Preview of South of Midnight and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — everything that is known

The first Xbox showcase in 2025 — Developer_Direct — was dedicated to only four games, but what games they are! Ninja Gaiden 4, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and South of Midnight — all of these are highly anticipated new releases and potential hits. You can read about the new DOOM and Ninja Gaiden somewhere nearby. In this article, we will tell you what interesting details the developers shared about the French jRPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the very specific South of Midnight.

Let's start with South of Midnight from the creators of We Happy Few — Compulsion Games studio. Even at the time of its first announcement, the game raised many questions. The strange visuals, lack of gameplay footage, and focus on South American mythology did not inspire confidence. After the summer showcases and a full trailer, it became clear that we are dealing with a more or less standard adventure, where the gameplay experience is clearly divided into acrobatics and exploration of locations on one hand, and battles with monsters in closed arenas on the other.

At Developer_Direct 2025, we were shown much more, but the first thing that catches the eye is the visual style. The entire game is made in a stop-motion style, which is most often used for animating puppet cartoons. Because of this, the action seems jerky and unnatural. The feature is definitely striking and memorable. However, many on the internet are already convinced that a setting to disable it is necessary, otherwise, the eyes will become very strained. It seems that the game simply lacks frame rate. We honestly doubt that the developers will allow gamers to turn off one of the main features of the project.

The second, now confirmed, detail is the focus on South American myths. The setting is unconventional, but much depends on the correct presentation. The main character, Hazel, wants to find her mother, who was literally washed away by the river along with their home. Along the way, the girl discovers that she possesses magical weaver powers and was destined from birth to protect and, if necessary, restore the tapestry of souls, whatever that means.

The deeper Hazel ventures into South America, the more fantastical creatures she encounters. Gradually, the main character acquires equipment, the most important of which will be a spindle and two large weaving hooks. At this stage, it is crucial what narrative direction the developers ultimately chose. If the entire game is about a brave African American defeating everyone around her with magic that only she possesses, it will be disappointing. However, if the theme of self-discovery remains secondary and the myths and legends of the South take the forefront, that's a different story. Ideally, a good adventure requires balance, but whether Compulsion Games will achieve it remains an open question. Many have already accused the developers of pushing an agenda, but the setting suggests that the main character is "non-white," so we wouldn't rush to conclusions. Besides, a couple of men have already appeared in the trailer.

The gameplay is standard, sometimes even too much so. We run through locations, overcome easy obstacles using the spindle's abilities, and occasionally create new items in strictly designated places. Loot chests, of course, are present. Hazel is quite agile, so you'll have to run along walls, use a ghostly parachute, and even fly on air currents like Spider-Man. Climbing buildings is also possible, but it's unclear how often this will be required. The terrain is still marshy, with structures no higher than two stories.

The combat system, however, evokes nothing but a "meh." The heroine has many abilities, and everything looks quite spectacular, yet at the same time, it feels indecently mediocre. We've seen every element somewhere before, and every move has appeared in one form or another in other projects. Even the weaving hook skills, like pulling enemies, strongly resemble the abilities of Spider-Man from Marvel's Spider-Man. In short, don't expect anything outstanding from the battles. There's a small hope for the bosses. Each of them is unique and impressive. That's where we might still be surprised.

The game releases on April 8, including on Xbox Game Pass, but only the story and the exceptionally intriguing setting can save it from oblivion. Unfortunately, everything else is too derivative. We also expect fitting music, as it was already present in the trailer.

The next project is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Even less was known about it. Moreover, it's the first game from the new French studio Sandfall Interactive. In an alternate world, people live in constant fear due to a giant monolith that suddenly appeared somewhere in the sea. Next to it is an equally large artist. No one knows where she came from, no one has seen her face, but every year the girl paints a number on the monolith, and immediately after that, all people of that age turn to dust.

The number is constantly decreasing, and now a new cycle has begun. Naturally, humanity is not too happy about the prospect of extinction from an unknown cause. That's why every year an expedition of brave souls is assembled, ready to try to reach the artist and find out what's going on. Naturally, no one has succeeded yet.

We play as Expedition 33. The leader is a man suspiciously resembling a rugged Robert Pattinson. He is accompanied by three women (just the way we like it). On their journey, they will find several other unusual companions. There is no doubt that each character has many personal issues and hidden skeletons in the closet. Players will have to learn about them through dialogues and quests. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 could easily be part of the Final Fantasy series. It has the necessary elements.

First of all, it's worth highlighting the visuals and style. The game is being developed on Unreal Engine 5, so it looks stunning. However, how many bugs to expect and whether the project will run on current hardware without a hassle is a question. Each character exudes beauty and unique features. Since this is an alternate world, all the characters are fictional, but they're still French, and the ruined Eiffel Tower coexists with prosthetics and magic. We are indeed presented with a completely new universe that we want to explore.

However, the main feature of the novelty is the hybrid combat system. This is roughly how a modern Final Fantasy could look if it leaned towards turn-based rather than action. As is customary in jRPGs, you participate in battles as a team. Each has their turn, during which you can choose an action. You can't move around the arena or spam rolls. However, there's a nuance. For a successful attack, it's not enough to just press it. You'll have to hit the right buttons and timing. Parries, in turn, also depend on the player's reaction. Plus, there are various combos.

Each character is controllable. Moreover, you are free to create any individual and team build you want. The freedom is so great that the same character can perform completely different roles in battle for different players. Not only active skills matter but also passives, which are promised to be astronomically numerous. In general, guide authors for the most powerful squad will definitely have room to maneuver.

The adventure promises to be vast, with developers even attaching a full map on which heroes move in real time. At Developer_Direct 2025, the creators stated that they want to make a story primarily about the inner world of a person, rather than about banal good or evil. What the result will ultimately be, we'll find out very soon. On April 24, the novelty will appear on all platforms, including Xbox Game Pass.

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It's hard to judge what South of Midnight and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will ultimately be like, but these are two very distinctive projects with lots of features. Moreover, both will be available to Xbox Game Pass owners for free on release day. That's reason enough to look forward to these novelties. Microsoft's gaming division is confidently gaining momentum. Meanwhile, Sony, unfortunately, doesn't have anything quite as original at the moment.