South of Midnight release date locked in for the stunning new Game Pass title

The South of Midnight release date has been revealed for the gorgeous action-adventure game that'll hit Game Pass right out of the gate.

Of the upcoming Xbox Game Studios slate, South of Midnight stands out as one of the most unique-looking projects in Microsoft’s lineup. The single-player action-adventure game takes place in a mysterious reimagining of the American Deep South, and we’ve already seen plenty of gorgeous snippets of gameplay that highlight its world and characters. But in today’s Xbox Developer Direct, we got a really good look at combat, which features satisfying combos and enormous, corrupted bosses. We’ve also got a confirmed South of Midnight release date, which is arriving sooner than I anticipated.

In South of Midnight, protagonist Hazel discovers that she is a Weaver – someone with a mystical power that allows them to see the threads of every person and creature’s fates. In an attempt to dispel some evil magic, she goes on a journey to heal corrupted souls – first by fighting them, then by unraveling their threads and freeing them.

The single-player game’s combat is surprisingly well-fleshed out – I had fears that it would be rather basic and that all the focus would be on the narrative and exploration. But it really does look impressive. Using an array of spells, Hazel can push and pull enemies, deliver aerial slam attacks and are of effect blasts, and string things all together with slick combos.

The boss fights are also of epic, soulslike proportions. Each boss is a creature with a corrupted, haunted fate that Hazel must unravel, first by finding traces of their memories. Once discovered, she’ll watch these memories play out, piecing together the boss’ backstory. Once they’ve all been found, she can then take them on in combat, in an attempt to unravel them and free them. From a giant albino alligator to The Rougarou, “a shapeshifting were-owl,” they look amazing.

The best news of all though is that we now know when the game is coming out. South of Midnight will launch on Tuesday, April 8 and will be on Game Pass on day one.

For more, check out our list of the best action games and our compilation of the best Game Pass games that South of Midnight will join in a few months’ time.

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