With South Park: The Fractured But Whole proving that turn-based RPGs set in Colorado’s most famous made-up town really can work - and work really well, at that - it was only a matter of time before the original made its way onto Nintendo Switch. Originally developed by Obsidian - of Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity fame - South Park: The Stick of Truth was something of a revelation when it dropped in 2014 and those four years have done nothing to dull the sharpness of its humour and the simple joy of its combat.
Apart from a memorable (if a bit rubbish) foray into first-person shooters on N64, Cartman and company had gone well over a decade without a good video game to their name. Some came close, but none of them could replicate the magical formula of the TV show in a genre that made it all fit. Then Obsidian came along and through some form of dark magic (read: very clever game design) did just that. South Park: The Stick of Truth - much like the sequel that followed it - looks, sounds and intrinsically feels like one long glorious episode of South Park.
With creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker full on-board, South Park: The Stick of Truth is as authentic as any South Park boxset sat on your shelf. Designed to look exactly like the show - right down to the way your 2D avatar will turn to the side when walking, or how each every character you meet has their own recognisable (and completely original) dialogue - Obsidian recreates South Park so well even a passing fan of the show will get a kick out of exploring the town and picking out all the little references to 20+ seasons of in-jokes and running gags.
But that’s not the real selling point of South Park: The Stick of Truth. No, the real revelation here is how a studio that knows exactly how to build a deep and almost intimidating turn-based RPG has found a way to create one that’s instantly easy to pick up and enjoy. The South Park licence simply provides a familiar backdrop; once you start exploring and jump into battles, then the real fun begins. With a party of characters at your side - all hand-picked from the show’s most memorable pre-pubescent cast, including Butters, Jimmy and Kyle - you’re gradually introduced to the game’s systemic combat model.
You can add extra strength to every attack by hitting ‘A’ whenever your avatar’s weapon flashes, or press ‘Y’ to add a Power attack. This costs PP, but is worth it to drain an enemy of their last drop of HP. You can do the same thing while defending, so you’re always involved in the battle, even when it’s not your turn. You can use Bow of Sucking to grief enemies further back on the battlefield, employ special Abilities unique to each character and use the power of farts as a foul-smelling form of magic. They key is finding how best to use each member of your party in battle - such as Jimmy’s ability to buff the squad’s stats - to overcome some of the tougher encounters found in the latter half of the game.
The pastiche of the fantasy genre - which serves as the conceit that lets Cartman and the rest of the game partake in action-packed battles in the fight to control the titular wooden weapon - never undermines the systems that facilitate its combat, exploration and questing, and serves as a neat way to tie everything together. You can use your bow to shoot Chinpokomon out of trees, turn everyday items into medieval armour and experience some of the most bizarre encounters you’ll ever play in a game. And just wait until you reach Canada...
If you’ve played South Park: The Stick of Truth before, there’s nothing new here to convince you to double dip, but like so many ports to Nintendo Switch, being able to play this instantly gratifying RPG in handheld form is a selling point in itself. The performance issues found in the old PS3/Xbox 360 versions have been patched out, as have the sometimes overly-long loading times, so you’re getting a version of the game that’s ideally optimised for Switch. If you haven’t tried this little slice of black-humoured silliness before then you’re in for a treat. It’s perhaps a little overpriced on the eShop considering it’s a four-year-old game, but it’s definitely worth your time once it gets a bit of a discount.
Conclusion
Benefitting from the performance tweaks made by the transition from old-gen to current-gen hardware - and the same smooth mapping of its controls to the Joy-Con - South Park: The Stick of Truth proves itself just as good a fit on Nintendo Switch as South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Both a pastiche of classic RPG tropes and a wonderfully empowering example of how to make a great modern take on the genre, this is still one of Obsidian’s best exports and as authentic as any episode of the cult TV show it’s so closely tied to.
Comments 92
I liked the fractured but whole so I will definitely pick this up
Great game, but I'm glad TFBW made the combat and character customs better, more strategic. Chinpokemon was a better collectable though
I loved the second one. I would not mind double dipping on this one either. This is going to be a purchase if Pokemon sucks.
Didn't sonyponies get this for free with 'the fractured but whole'?
I’d buy right away if it wasn’t digital only
Loved this game and will definitely pick it up On a Half off sale down the road.
Great gamebut well overpriced imo,as are many games that come late to the switch party.
@Kidfunkadelic83 yes a recent search on amazon fracture but hole switch £42 ps4 £16
@jobvd correct. Every copy on the ps4 and xbox come with a free dl code for this game. I may be wrong but I didn't even think it was out on ps4 at the time of release of fractured meaning you couldn't use the code right away but don't hold me to that one. That's why its a kick in the pants for switch owners.
@sandman89 and the ps4version you will get a code for this game for free.
Is this still censored in the UK version like the other console versions were?
Why are people crying and whining about this game ???
why should they blame Canada or the producers of this game ???
This show has been around forever, people KNOW what it is about and if they have a problem....
BLAME NINTENDO !!!
Nintendo has final say on what gets put on their systems, they say whether or not it needs to be edited or "dumbed down", so if Nintendo said "Oh My God...We're NOT Going To Kill Kenny !!!",
people need to take their problems up with Nintendo, PERIOD !!!
I guess there’s no retail version for this one?
Not paying $30 when other system owner got this for free with the newer game. I will wait for the inevitable Ubisoft sale at 50%. $15 is a good price for this.
Unfortunately this one did not get released physically. I like the phantasy setting better the the super Heroes one.
Yeah, Canada, where this game costs $40, while you were able to get it as a freebie with "Fractured but Whole" on other systems, and can get it for less than $10 currently on PC.
Again, another game I'd like to play on Switch, but won't buy because of the feeling I'd be getting ripped off doing so.
This is my main gripe with the Switch. Love the platform, but the trend of rereleasing and porting older games from other platform and charging a max for those is a big letdown. The Switch has become, at least in Canada, the platform where it's the most expensive to play on.
While I liked the battle system of Fractured But Whole better than Stick of Truth, I still liked the story better in this game. It's amazing, especially when you have to visit Canada. If you haven't played it, it's well worth it.
I want to play both these games because I like TBRPGs, but I just can’t stand South Park. Also, for those upset about the sub header, Blame Canada is a song from the South Park movie. NL didn’t just make that up.
If it’s as good as TFBW, then it’s well worth the $30! I’ll dlwnload it next weekend!
Great game that grabbed me as soon as I started playing it. I've had a harder time getting into the Fractured But Whole in comparison but like both still. I would double dip if they released it on cartridge.
I think I might grab this down the line. I just hope the toilet humor isn't overly present- never been a fan of that.
I found this one to be better than FBW. If you liked that one give this a try. 29 is a fair price for the amout of game in there.
Not sure why comparing this to the performance of the PS3 version. SOT also got updated for X1 and PS4 in February.
Love this game, played it to death on my PS3, the storyline brings in most elements from the South Park world.
@Gowtu_Games well shnizzit [angry] I hate downloading games, I only do physical !!! That sux [angry]
Reads review of South Park game on Switch.
Sees people actually blame Canada.........
The only version of Canada I'd ever intentionally visit.
Finished this on pc ages ago, will pick it up once it's on sale for some on the go jew-jitsu.
You didn't mention if it's censored or not.
Cya
Raziel-chan
@NEStalgia I'm surprised the reference is going over people's heads.
@Frendo It is about £25 on the Russian eShop and I pay on there without issues using my UK debit card.
Enjoying it so far but I’m not a fan of the combat system.
It was inevitable was it not? I've heard Stick of Truth was somewhat better(to the opinion of many) not that Fractured but whole was bad or anything! However I was waiting for this to happen as I also heard it was a shorter length game and so I will wait for this to be a cheaper buy and give a go.
For everyone complaining about the price: its the same on PS4 store.
It's a great game with full voice acting. Well worth the price.
While I'll miss collecting all of the Yaoi from The Fractured But Whole, I'm excited to start collecting the Chinpokomon & to actually play this game since I missed it back in the PS3 days.
@jhewitt3476 You do know that "Blame Canada" is a well-used South Park joke, right? I mean, that's all the writers of this review were going with, they were repeating a joke from the South Park movie. And I say this as a Canadian. Besides the writers at Nintendo Life don't even know what Canada is for them to write an insult to us, they just think we're all one big U.S. continent.
@Majora101 We don't want you here anyway
@IronMan30 Further proof that people come only to complain without even knowing what they're talking about in the comments sections I suppose. We could always start an epic internet flame war by asking what Brian Boitano would do.
@DarthFoxMcCloud Everybody knows what a Canada is. It's in Northern Michigan isn't it? It's like the US but with even worse internet!
@Traskin7 Yeah I'm not sure how people are missing that this game isn't cheap on PSX1 either. I got it on sale like 3 months ago on X1 for $25 since I didn't think it was coming to Switch. PSN has a habit of deeply discounting any game when it comes out on Switch....that's their competitive practice to make Switch look bad. But the price goes back up.
@NEStalgia I think that's a question everyone should ask themselves, flame war or not. Lol
the game is 40 euro, ugh i'll wait for a sale
@DarthFoxMcCloud I remember Matt and Trey constantly razz Canada, just didn't realize this article was playing along, it actually seemed sincere
it it's nothing new that the media usually blame the wrong people for stuff anyway, so yah, I guess I took it as a serious story, LOL
@NEStalgia At least Canada doesn't have Donald Trump. And unlike the U.S., Canada isn't going through the death of civility and democracy. Also, while our internet and mobile data is more expensive, it's actually ranked higher in terms of better speed and availability everywhere than the U.S. is.
I want it, but I’m tired of these digital only releases that are available at retail on other platforms in the US. I’m more inclined to get TFBW instead but this game seems more interesting.
Obsidian is an incredible studio. Right away I could tell this was a classic from the epic music starting the game.
Excellent addition to Switch, right alongside Fractured But Whole. I jumped on this with both feet, without hesitation.
@DarthFoxMcCloud Likewise!
Everyone saying that is comparing the price of it on switch to the PS4 are forgetting that this games was not a abailable on Nintendo hardware prior and that has an additional porting cost...
However I have too much too play at the moment therefore I will wait for a sale
The PS3 version is in my backlog (139 games deep before next week's PS+ additions). If this goes on sale for $15 or less before I get to the PS3 version (a likely proposition), I'll probably upgrade so that I can play it on the go.
@Kidfunkadelic83 😳 really? That’s crazy
@DarthFoxMcCloud "Canada isn't going through the death of civility and democracy. "
$#@$2 you, you $#@($ $#@$ $#@$! You dont $#@$@ what your $#@$#@ talking about!
Yeah down here it's like the IGN comments section IRL.
I don't know about net though, was it you, or someone else telling me about the absurd data caps you commonly have there? Your version is the one I always had believed in but a few Canadians here were telling me about really lousy data caps a short while ago.
@BanjoPickles I genuinely thought the writing and humour were better. Great game as well as feeling like an episode of South park. Worth checking which region your buying in and whether there are different versions of censorship (eu one on my ps4 copy with fbw had scenes cut). I might get the switch version in a sale from a non eu region one day just to check them out!!
I don't blame Canada for South Park
I blame Canada for Nickelback
@lmello It's like 2011 never left!
Picked this up day 1, loving it
@jhewitt3476
what in the world is happening in this post?
The first one was fun, I'll pick this up! My little brother loved it.
@Majora101 Stay in Chumpland then, boy.
@EVIL-C Keep penetrating those moose, guy. 🏒
@NEStalgia Even just a few years ago, 5 or 6, I only got 60GB per month from Rogers. I bought Arkham City from steam at the time, and it was something like 18GB, and I just thought... F***.
@jhewitt3476
I know the 80's/90's were a great time, but you really should come back to the present, there are nice things to.
Physical please Ubisoft.
This game is awesome. I recommend to anyone who can take a joke and likes RPG.
If you're looking for a Paper Mario type game and like South Park's style of humor this game is for you.
"...wonderfully empowering example of how to make a great modern example."
Can you give me an example of that example?
@Kidfunkadelic83 i know. I hate how Nintendo thinks people that own Switch's, only own a Switch. And the devs think they can charge so much more than what they charge on the other systems (some times 1.5x - 2x more than the cost at time of release on another system, not just 1.5 - 2x the current price), even when digital.
@BanjoPickles i like it MUCH better (story, gameplay, setting & humor). It's a little shorter, but it's more turn based rpg & lest turn based strategy (or whatever you'd consider the newer one).
@justin233 carts cost too much for lots of the publishers.
@twztid13 Absurd. Capcom and Ubisoft are large publishers that make large amounts of money.
@Yosher don't play the newer one for sure then, but this one is full of it, too. I don't care for it, but the rest is great.
@Realnoize it's the newest system & is the only one that allows handheld play, so Nintendo & other publishers know it & charge a premium (not to mention the flash carts cost more, if you're comparing physical also).
@NEStalgia i got my ps4 copy for $5 from someone on the cheapassgamer.com forums, as they probably got it free with the new game. It would be much cheaper to buy one off of someone on ebay or CAG that got it free & wants to sell it.
@sword_9mm
I have my reasons for hating digital downloads of video games available in physical form, perhaps if you look for the cartridge vs digital download thread, you will understand me, I am all about the future, but I'm a practical theoretical physicist also !!!
After playing Fractured as Whole, the gameplay for this one is tedious. Did Nintendo censored those alien ass probing parts?
Just in time for the fake cancellation
I had this on PS3 but Sony bricked my console before I finished it. It was fun while it lasted so I might pick it up for the Switch when It's on sale.
@CaPPa may I ask why Sony bricked your system ???
(personally, my hardware becomes my personal property when i purchase it at the register, not rental, borrow, it's MINE, so i think it should be illegal to "Brick" a system, for any reason, legit use or not legit use, it's like a protection racket, you have to pay them for a damage repair that was PURPOSEFULLY caused by them. I don't care if i use it to play Tom Jones songs or hijack satellite cable service, it's none of their business) I don't have to worry, but it's like Ford burning the computer in your car making it undrivable because you are constantly driving 5mph over the speed limit, then forcing you to either pay them for the repair they caused or making you buy a new car, it's crap and should be illegalized)
Man sure wish they make a physical version of this on Switch as well, I would had bought it just like the Fracture But Whole. Right now I can't afford to get this not because of price but space.
I would double dip if it was physical.
Having read the review, I still have no idea what the game is about, other than it’s a turn-based RPG???
I'd understand if a catalogue game wasn't released in physical format if it had to be crammed into a 16GB cart, but this one fits on 8, so I don't really see any excuse. Will pass on this one.
I remember being in 4th and 5th grade and my mother didn't let me watch South Park, so when I'd spend the weekend at my cousin's house (where my Aunt didn't care what we watched, short of outright porn) and thinking I was a total rebel for watching South Park. Because for me, that's how 70% of the humor in South Park is. It's childish shock humor, vulgarity, and brainless but sometimes funny. The remaining 30% is actually good, well written, satire and actual adult humor.
Then in college I had a roommate who never turned off Comedy Central and I decided I never wanted to watch anything on that channel again.
Why is there so much hate for Canada in here? We're used to being the brunt of the joke, so nothing new there but some of you seem to genuinely dislike us as a country...why? Is it because we're so decent and friendly? I don't get it.
@NEStalgia The internet thing probably depends on where you live in the country. I live in Ontario and I haven't had a data cap since about 2008 or so and speeds have been getting incredibly fast in the past decade as well. Now if you lived somewhere less populated like Saskatchewan it's probably a different story.
@business-scrub fyi you do get that "blame Canada" is a South Park joke from the movie, right? Most of the Canada comments come from that.
It has a song and everything.
@jhewitt3476
My PS3 was fine until Sony released an update and my wifi failed, which made the update freeze so that it never completed. I couldnt restore the system and Sony then wanted $140 to fix the issue. I refused and so my PS3 remains dead.
Around the same time my launch day Wii stopped working and Nintendo had it repaired and returned to me within 4 days for free.
Aside from the cost involved, the level of customer service was like night and day. Nintendo was friendly and helpful; whilst Sony had more of a 'thats tough luck' attitude.
I am glad both games got 8/10. I enjoyed both games but for some reason I enjoyed The Stick of Truth more. The Fractured But Whole does have an improved combat system though. Maybe the first games is funnier. It just felt short.
@jobvd No. You got it for free if you preordered the game.
@Kidfunkadelic83 Get your information correct. You got The Stick of Truth free only if you preordered The Stick of Truth.
@Kidfunkadelic83 Wrong. That was only if you preordered the game.
@bert0503 well i guess i just got super duper damn lucky then eh chap? As I got my second copy 3 weeks ago and that came with the code aswell. I will make sure I trawl the internet long and hard next time as to not offend you. Have a pleasant evening.
@Kidfunkadelic83 @bert0503 and I didn't even pre order the 1st copy I had and got the code with that one too. Old stock maybe.
I'm new to both South Park RPG's which would folk here rate the highest?
It's a shame it's censored in Europe 😥https://youtu.be/1dkAd8HIhD8
@NEStalgia Well aware, I actually cover that song in a band I play in.
I'm not referring to the joke comments though, those were all pretty good. It's the few saying negative stuff that I'm talking about but I'm not really surprised, this site and its comment sections have been going the way of most other popular websites these days.
@business-scrub yeah, i suppose Nintendo finally having a popular console for "core" gamers for the first time since 2006 meant inevitably more of the internet's festering core gamers would stink up the place sooner or later.
Personally, i blame Canada.
@NEStalgia @business-scrub it must be so bad for their to be multiple options at once. We should all depend on a business to tell us what to think and not question anything. Heil Nintendo!
On topic, I played this on Ps3 and wasn't that impressed. It seemed like it kind of, hate to say, ripped off Mario RPG games without any of the charming parts at all. Then again, I was never a fan of the show.
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