Matt Stone and Trey Parker have conquered television with South Park, movies with the South Park movie and Team America, and broadway with The Book of Mormon. So as pop culture savvy as they are, and as young as they skew it seems very odd that they haven't taken on the video game realm with their vicious satirical eye. Despite the appearance of licensed South Park games in the late 90s/early 2000s, they had no hand in them. And it's not surprising, seeing as how they really kinda sucked. But a few years back, they decided to make a game that they are pretty much responsible for. So they found a studio that they liked, wrote a script and voiced the thing. It was essentially the show, but now interactive. And that means it gets as wild as one could imagine a legitimate South Park game could be. But what kind of game would it be? A FPS, a third person shooter or an open world adventure game? Coming from them, it's just as retro as one would assume. They decided on making an old school turn based RPG game. From the very start of the game, these guys are busting the balls of the conventions of the genre the game is. You are the new kid in town and have to make up you appearance. But since it's a RPG, you never talk. And right off the bat, they are making jokes about how you can't talk. No dialogue trees, no just acting as if you said something. Nope, silence. And the citizens know it. You go off and try to make new friends when you meet Butters. He's all dressed up, playing a game when he invites you to Cartmans to role play Humans vs Elves. So you do, because you are a nameless/personalityless character. And from their, you learn how to play the game in a very South Park way. It involves alot of makeshift weapons, bleeding kids and "magic" that is just cupping and throwing your farts. Any fear that the game was gonna be a diluted version of the show/Trey and Matts humor need not worry, just from that last sentence.
This game is the biggest treasure trove of easter eggs for South Park fans. Despite having an original storyline, it is built off of parts that come from past episodes (most specifically the black friday trilogy, among others I won't spoil). And it isn't a spoiler to say, just because the game starts off as a bunch of kids role playing doesn't mean it stays like that the whole time. Like many a South Park story, it gets crazier than necessary. And like many a South Park story, it is absolutely filthy. And in almost every way, it has the filthiest and absolutely most vulgar jokes in the properties history.
The game is funny, but most importantly it is fun. It's a legitimately well made RPG. There are many side missions that are fun and time consuming, giving you new gear or items. The town is filled with many characters you know and love from the show. There are also plenty of locations from the game too, also hidden ones you may not find if you don't look for them. It is filled to the brim with fun. The combat works and makes complete sense within a gaming perspective, and the world of the game. And even if you aren't a fan of the old school kind of game it is, if you love South Park then you'll love the game.
There aren't many good licensed games and it's usually because they are soulless money grabs that just capitalize on the name. And that happened to South Park a few times. But Matt and Trey brought their A game to the video game world and made a classic. It fits right in with the show. Visually it's the same as the show, which makes it a weird but delightful experience. Tonally it's the same as well, absolutely filthy but much smarter than a property with sentient shit should be. The first great game of the year. Highly recommended.
9/10
- Tom Lorenzo
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