Travis Bruno of Capsule Computers writes:
"Throughout our own world there have always been various myths, legends, and forms of magic that take on unique forms thanks to their origins and many of these elements have been explored in media and games before, but one that doesn't seem to appear very often is that of the Deep South. In fact, outside of a certain Disney movie and some smaller less likely remembered films of the past, even games rarely, if at all, touched upon the myths and legends of the Deep South. That is until Compulsion Games revealed that their next game, following their creation of We Happy Few and Contrast, would be South of Midnight, a title set in a gothic version of the Deep South that would be steeped in its myths and lore, all uniquely stylized and presented as if in stop-motion. Many wondered just how well this would translate into gameplay and now that we’ve been able to play through close to an hour of a chapter set shortly into the game, we’ve gotten a small taste of what to expect."
"South of Midnight is a solid action-adventure title elevated by its style, storytelling and cast of memorable characters."
- Stuart Cullen, TechStomper
VGChartz's Lee Mehr: "In the end, South of Midnight's dividing line is the contrast between its artistically-inspired choices and pre-packaged gameplay. Emphasizing the latter is perfectly reasonable; how you reach a conclusion plays a significant role alongside the who, what, where, and why. And seeing such propulsive enthusiasm within its few boss encounters not replicated more broadly does create a certain whiplash. However, my own teetering point stems from seeing Compulsion's latest as – strangely – a collected sum of its parts, as if entrenching a standardized foundation was necessary to focus those creative energies everywhere else."
MonsterVine: "South of Midnight blends Southern Gothic storytelling with platforming and combat, but despite its standout art style and regional flair, the gameplay never rises above “just fine.”"
