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[calico]

If the full game is available in the market then it's been released in my book - it will simply receive a planned price cut on the day erroneously referred to as release day. Referring to the period in between as 'early access' is marketing spin for 'sucker period'.

I believe Avowed and Starfield's *ahem* 'full release' weekend peaks were around 50% higher than their respective 'early access' peaks. It will be interesting to seem if SoM follows that.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Those are fanboys of a certain white console and will shit on anything not on their system.
(But....eventually it may be......and they will then praise it........hypocrites!)

Very unfortunate way to invalidate the first part of your post.

Your logic (if it can be called this way) is massively flawed. The real haters of the game are those who are NOT playing it. You know, the fanboys of a certain black console who spend more time shilling on social media than playing those games they defend with passion.

 

[PropellerEar]

The game isn't released until the 8th. This is early access.

It is released, early access is just nonsense to get more FOMO money.

 

[Topher]

when shills stop shilling, criticism and actual conversation can take place.

compulsion is yet another studio under MS that has falied to "level up/reach its full potential"

It feels like MS acquired studios and stop investing in them, or even worse, take investment away from them while expecting to achieve greater success.

The ROI on Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones, Avowed, and this game has to be practically non-existent. With Marvel Rivals and PoE2 making damage to Overwatch 2 and Diablo... I wonder bad is Xbox performing as a publisher this quarter

What they are saying isn't far off what some of us had been saying as to why our expectations were low for any game coming from Compulsion. Honestly, the Compulsion acquisition is one of the biggest headscratcher decisions from Microsoft of the last ten years.

 

[rabbity-thing]

Just saw a review of this game yesterday and didn't know it even existed until that moment. Gotta say, it looks really cool. Kind of wish it was getting a physical release, but I'll probably pick it up at some point. Southern US is a cool setting. Infamous 2 is the last game I remember that really leaned into that environment.

 

[calico]

I think this is perhaps a game where some big internet drama may actually have helped it commercially. I think that probably helped Avowed overall, but not Veilguard.

 

[Astray]

What they are saying isn't far off what some of us had been saying as to why our expectations were low for any game coming from Compulsion. Honestly, the Compulsion acquisition is one of the biggest headscratcher decisions from Microsoft of the last ten years.

You know how you sometimes add a $10 item to your big ticket one because you get free shipping anyways?

Phil Spencer did that too lol.

 

[adamsapple]

Very unfortunate way to invalidate the first part of your post.

Your logic (if it can be called this way) is massively flawed. The real haters of the game are those who are NOT playing it. You know, the fanboys of a certain black console who spend more time shilling on social media than playing those games they defend with passion.

Most of them will probably be playing it at the game's retail release on the 8th of April

 

[MaxwellParrish]

It's still a percentage, which you can compare to previous games in the same circumstances. Like I think the early access for Starfield on steam was about 50% of the release peak CCU if I remember correctly.
So the CCU doubling or possibly tripling, isn't exactly killing it with this starting number.

It's a percentage, but I don't think it's so easy to connect that percentage to possible " day 1" adopter, because I think that in a game extremely hyped the percentage of people ready to pay an extra for an early access respect to their "launch"'number is possibly vastly superior to that of a less awaited title.

 

[Astray]

Game honestly looks like a 6.5 - 7.0 one, like you can see that from the gameplay clips.

My biggest concern is the criticisms around storytelling, because that is the game's main selling point. Will probably wait for sale on a PS5 version.

 

[Darsxx82]

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

You forgot to mention Tango and Arkane Austin on this list. They also used to make good but smaller-scaled niche games.

Didnt forget them, they were part of Bethesda. I think Tango would have stayed open if they were based in the UK or US, and Arkane Austin deserved to be shut down after Redfall. Idk why warriors keep bringing them up like some sort of gotcha.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Interesting, enjoy the game white boys!

Loving it thanks

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Loving it thanks

I've learned to separate the art from the artist. If I didn't, I couldn't enjoy Michael Jackson or Dragon Quest music etc. and that would just be dumb because their would be no film, game, musical score or tv show to enjoy because most have some kind of bigoted views or beliefs about something or other.

 

[Team Andromeda]

I've learned to separate the art from the artist. If I didn't, I couldn't enjoy Michael Jackson or Dragon Quest music etc. and that would just be dumb because their would be no film, game, musical score or tv show to enjoy because most have some kind of bigoted views or beliefs about something or other.

Yep, I still wear Nike Air's and enjoy my football no matter how woke those Nike is or how many times Football players put on the purple bands and take the knee

 

[Knucklepux]

I'm actually enjoying the game. Linear gameplay, great visuals and I like the soundtrack

I'm tired of massive open world or hub world games with fetch quests and mission structure

The problem is the same as it's been for quite a while. You made a game that was designed to appeal to only a small minority of people. That's clearly reflected in the scores

Know your damn demographic!

 

[PropellerEar]

Most of them will probably be playing it at the game's retail release on the 8th of April

At least tag him coward.

 

[adamsapple]

At least tag him coward.

 

[Evil Calvin]

Your logic (if it can be called this way) is massively flawed. The real haters of the game are those who are NOT playing it. You know, the fanboys of a certain black console

I know....the ones hating on it are the Sony fanboys not being able to play it.

 

[Black_Stride]

Nah. A mid game is a 7. Performance is okay, no crashes, but nothing spectacular gameplay or story-wise.

A 5 would be a game that barely works in the first place, frequent bugs, performance issues and has meh/terrible gameplay/story.

Thats not how math works.

 

[PropellerEar]

It's alway you crying when I'm finished with you so let's not go through it again Chum dawg.

 

[adamsapple]

Thats not how math works.

Some people here call games scoring between 8 and 8.5 'mid game'', the modern review score sensibility and forum understanding of it is royally fucked.

It's alway you crying when I'm finished with you so let's not go through it again Chum dawg.

Ok dear.

 

[Baemono]

Thats not how math works.

Since when subjective opinion is based on math ?


Redfall is a 5/10 because the game isn't that great and is a technical mess. A meh game but ok performance-wise got 7 most of the time. Making a game that works is already difficult enough, making a good one is another piece of cake.

 

[Roberts]

This is an interesting take from the gamer:

"South of Midnight doesn't reinvent anything, but it does a competent job of everything it attempts. With all that's going on in gaming right now, that's worth something. South of Midnight respects your time, delivers an emotional narrative, trusts that you know how to play it, and is bursting with texture and taste. This is a future classic for someone, and it might just be you."

Deffo going to give it a go this weekend based on that.

Very on-point description. And, yes, I have been playing it. It is a story told by very passionate developers.

 

[Topher]

Since when subjective opinion is based on math ?


Redfall is a 5/10 because the game isn't that great and is a technical mess. A meh game but ok performance-wise got 7 most of the time. Making a game that works is already difficult enough, making a good one is another piece of cake.

The ten point scale is not subjective. 5 is mid. The subjectivity comes into play when we arbritrarily assign 7 as the "mid" when it shouldn't be.

 

[Salz01]

So the problem is that the community manager is an ass clown? The game is good, if not great. It's a combo of Uncharted, Kena, and Bioshock Infinite.

 

[Giallo Corsa]

It should....I'm a few hours in and loving it. It looks amazing and has a real unique style. Reminds me a bit of Voodoo Vince and Shadowman (the south/ cajun vibes and platforming).

It should so well but the usual suspects will shit on it saying 'typical Gamepass game' or 'It's woke'

Those are fanboys of a certain white console and will shit on anything not on their system.
(But....eventually it may be......and they will then praise it........hypocrites!)

Talking about hypocrisy, Death stranding says "hi" - a "walking sim lol" made for a console that "has only 3rd person walk and talk game s ®" and yet, when it released on Papa Phil's big black box, the green rats sure changed their tune

It's almost as if...wait for it...fanboys have zero self awareness, strange eh ?

You can't make this shit up

 

[Topher]

So the problem is that the community manager is an ass clown?

Community manager has barely been mentioned.

 

[Evil Calvin]

Talking about hypocrisy, Death stranding says "hi" - a "walking sim lol" made for a console that "has only 3rd person walk and talk game s ®" and yet, when it released on Papa Phil's big black box, the green rats sure changed their tune

It's almost as if...wait for it...fanboys have zero self awareness, strange eh ?

You can't make this shit up

Well some may have said that. I played it on PS4 and liked it and bought it on XSX and liking it again. Just saying, Sony fanboys are the worst.....and I have both PS5 and XSX and the Sony fanboys are insufferable.

 

[Topher]

Well some may have said that. I played it on PS4 and liked it and bought it on XSX and liking it again. Just saying, Sony fanboys are the worst.....and I have both PS5 and XSX and the Sony fanboys are insufferable.

And Sony fanboys think Xbox fanboys are insufferable. This ain't exactly a revelation to anyone.

 

[BigLee74]

demigod's emojis are insufferable!

Looking forward to seeing what one he dishes out here? Will it be the laugh? Or will it be the big teary eye? Place your bets NOW.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Was there really a big shift on Death Stranding when it came to Xbox? Especially here, maybe a couple came around on it but I think most still rightfully see it as a piece of shit.

 

[RedC]

Let's be honest, this game is likely to flop.

However, I don't care and am glad it was made, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

There's a passion and earnestness you can feel in every aspect of the game, and the production values are great.

 

[Arsic]

Gonna try this later today with a pc ultimate upgrade.

Just completed ffxiv end walker expansion and need something like this I think next for a cleanser before going into the next expansion.

 

[Topher]

Gonna try this later today with a pc ultimate upgrade.

Just completed ffxiv end walker expansion and need something like this I think next for a cleanser before going into the next expansion.

You still have to pay for early access even if you have Game Pass Ultimate, don't you?

 

[RedC]

You still have to pay for early access even if you have Game Pass Ultimate, don't you?

If you have Game Pass Ultimate, you at least need to buy the Premium Upgrade to South of Midnight to play it now.

That's what I did.

 

[Ozriel]

compulsion is yet another studio under MS that has falied to "level up/reach its full potential"

It feels like MS acquired studios and stop investing in them, or even worse, take investment away from them while expecting to achieve greater success.

...But this game is better reviewed and better received than anything Compulsion made pre-acquisition. Better polish than their last release.

That's literally the definition of 'leveled up'. And it does look like they got a lot more investment in than their previous project. This level of cluelessness...are you reading from a script?

 

[adamsapple]

That's literally the definition of 'leveled up'. And it does look like they got a lot more investment in than their previous project. This level of cluelessness...are you reading from a script?

Probably the same email SmashJT got

 

[RedC]

...But this game is better reviewed and better received than anything Compulsion made pre-acquisition. Better polish than their last release.

That's literally the definition of 'leveled up'. And it does look like they got a lot more investment in than their previous project. This level of cluelessness...are you reading from a script?

Yeah, this is by far Compulsion's best game.

 

[calico]

'It's not broken' should get a game to like 3/10, not 6/10. Mad how gaming has allowed this to become the standard.

 

[Arsic]

If you have Game Pass Ultimate, you at least need to buy the Premium Upgrade to South of Midnight to play it now.

That's what I did.

Oh so pay the $9 is all I need? Can skip the gamepass ultimate?

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Oh so pay the $9 is all I need? Can skip the gamepass ultimate?

No, it's $9 for GPU members.

$50 otherwise.

 

[M.W.]

Nearly done with this. Really enjoyed it so far. Solid 8/10.

 

[Arsic]

No, it's $9 for GPU members.

$50 otherwise.

Uuuh ok then wait for release.

Such a sloppy shit. Swear Starfield was easier?

 

[Topher]

'It's not broken' should get a game to like 3/10, not 6/10. Mad how gaming has allowed this to become the standard.

I don't think it is a "standard", thankfully. It is just a narrative born out of console wars. In any other rating system, folks would look at a 7/10 as pretty good. But in gaming some act like a game fell off a cliff if its drops below an 8.

 

[calico]

I don't think it is a "standard", thankfully. It is just a narrative born out of console wars. In any other rating system, folks would look at a 7/10 as pretty good. But in gaming some act like a game fell off a cliff if its drops below an 8.

I think it's how the scale is typically being used by 'professional' game reviewers, and gamers are correctly interpreting that usage. It's very rare for any moderately high profile game to average below a 7 unless it's technically broken. Movie reviewers on the other hand seem far more willing to give high profile movies bad reviews even if they are technically competent, because they are (rightly imo) treating that basic technical competence as though it should be a given when it comes to scoring.

I definitely don't see a 7/10 from a game reviewer and interpret it as meaning 'pretty good'. I interpret it as 'this is just above the bare minimum we can give a non-broken game'.

 

[Topher]

I think it's how the scale is typically being used by 'professional' game reviewers, and gamers are correctly interpreting that usage. It's very rare for any moderately high profile game to average below a 7 unless it's technically broken. Movie reviewers on the other hand seem far more willing to give high profile movies bad reviews even if they are technically competent, because they are (rightly imo) treating that basic technical competence as though it should be a given when it comes to scoring.

I definitely don't see a 7/10 from a game reviewer and interpret it as meaning 'pretty good'. I interpret it as 'this is just above the bare minimum we can give a non-broken game'.

Then I misread your previous post. Professional reviewers like IGN and Gamespot publish what their scale means and 7/10 does indeed mean "good".

 

[Xbox 360 slim]

Game Information

Game Title: South of Midnight

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Apr 8, 2025)
• PC (Apr 8, 2025)

Trailer:

• Weaving Hazel's Journey - A South of Midnight Documentary
• South of Midnight - Gameplay Reveal - Xbox Games Showcase 2024

Developer: Compulsion Games

Publisher: Xbox Games Studios

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 82 average - 57% recommended
Metacritic - 74 average - 11 Reviews

Critic Reviews


A Gaming Network - Marcel Dee - 8 / 10



Atarita - Atakan Gümrükçüoğlu - Turkish - 81 / 100



But Why Tho? - Kate Sanchez - 9 / 10



Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 8 / 10



Digitale Anime - Raouf Belhamra - Arabic - 8 / 10



Digitec Magazine - Domagoj Belancic - German - 3 / 5



GRYOnline.pl - Anna Garas - Polish - 7.5 / 10



Gamepressure - Michał Grygorcewicz - Unscored



Kakuchopurei - Lewis Larcombe - 70 / 100



KonsoliFIN - Risto Karinkanta - Finnish - 3 / 5



MondoXbox - Giuseppe Genga - Italian - 8 / 10



SIFTER - Adam Christou - Liked-a-lot



The Beta Network - Anthony Culinas - 6 / 10



Toisto - Joonatan Itkonen - 3 / 5

Goyslop

 

[calico]

Then I misread your previous post. Professional reviewers like IGN and Gamespot publish what their scale means and 7/10 does indeed mean "good".

Does Gamespot's scale say that 6/10 means the reviewer gets fired or did they leave that off?

 

[Topher]

Does Gamespot's scale say that 6/10 means the reviewer gets fired or did they leave that off?

Ah....the Gerstmann debacle? Not the finest hour in gaming journalism, that much is certain.