ESRB Beware: South Park and the Stick of Truth
Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor
It’s here. It’s finally here. Years of delays, the loss of its developer, and two creators with no time to share, and still this game never gave up. We, as gamers, should thank our lucky stars that this day has arrived. For at long last, South Park and the Stick of Truth is real.
From creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone comes a game of undeniable lineage. Emmy-award winning writing, Tony-award winning music, and language that causes a V-Chip to overload and self-destruct are all staples of the dynamic-duo’s show. Now, all of that raw talent has been drained and sifted into sixty dollars worth of video game, and it is fucking bananas.
After a robust character creation, you enter the world of South Park, and I mean that in a literal way. The entire town, down to the smallest detail, has been lovingly recreated for you to explore. The animation, the sounds, and of course the voices are authentic and as close to perfect as can be found. The script is phenomenal, and with few exceptions hits the mark with every line. You won’t be rolling on the floor the entire time, but there are a few places where you might need to catch your breath.
The battle system is reminiscent of other RPGs from Obsidian. Turn-based, hard-hitting and with a layer of strategy mixed in. You won’t feel like this is reinventing the wheel, but you’ll have fun slaying the various zombies, aliens and other unmentionable creatures. The weapons are as inventive as the characters, and the you’ll never get bored with watching Cartman fart people to death.
No joke.
South Park is not all fun and games. Like any open world adventure, there is a limit to what you can actually do and see before you lose your way. More often than not, searching for your next path is a pixel hunt, and in such a lush environment that can quickly become a chore. Not that the game drags on, but a few more prompts would have been appreciated.
The Stick of Truth is also one of the more adult games out today. I don’t mean just the language; as in the show, the subject matter is extremely twisted and out there. You’ll battle Nazis, all while Cartman cracks jokes about Jews (and if you’re so inclined, you can even play as a Member of the Tribe), you’ll take part in an abortion minigame, and you excrete bodily fluids with great gusto. It is a raunchy title, and parents should NOT purchase this game without looking a little deeper.
Underneath the hood, South Park plays like Paper Mario, and that is in no way a bad thing. The characters are charming and animated, the battles are elaborate and interactive, and the music is epic and dynamic to the scene. This is not just a great South Park game, this is a legitimately fun RPG, and a great game to end a console’s run.
If you are a fan of the show, you need to play this game. If you just enjoy RPGs, then you still need to check it out. For the price of a movie ticket, a bag of popcorn, a coke, and the resulting colonoscopy, you can own one of the funniest titles to ever grace the gilded halls of gamedom.