The surprise South Park RPG Stick of Truth was a fantastic game that took the world of the popular cartoon and mixed it with classic turn based action set in their unique version of a Tolkien-esque Colorado. Luckily for all South Park fans (and gaming in general!) a sequel was commissioned and I now sit here typing about just that game…South Park: The Fractured But Whole an RPG that’s about the South Park kids and their Superhero alter Egos.
In respect to playing games there aren’t many that get me excited to play them, yes I want to play games but rarely am I so drawn to something that I pick it up on day one and don’t stop playing. South Park TFBW is one such game and I would like to share with you, if you’ll allow me of course, why I think this game is worthy of your time.
First of all let’s look at graphics, but not just graphics let’s look at art style in general. There are many games that exist in this world which are based on cartoon properties (The Simpsons, Futurama, Adventure Time, etc.) but very few that use the original art style to engulf you in the world that they’re trying to portray. In this respect TFBW holds a completely different class taking the seemingly simple art style of South Park and utilizing it to such a dazzling degree that playing feels like you’re taking part in an episode of the show, only now you get the chance to take your time and drink in all the subtle nuances of the rural town. It’s a beautiful looking game and the decision to stick to its unique 2.5D art style lifts it away from being just another uninspired cash in on a popular franchise and elevates it to a realm of unprecedented wonder…or at least it would have if Stick of Truth hadn’t already cemented just how good a South Park game can be.
Not only does it look good but it feels good (…wait what?) as the visual style lends itself perfectly to the slow paced, often methodical, speed that an RPG can have. This means that whilst you’re playing you have time to take in your surroundings and enjoy Easter eggs a plenty ranging from small things, like practically every item being named after an item from the show (Does anyone need a Gluten free Ebola testing kit?) to posters and toys from the ever popular Chinpokomon littering bedrooms and garages. Again these small details pull into the wealth of history at their disposal and add a continuity that you rarely see in video games, let alone ones that are based on a long running TV show.
Gameplay wise you’re looking at an old school RPG similar to the likes of A Link to the Past with elements of Final Fantasy Tactics and a sprinkling of Super Mario RPG for good measure. What that essentially means is that your time in the game is split between exploring the town of South Park in the overworld and battling foes in a grid based battle royal. Firstly exploring the town is a joy to behold, you can walk around and interact with anyone roaming the streets and as you roam you’ll find building upon building for you to enter and continue your quest to witness all there is to offer. My personal favourite is finding all the toilets and then taking part in the extravagant Dance Dance Revolution style minigame that happens when you sit upon the porcelain throne, I also very much enjoyed collecting many many selfies with the inhabitants and making a grumpy face in each and everyone.
Of course everyone who wanders isn’t a friend and foes will pop in from time to time to try to take you down and that’s when you’re transported to TFBW’s battle system – a beautiful, and yet simple tactical turn based system. I won’t go into massive amounts of detail but you (your created character) plus three of your superhero buddies take on a host of delinquents on a grid system with each turn letting you take certain amounts of steps across the grid and then perform your action, actions range from physical to telekinetic and each move has a certain pattern and direction that it allows you to go. Like I said it isn’t the most massively complex but there’s a real feeling of weight to actions you perform and the personality of each character really shines though with examples being the try hard nature of Clyde’s “Mosquito” character or the lisping Scott Malkinson making diabetes related puns as “Captain Diabetes”. This characterisation in battle is just another layer to the game that really brings you into the world as you play along.
“What about customisation?” I hear you bellow as you walk into my office uninvited. Well friend I don’t think you will ever find a game with more customisation than this, whether it be changing your hair from skinned to white Goth bangs or changing your outfit from a gold Batman knockoff to a purple headed shark priest with Adam Ant makeup. You can change your fighting style, your move set, you have interchangeable artefacts to boost stats, you can decide on your race, your religion and even you gender and how you sexually identify. It’s a joke how much you can actually customise in the game! And while a few of these options may just be there for the sake of it I had masses of fun deciding on who my superhero should be (the aforementioned purple headed shark priest who eventually over time became the gold shark headed cosmic deity) and exactly what moves and what play style I would go for. Like the fighting itself its simple but it serves its purpose perfectly.
Honestly I could go on about South Park The Fractured But Whole and how the story is great and all the twists and turns you’ll encounter but that would be doing you a disservice by stealing away the moments of joy this game will bring into your life…and so I wont. All I’ll say is that if you’re a fan of South Park and want to see a game that truly encompasses the over the top yet strangely grounded world that it exists in then you have to play this game.
Author: Hal, Plymouth Store
