South Park: The Stick of Truth Review

There are two things that you should know about South Park: The Stick of Truth.  First, it is hilarious.  I rarely laugh out loud due to intentional humor in a video game but this game is actually funny.  Second, it's a really good RPG.  While it pokes fun at the genre and at itself throughout, the combat and gear mechanics work really well.

The combat in SP:TSOT is timing based.  This is similar to the Mario and Luigi RPG games on the DS or 3DS.  When you attack or defend, pressing the right button at the right time will have a significant effect on the amount of damage given or received.  Performing these moves correctly will be the difference between winning and losing battles.  This may be a turn off for some but personally, I love the mechanic.  Every battle keeps you engaged.

The humor in this game is top notch but it is crude.  There are swear words and scatological jokes at every turn.  This is a South Park game so you wouldn't expect anything different.  Farting is a major game mechanic and still funny after several hours of gameplay.  Interspersed with these base references though are references to modern pop-culture and of course, several references to video games.  Every game mechanic seems to not only work but also be a parody of a game mechanic seen in other games.

The Factors

I only have an hour factor:

Great.  Other than the opening tutorial missions which took over an hour, the gameplay can be broken up as you need it.  An hour of gameplay will net you a few story moments and a good number of battles, enough to probably move up a level. 

I only have ten minutes factor:

Not great.  This is an RPG so it is meant for slightly longer sessions.  You may hit a battle or two if you only have ten minutes so your time won't feel wasted.  That said, I don't feel this would be the best use of your time if ten minutes is all you have.

Kids walking in factor:

Be very careful.  This is an adult only game.  Nearly every other line contains a swear word and these words will pop-up randomly such as the F word when entering a battle.  The graphics are South Park based animation so there is no real gore factor but I did encounter the occasional cartoon nudity.  So this is definitely a headphones only, after bed-time game if you have kids in the house.

Significant other factor:

This game does allow for multiple saves but other than that, there's little in The Stick of Truth for multiple people to enjoy at the same time.  Also, keep in mind you are essentially playing the nerdiest version of a South Park show that is possible.

Final verdict:

9/10 South Park: The Stick of Truth is a great game.  It's funny and it is a very well made RPG.  If you are a fan of the show and if you've ever enjoyed a role playing game, this is a must buy.