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The move paves the way for the Senate to confirm Kevin Warsh, the president's nominee to head the central bank.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

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(Image credit: Valerie Plesch for NPR)

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South of Midnight's gorgeous, stylized presentation really pops on PlayStation 5, while its peppy performance ensures owners of Sony's platform will be fully immersed in one of last year's best single-player, story-driven action-adventures.

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Bethesda Game Studios' Starfield is the latest previous Xbox-exclusive, generating buzz with a PlayStation 5 release. But while the sci-fi role-playing game is certainly worthy of the spotlight, its release has stolen some thunder from another recent Xbox-to-PS5 port – South of Midnight – equally deserving of your attention.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5 (on PS5 Pro)
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: March 31, 2026 (PS5 & Nintendo Switch 2), originally released April 8, 2025 (Xbox Series X|S & PC)

Compulsion Games' single-player, story-driven third-person action-adventure scored the 2025 BAFTA for "New Intellectual Property," and after replaying it on the PlayStation 5 Pro, it's easy to see why. Set in the American Deep South, the game spins a folklore-fueled tale filled with magic, monsters, and a stylized presentation that's unquestionably dark and macabre, yet still surprisingly vibrant and uplifting.

Its excellent story, visuals, and sound work are nicely complemented by a fun gameplay mix of combat, platforming, and puzzle-solving, resulting in a compelling package that previously impressed us upon its release last year. But like Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and other games launched exclusively on Sony's rival platform, South of Midnight is just as good, if not a bit better, on PS5.

A fantastic folklore story

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Several hours into the Southern Gothic third-person action-adventure, I find myself fighting Two-Toed Tom, an angry alligator that's literally as big as an island. As Hazel – the teen protagonist desperately searching for her mom following a hurricane that washed their home away – I'm repeatedly attacked by the beast's massive tail and maw full of choppers.

But despite this terrifying foe attempting to floss its teeth with my spine, I'm able to feel some sympathy for it. While I won't spoil the specifics, suffice it to say the game's stellar, emotional storytelling and moving use of original music deserves most of the credit. Like many of the game's characters, Two-Toed Tom is afforded the sort of fleshed-out backstory typically reserved for a game's hero.

As a "Weaver," Hazel can access the animal's complex, tragic past, therefore allowing her – and the player – to empathize with it even as she faces it in a fight to the death. But the Godzilla-sized gator is just one example, as Hazel encounters a variety of colorful characters – of the good and evil varieties – from the past and present, who all have engaging stories to tell.

Hazel has the power to see and affect the world's "Grand Tapestry," a sort of invisible fabric that connects all life. Her power allows her to tap into this ethereal quilt's threads to help restless souls, restore balance, and heal traumas. But beyond that premise – which injects a welcome dose of positivity into a genre frequently more focused on stacking corpses – the story serves as a thoughtful coming-of-age tale that sees Hazel discovering her unique place in the world right alongside the player.

(Image credit: Compulsion Games)

Rather than relying on text-heavy lore drops and tedious, exposition-heavy dialog exchanges, however, the game utilizes a number of clever devices to spin an authentic tale rooted in real folklore from the region. While it does include some of those familiar lore collectibles and character conversations, it really shines in its use of visions Hazel sees – from ghosts appearing right before her eyes to mystical realms offering an emotional peek into her missing mother's complex life.

South of Midnight's also packed with polished cutscenes and cinematics, the highlight of which are hand-drawn, storybook-inspired segments that introduce each of its chapters. And to further stress the game's dedication to imaginative, personality-packed storytelling, these scenes are narrated by a giant catfish with a charming Cajun accent.

Of course, the game's excellent score and music also do their part to ensure the narrative and presentation shine as brightly as the gameplay. A Deep South-inspired mix of subgenres and instruments perfectly blends to deliver an ear-pleasing soundscape that never feels like simple background accompaniment, but rather rich, emotionally-charged music organically woven through the story.

This is especially true during some of the boss encounters, which are complemented by lyrical-heavy songs that seem to dynamically react to the on-screen action while telling the antagonist's story.

Familiar, yet satisfying gameplay

(Image credit: Compulsion Games)

While South of Midnight deserves extra credit for giving its big bads their own theme songs, its creative means of unraveling its Southern Gothic yarn is also supported by solid gameplay. Its blend of combat and platforming will feel familiar to anyone who's played a third-person action-adventure in the last decade, but the tried-and-true mechanics still manage to impress thanks to some smart design choices.

For starters, Hazel packs a fun arsenal of magical powers introduced at a rewarding pace. This results in a nice sense of progression that regularly sees you building on previous abilities with brand new tricks. By the time you're at the game's midpoint, you'll be unleashing a satisfying combat cocktail of light and heavy attacks, Force-like spells, special skills learned along Hazel's skill tree, and a useful power that turns foes against each other – performed by an adorable, voodoo-inspired ragdoll named Crouton, obviously.

Best bit

(Image credit: Compulsion Games)

South of Midnight's immersive music is one of its most appealing features throughout, but it especially stands out during certain character encounters and boss battles. It can feel more like a catchy theme song, complete with clever lyrics that organically reflect the on-screen action.

Enemies aren't especially varied, and most encounters play out pretty similarly, but it's still a ton of fun fluidly combining Hazel's growing arsenal of Weaver magic to take down the game's nightmarish creatures. There's also a bit of risk-reward strategy layered in by way of the magic spells' cool-down meters, as well as some limited health resources you need to properly manage.

It doesn't hurt that Hazel's acrobatic skills evolve almost as often as her more aggressive moves. Double-jumps, wall-runs, glides, and a grapple hook-like ability can be seamlessly swapped on-the-fly. Her impressive move set is often leveraged in combat – bringing even more strategic options to the battlefield – but it really shines in dedicated platforming sections.

Being able to string her selection of agile abilities together for exploration, puzzle-solving, and even simple navigation quickly becomes one of the game's obvious strengths. This is especially apparent when attempting to survive one of the game's tension-ratcheting chase sequences.

The PlayStation 5 (in)difference

(Image credit: Compulsion Games)

South of Midnight's visual presentation is gorgeous, imaginative, and clearly driven by passion. Its unique artistic style, which borrows inspiration from stop-motion animation, is especially easy on the eyes on PlayStation platforms. Enhanced for the PS5 Pro, the game packs stunning 4K visuals and maintains a peppy 60 frames-per-second.

That said, the game was no slouch on its launch console, the Xbox Series X. While side-by-side comparisons might reveal minor improvements in graphics and performance on the Sony consoles, the differences aren't dramatic enough to recommend the PS5 versions solely on those merits.

Xbox titles ported to PlayStation platforms often earn my recommendation almost entirely on their ability to significantly crank the immersion through smart, thoughtful DualSense Wireless Controller integration. Sadly, South of Midnight misses an opportunity here, ignoring the full potential of the controller's adaptive triggers and haptic feedback features. It doesn't skimp on rumble and vibration effects, but does lack the layers and nuance present in other ports. The game's awesome opening hurricane scene, for example, could benefit greatly from a deeper use of the tech.

South of Midnight's arrival on Sony platforms probably won't pull you in for its visual and performance bumps alone. That said, its improvements, while not game-changers, do make an already fantastic experience slightly better.

More than that, though, the game's worth a look if you missed it the first time around – especially if you're craving an incredibly unique, artistically absorbing action-adventure that prioritizes narrative as much as gameplay.

Should you play South of Midnight on PS5?Play it if...

You missed out on South of Midnight the first time
Compulsion Games' Southern Gothic action-adventure was one of last year's best single-player experiences, spinning a fantastic story supported by solid gameplay. If you somehow overlooked it last year – or you're a PS5 owner who didn't have access to it – now's the perfect time to fall under its captivating spell.

You're craving a fresh replay of one of last year's best games
Given how good South of Midnight's graphics, storytelling, and music are, it's absolutely worth a replay for its presentation alone. Coupled with its digestible dozen-or-so hour runtime, its graphical and performance bumps – and modest DualSense integration – on PS5 make the platform the perfect place to revisit it.

Don't play it if...

You're a PlayStation 5 owner seeking a significantly different experience
South of Midnight looks and runs great on PS5, and its PS5 Pro Enhanced version is the best way to experience the game on any platform. That said, the improvements aren't so significant that they put the previous Xbox version to shame. Coupled with DualSense features that leave a bit to be desired, South of Midnight isn't dramatically better on Sony platforms.

Accessibility features

South of Midnight returns with the same impressively robust suite of accessibility features it was recognized for its first time around. A number of options for those with audio and visual impairments offer a deeply customizable experience, while the game's abundance of difficulty settings goes far beyond the usual selection of modes, allowing players of all skill levels to tweak and tailor the experience to their specific needs.

How I reviewed South of Midnight on PS5

I weaved Hazel's magic for about a dozen hours on my PlayStation 5 Pro, paying particular attention to graphics and performance, comparing them to the Xbox Series X version I'd previously played.

Additionally, I focused on the game's leveraging of the DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive trigger features. I played on both my TCL 4K display, with HDR enabled, as well as remotely with my PlayStation Portal. For audio, I tested with my PlayStation Pulse Elite headset, PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds, and my television's onboard stereo speakers.

First reviewed March-April 2026

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Widow's Bay is Apple's most unusual TV series since Severance — but it's no Twin Peaks.

Light spoilers follow for Widow's Bay episodes 1 to 6.

Apple TV is home to plenty of award-winning and praise-worthy shows, but there's one genre that the tech giant's entertainment division has so far failed to get right: horror.

It's not been for a lack of trying. The Enfield Poltergeist, Servant, and various other projects have seen Apple dip its toes into terror-filled waters before. For some reason, though, it's struggled to replicate the success it's had with its myriad alternative genre offerings.

So comes the turn of Widow's Bay, a dark comedy horror whose premise and genre mash up look and sound original enough to potentially give Apple its first horror hit. After seeing the first six episodes, I've got to give it credit for being effective at what it does — but it's not the spooky showpiece that'll convince horror devotees to sign up to the streamer.

Paranormal activity

Rhys plays Tom Loftis, Widow's Bay's new mayor and the show's main character (Image credit: Apple TV)

Widow's Bay introduces us to Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), the eponymous island town's mayor who ran and won its most recent election unopposed.

A high-strung and cowardly mainlander, the ambitious Loftis sees the potential for this small, outdated settlement to become North America's next big tourist attraction.

I wouldn't describe Widow's Bay as particularly terrifying

The problem? Save for a few inhabitants, such as Loftis' emotionally repressed assistant Patricia (Kate O'Flynn), the townsfolk, including renowned oddball Wyck (Stephen Root) don't respect Loftis or want outsiders upsetting their way of life.

Winning over the locals, though, is the least of the Loftis' issues, because the titular town is believed to be cursed. Predictably, no sooner is Loftis' dream of turning Widow's Bay into a cultural hotspot on the cusp of being realized, the very myths that are too preposterous to be true soon make themselves known.

Loftis' assistant Patricia has some skeletons hiding in her closet (Image credit: Apple TV)

Widow's Bay's fright-filled folklore might give the impression that the horror part of its genre dyad is the dominate force at play.

Creepy, unsettling, and dingily atmospheric as it is, though, I wouldn't describe it as particularly terrifying. There are moments that had me saying "nope nope nope" to myself, and I appreciated the eeriness of its rural town setting and ability to dial up the tension where necessary. Nonetheless, for all of its jump scares — ones I'd describe as half-hearted at best — and uneasy ambience, Widow's Bay is definitely more of a dark comedy than a traditional supernatural horror.

I guarantee you'll crack up numerous times

And it's that humor, of which there is plenty, that Widow's Bay successfully hangs its hat on, especially in earlier episodes.

Spearheaded by the ever-excellent Rhys, whose bumbling, crabby, and sceptical Loftis reminded me of a modern day Basil Fawlty, aka the protagonist of iconic British sitcom Fawlty Towers, Widow's Bay is full of laugh out loud moments.

Indeed, whether it's Loftis' never-ending battles with the island port's lazy, incompetent, and/or superstitious natives, Rhys' impeccable comedic timing and delivery of sarcastic, deadpan, and cringeworthy ripostes to said individuals, and its main character's general buffoonery, I guarantee you'll crack up numerous times while watching Widow's Bay.

Sinister undercurrents

Loftis (left) and Wyck (right) don't always get along, and that creates plenty of Widow's Bay's ripe drama (Image credit: Apple TV)

That said, Widow's Bay isn't a laughs-a-minute caper by any means. Indeed, like the supernatural entities that lurk beneath the town's surface, its eclectic cast of characters are similarly haunted by their own demons and trauma-laced pasts.

It's these character-driven storylines that give this series more of an edge than the metaphysical beings that Loftis and company come across, too.

It's Widow's Bay's character-driven storylines that give it more of an edge

For Loftis, it's a decades earlier heart-breaking family incident that, in the present, has bred an increasingly strained relationship with his unruly, weed-smoking teenage son Evan (Kingston Rumi Southwick). In Patricia's case, it's a terrifying ordeal during her own teen years — an event we tentatively learn about in the first three episodes before it's fully reveal in soul-crushing fashion in chapter four.

Evan is tired of being smothered by his overly protective father (Image credit: Apple TV)

Disappointingly, other members of its wonderfully weird cast — Wyck and Rosemary (Dale Dickey) being notable highlights — don't benefit from the same introspective treatment in Widow's Bay's first six entries.

That might be rectified in episodes I'm yet to see. However, apart from the Patricia-starring fourth chapter and the series' sixth episode, the latter being a flashback episode that reveals some hugely important details about why the town is cursed, Widow's Bay is sadly unconcerned with giving its quirkier individuals a episodically specific platform to shine on.

Labeling Widow's Bay as Apple's answer to Twin Peaks is slightly misleading

And that's a pity because, with early installments channeling a 'Monster of the Week' format not unlike legendary sci-fi shows such as The X-Files, there's certainly room for Widow's Bay to spotlight said characters by way of episodic subplots amid its overarching story.

It's missed opportunities like this, plus the apparent lack of interconnectivity between Widow's Bay's various scare-based fables, that imbalance it narratively.

Indeed, with its primary mystery taking center stage in its latter half, its aforementioned 'Monster of the Week' arrangement quickly falls by the wayside. I'll reiterate that I haven't seen passed episode 6, so this criticism may be moot if Widow's Bay ends up tying its paranormal enigmas to its main otherworldly horror in the home straight. If it turns out that there's no throughline, though, I can't help but wonder if, intriguing as each standalone ghost story, why it was necessary to include them unless Widow's Bay was developed as an anthology series instead.

Police chief Bechir is looking for a way out of Widow's Bay (Image credit: Apple TV)

Less of a critique and more an observation are the clear parallels between Widow's Bay and similar new weird programs, such as Prime Video's Outer Range, CBS' The Twilight Zone, and Apple's very own Severance. Fans of one or more of these shows, then, will find Widow's Bay to be right up their alley — as will devotees of Stephen King and John Carpener, albeit through Widow's Bay's somewhat on-the-nose references to their body of works.

Above all others, though, it's hard to overlook the influence that cult classic TV show Twin Peaks has exerted on Widow's Bay.

Indeed, there's no denying that the new Apple TV show was heavily inspired by Twin Peaks' surrealist mystery horror leanings. Set in a small town frozen in time? Yep. A story filled with supernatural elements and dark secrets? Check. Populated with zany, morally gray characters? Absolutely. Offbeat humor? You bet.

That's not necessarily a bad thing — after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so it's no surprise to see Widow's Bay compared to one of David Lynch's most memorable works. Nonetheless, despite their clear similarities, suggesting that it's Apple's answer to Twin Peaks is, ahead of Widow's Bay's release and accounting for how revered Twin Peaks is, something of an exaggeration.

My verdict

As an overall experience, I've enjoyed my time in Widow's Bay so far, and I look forward to the rest of my stay and seeing not only how its final four episodes wraps up its story, but also if they address some or all of the problems I've outlined above.

Even if they don't fix its clear issues, though, Widow's Bay is the first recommendation-worthy horror show that Apple TV has to offer. If the tech giant can refine the development process of such genre works in the same way it did with, say, its sci-fi offerings, there's no reason why it can't become a regular *ahem* haunt for those who prefer their stories to be as dread-inducing and frightening as possible.

Widow's Bay will launch on Apple TV with a two-episode premiere on Wednesday, April 29. New episodes air weekly after that on one of the world's best streaming services.

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