catfish" serves as a living means of transport through the treacherous swamps of Prospero.
Timing is everything
Combat isn't a continuous barrage of fire, but rather a rhythmic encounter. Enemies possess weak points that can only be detected through observation. A key element is dodging: a last-second evasive maneuver unleashes a shockwave that knocks back nearby enemies and inflicts damage. The game provides clear audio cues and visual indicators for this, even when enemies attack outside your field of view.
Crucial for crowd control are the Weaver abilities, which allow you to stun or pull enemies towards you to initiate combos. An interesting balancing detail: each arena offers only one healing item. Those who act carelessly will quickly find themselves in dire straits. If frustration becomes too high, the PS5 version offers a total of five difficulty levels, from the relaxed "Scryer" to the challenging "Grand Weaver."
Off the beaten track, it's worth searching for "Floofs"—the blue energy strands that serve as currency. These can be invested directly in Hazel's upgrades via the pause menu. The best part? You don't have to be a completionist to fill out the skill tree. Anyone who explores the world with their eyes open will easily unlock the most important abilities.
The levels are surprisingly vertically structured: from foggy swamps to destroyed houses in flooded areas, all the way to mountainous regions. The environments allow for alternative paths and shortcuts, which pleasantly fills the 10 to 14 hours of playtime.
Picturesque worlds and technical freedom
Compulsion Games prioritizes a painterly style over photorealism. This visual concept truly shines on the PS5: higher resolution, clean edges, and a reliable frame rate. The lighting design is the hidden masterpiece, as the HDR contrast enhances the feeling of warmth and depth.
A special feature of the PS5 version concerns the stop-motion visuals. While the cinematics retain this artistic look, the effect can be deactivated for active gameplay in the settings. So, anyone experiencing motion sickness or problems with motion rendering can switch to a smoother display.
The audio is also noteworthy. The sound dynamically adapts to distance. Conversations behind walls sound muffled, distant singing gets lost in the wind. Unfortunately, the soundtrack occasionally feels somewhat overloaded or not quite suited to the situation. Furthermore, a German dub is still missing, which is a valid point for such a story-focused title in 2026, even though 23 languages are supported for subtitles.
"South of Midnight" on PS5 isn't a graphical showcase in the traditional sense, but it is one of the most stylistically consistent games of the current generation. The technical implementation benefits enormously from the hardware: short loading times and extensive accessibility options make the port a complete success.
Does this make the game bigger than expected? Probably not. At its core, it remains the same experience as 2025 – beautiful, atmospheric, but somewhat limited in terms of combat and progression. However, those seeking a narratively captivating adventure and who can overlook the rather simplistic combat system will find a true work of art here.
I played through it at release; it's alright, the gameplay is always the same, and I didn't find the story that great—too contrived and dramatic. The soundtrack and some of the bosses are the highlights and the real gems. 6 out of 10
It's supposed to be released today, but it's not available for purchase yet.
The lack of German dubbing is a negative point, quite sad. Next thing you know, they'll be complaining about the character's skin color. He doesn't speak German and he's not white. Facepalm
Yes, I can only agree.
How can you possibly dub the southern accent from the bayou into German?
To be completely inauthentic and then to include something like that as a point of criticism is extremely unfair and unrealistic.