South Park: The Stick of Truth Review

When South Park fans finally got their hands on South Park: The Stick of Truth in 2014, they were treated to an experience that was fun, accessible, and exceedingly truthful to the series they had enjoyed for decades. This was a relief, as licensed games based on film and television properties rarely live up to their full potential. South Park: The Stick of Truth passes this test with flying colors.

Faithfulness to the Show

The developer, Obsidian Entertainment, worked closely with series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who oversaw the game’s creation. The duo wrote the script and voiced many of the characters, as they do on the show. As a result, The Stick of Truth keeps in line with the high points of the show.

The writing and voice work make it feel like you’re watching an entire season’s worth of South Park content. Fans of the series will feel right at home with the quality of the story and humor.

Story

Naturally, the game will cross any line, break any barrier, and offer no apologies while doing so. That’s something of an achievement given the relatively simple way that the plot starts off. In South Park: The Stick of Truth, you will play as the New Kid in the quiet little mountain town. As your character makes friends with well-known characters and begins to explore the setting, you will become embroiled in a delightful and somewhat imaginative struggle for the titular “Stick of Truth.”

The factor that makes the story enjoyable is that the fantastical war found within the game is largely just make-believe. The kids of South Park all join in on the action, using handmade weapons, gear, and set pieces in hilarious, often brutal ways. This is the tone that the game will always come back to, no matter how outlandish or insane things may get from time to time.

The game absolutely does go places, however. From outer space, to the perspective of tiny underwear gnomes, to a top-secret military blacksite, and even Canada, the game features a good amount of settings to keep things interesting, funny, and incredibly uncomfortable in many parts.