Whenever you see a classic IP like South Park turned into a game an internal groan can be felt. Then again not all of them are taken over by Ubisoft's golden child Obsidian Entertainment.
The Game:
South Park and The Stick of Truth is a turn based RPG that takes you through the quaint little town of South Park, Colorado. (At least the one from the show) The world is an interesting mix between a 3d world and a 2d animation style. You play as a new kid that has just come to South Park and you are instructed by your parents to go make friends. Progression in this game is usually limited to what the story has given you in new abilities, which are unlocked the further you progress. The combat is initiated by striking or being struck by an NPC and going into a classic turn based instance. The game allows for your character and an ally to accompany you in combat.
My Thoughts:
This game is pure South Park. I have had this game in my catalog for a bit and it's one that I wish I would have experienced sooner. The game is relatively short for an RPG and would have been a bit of a turn off if I had paid full price for it. The game is great but 60 bucks for about 10 hours of gameplay was steep. I can't remember if I got this in a Steam sale or a Humble Bundle but it wasn't nearly as much for me so I feel I got the right value from it.
The gameplay is fun and I really like the timed attack RPG system. It kept combat interesting. The quick time events abilities of the allies were also pretty great with (Princess) Kenny's taking the cake. They also held the balance of buff and debuff together in such a way that it made them worth using. I find in a lot of RPGs that these abilities are so ineffective or your character is so strong, using them is a waste of time. The enemies are interesting and the variety of attacks keep the game from being monotonous. The ability to block these attacks also leads to a better feeling of control in combat.
Story Spoiler
The story is pure South Park. The flow was great, the jokes were landing, and you could offend the internet with just half of the content. The scene that is definitely burned into my mind was battling the gnome under your parents having sex. The fact you were in the room alone was awkward but the writers did not hold back at all. It's amazing how bad a swinging pair of animated boobs can throw off your focus.
There isn't too much to say about this game beyond it is what I had wanted and expected. While a little short it left me pretty satisfied. I got a good laugh or two and even some moments of embarrassment hoping that none of my cute neighbors had not walked by the door at the wrong time. There were a lot of wrong times. Playing this game has really made me look forward to South Park: The Fractured But Whole (that pun) later this year. It's in the running for games I play on release based off of what I hear about gameplay hours.
TL;DR:
This game is for South Park fans and maybe people who like crude humor. The RPG aspect allows for the story telling to come through and can really make you feel part of an episode. Definitely worth the look if you haven't jumped in yet.
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