South Park: The Stick of Truth Review

What did I think of the Colorado-based RPG? Find out after the jump.




 Stick of Truth would be a humorous adventure without knowing anything about the show. This game could stand alone as a comedic RPG without the outlandish, eternal universe of the small Colorado town. But its references to itself, the ability to so well break the fourth wall, and its sheer attention to detail make this game well worth the wait.

As a fan of the show, albeit one who hasn't seen every episode but knows the lore pretty well, I feel as I'm qualified to view the game both from the perspective of a non-fan and from that of a super fan. This game is a great experience for both parties, but such love has been given to this game, with seemingly every detail thought about, the latter is going to enjoy the quirks of the game more than the former, but that shouldn't dismiss this game from a possible buyer if they haven't watched the show.

My  roommate watched me play this game when I did as much on campus, because it reminded him so much of the show. Matt and Trey have had their hands in every nook & cranny of this game, and it shows. The humor is great, with so many nods not only to the show, but to the conventions of the genre, such as Cartman saying that his mom "isn't part of the game" in the introductory section or the "junk" category of items being those items which you sell in order to buy cooler weapons and armor. This category includes everything from pubic hair to baseball cards, and it is always a surprise when you open a drawer in a room and find a junk item that doesn't fit the room at all.

On the topic of drawers, South Park has a beautifully understated way of telling you what you can and can't open. If a drawer, door, etc. has a gold knob, it can be opened. Silver, it can't. Normally, this mechanic wouldn't work in a graphics-intensive RPG, but it works in this universe, and is a great way to get around finding empty drawers left and right.

The strong leg for the game is humor, which is clear from fairly early on in the adventure. The combat is more standard RPG fare, and would be borderline disappointing if it were the focus of the game. But battles, however challenging at times, take a back seat, where you are looking forward to the next reference, joke, or observation from your sidekick. While I played on PC to avoid going back to last generation of console, the game seems better fit for controller than mouse and keyboard, which is somewhat of a setback, but not enough to detract from my experience.

A lack of characterization is also a minor, yet noticeable, factor. Every player, at least male, gets called "Douchebag." While this is funny at first,  a broadened nickname system like that in most sports games would've been a nice touch. The only real customization comes with the attire of your character, which is a solid element, but I wish more signs of my existence and creativity would've been present in the game. Classes fall to a similar fault, with not much changing in the story based your chosen class.

Another positive element of Stick of Truth is the careful attention payed to the progressive elements of the game. You do get stronger, and when you upgrade your weapon or add a ridiculous attachment, you feel it almost immediately. The increase to a higher attack is evident from the first strike, which makes constant updating of your inventory key, and finding a side-mission or enemy that is out of the way especially exciting due to its possible upgrade from your current equipment.

Overall, Stick of Truth makes up for what it lacks in combat with tremendous humor, balancing RPG tropes with elements all its own, existing well in an already superb universe. I'm giving South Park: The Stick of Truth an 8.7.