South of Midnight: Release Date and Gameplay Revealed at Xbox Developer Direct 2025

Discover the enchanting world of South of Midnight, a game steeped in the rich tapestry of Deep South folktales, unveiled at Xbox Developer Direct 2025. Dive into the narrative and gameplay details of this highly anticipated action-adventure title from Compulsion Games.

Compulsion Games Invites You to South of Midnight

South of Midnight Narrative and Release Date

In an Xbox Wire article, Compulsion Games' writer and narrative designer Zaire Lanier delved into the captivating story of South of Midnight, revealing its release date set for April 8, 2025. The game is set in the fictional town of Prospero, a melting pot of Southern-inspired locales ranging from flooded countrysides to abysmal swamps and the majestic Appalachian mountains.

The narrative kicks off with protagonist Hazel and her mother preparing for an impending hurricane. A heated argument leads Hazel to step outside, only to witness their home swept away by the flood. Driven by the urgency to find her lost mother, Hazel embarks on a journey that unveils her true heritage, pulling her into a fantastical realm teeming with creatures from Southern folklore.

Lanier shared, "Hazel begins to see fantastical phenomena all over Prospero, including meeting Catfish, an enormous – and talking – creature in his own right, stuck in a tree following the hurricane’s destruction." Catfish reveals to Hazel that she is a Weaver, endowed with magical abilities to perceive and manipulate the threads that weave the fabric of fate.

As Hazel navigates this mystical world, she confronts Haints, corrupted beings that spread decay. To restore order, Hazel must harness her Weaving powers to cleanse these creatures and "return the area to reality."

Embark on Hazel's adventure in the American Deep South starting April 3, 2025, by purchasing the Premium Edition for $49.99 on Steam or the Xbox Store. The base game is available for $39.99, and it's also accessible on day one through a Game Pass subscription.

Gameplay Involves Threads and Weaving

South of Midnight introduces players to the concept of threads and the magical art of Weaving. These threads represent the interconnected fates of all beings, and Weaving allows Hazel to manipulate them. In combat, she can unlock various spells and abilities to tackle different Haints.

Game director Jasmin Roy outlined the core combat mechanics at Xbox Developer_Direct 2025: "Push, Pull, and Weave are some of the spells at your disposal that give you a tactical advantage during a fight. Timing is everything. Pull distant enemies close to start melee combos, push them back to interrupt and stun their attack, then press the advantage with follow-up strikes."

Hazel's arsenal includes a spindle, two weaving hooks, and a distaff, inspired by traditional textile crafting and spinning wheels. These tools provide diverse movesets and abilities, essential for purging the Haints of their corruption.

Weaving also plays a crucial role in exploration. Hazel uses her magical abilities to manipulate threads, summoning "past incarnations of objects" to solve puzzles and navigate the environment. During the Direct, viewers saw Hazel conjure a ghostly carriage and a glider to aid her journey.

Hazel's quest to rescue her mother leads her through various regions, each with a unique theme and environment. Art director Whitney Clayton mentioned that each area is governed by a "mythical creature with its own Southern Gothic history." One such creature introduced is Two-Toed Tom, a colossal albino alligator adorned with weapons and overgrown vegetation.

To heal these corrupted beings, Hazel must collect Echoes, fragments of haunted memories. Confrontations with these mythical creatures are inevitable, requiring Hazel to subdue them in epic battles before using her Weaving powers to cleanse their corruption and ultimately reunite with her mother.