Seems like South of Midnight is getting some very mixed reception, even a xbox centric site like TrueAchievements gave it a 60/100. Hopefully the game still does decently well and the studio doesn't face any repercussions (like layoffs in the future). NoisyPixel also gave it a scathing review giving at a 5.5/10. One thing seems to be the general consensus with most reviews is the focus of style over substance.
| Despite its fantastic visuals, superb voice acting, and a gorgeous, intriguing world filled with character and charm, South of Midnight sadly falls flat. A lack of variety in enemy types and some dull combat make combat encounters tedious and frustrating towards the end, whereas the story, which starts off so promising, ultimately gets lost in the hollers along the way. 6/10 - TrueAchievements |
| South of Midnight feels like a game that wanted to soar but never really left the ground. It’s undeniably gorgeous and hints at a level of creativity that, under better direction, could have led to an unforgettable adventure. However, between the undercooked combat, stilted platforming, and a meandering story that can’t decide on its central theme, it’s tough to recommend without a few asterisks. Hazel deserved more, and so did we. For now, South of Midnight remains a curiosity—worth a glance if you’re keen on its aesthetics or folk-infused premise, but ultimately lacking the cohesion it needs to shine. 5.5/10 - NoisyPixel |
| Clearly the aim here has been to make something broad, to bring this story and its amplification of southern culture to as many people as possible. But in the process the joy of more rewarding interactivity, or more uniquely defined identity beyond the familiar platforming and fighting patterns, has been lost. So, again, the overwhelming sense here really is one of disappointment. Not that South of Midnight is a disappointing game - far from it - but that it's such a shame for it to get so close to being something so genuinely special. This is a game of just remarkable craft - we've not even mentioned the stop-motion style of animation! It's lovely - and likewise remarkable attention, thought, and care. If only just a little more of that care had been afforded to the playing of it. 3/5 - Eurogamer |
The final nail in South of Midnight's gameplay coffin is the lack of solid replay value. There are collectibles to find, sure, but there is no chapter select, so going back to get them means replaying the entire game. And considering how linear and basic the whole thing is, that's not exactly an appealing prospect, even with its short 10-hour runtime. 6/10 GameRant |
| South of Midnight is a gorgeous adventure with wonderful performances, striking visuals and solid platforming gameplay. Its combat, however, is repetitive and reductive in equal measure, letting the overall package down considerably. 3/5 - VGC |
