Most of the time, videogames that are based on licensed properties are not very good. It’s just the way it goes. This is often because developers are forced to rush a product to market, and the people who were involved with the original property have nothing to do with the game. The results are generally less than stellar, and to be honest, previous South Park games prior to The Stick of Truth were not very good. However, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, took a special interest in making sure The Stick of Truth was a good game, and they succeeded.
Fans and critics alike loved the game from Obsidian Entertainment, which was full references to the show, as well as pop culture. At its heart, it was a fantasy RPG, even though it was set in the town of South Park. Now, two years after its release, they are coming out with a new game.
The new game, slated for late 2016, comes from Ubisoft San Francisco and South Park Digital Studios and is named South Park: The Fractured But Whole. While the gameplay should be very similar since both are turn-based RPGs, the theme is going to be quite a bit different.
In South Park: The Fractured But Whole, you will be playing as a character in the world of South Park again, but this time the theme is superheroes. The gang is pretending that they are heroes, and you, as the New Kid in town, get to join them.
What’s the Plot?
The basic plot is that the boys and their friends are pretending to be superheroes. They come to a disagreement when Cartman’s film franchise plans differ from the others. This causes them to have their own “civil war”. You, as the player, get to be the New Kid in town again. Only this time, you can be a female rather than a male if you choose.
What’s Revealed So Far?
Fans of the series are very excited to see what comes next. The first game looked identical to the television series, and the gameplay was outstanding. Parker and Stone actually wrote the game as well, so it had that trademark humor. They also wrote South Park: The Fractured But Whole, so you can certainly expect that it is going to be laugh out loud funny. The title alone is great! The first game was very engaging and had a robust “old school” RPG feel.
During their showing at E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, they revealed three of the different classes that would be available – Brutalist, Blaster, and Speedster. The Brutalist utilizes fists and strength, the Blaster can shoot, and the Speedster is fast. In addition, they showed pre-alpha gameplay that revealed a number of other character classes. These include the Assassin, Cyborg, Elementalist, Gadgeteer, Psychic, Commander, Netherborn, and Karate Kid.
Naturally, you will be able to interact with all of your favorite characters from the show including Cartman, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Butters, and the rest of the group. You will also get to see their superhero alter egos in action, such as Mysterion and The Coon. You even get to become your own superhero.
Is the Game for Everyone?
Most people are familiar with South Park, so they know that the humor can be crass at times. This means people who buy this game should not be surprised at the language or the type of humor they find within. Those who are not familiar with South Park – I’m sure there are at least a few people out there that fall into this category – should watch an episode first. They can also watch some gameplay of the first game on Vimeo to get an idea of how it will play and the type of humor they will encounter. It might look like a cartoon, but it is not a game that is meant for young kids.
Excitement Grows
When the first game came out, many felt it was game of the year material, and it received a number of awards from various outlets. Everyone also wanted there to be a sequel. While Parker and Stone said they were open to doing a sequel, they were quiet about it. In fact, even though people figured there would be another game somewhere down the pipeline, they never really believed that it would occur as quickly as it did.
The first game came out in 2014, and this game is coming out in winter of 2016. People are very excited about the prospect of playing a new one so soon. For many, there is no such thing as too much South Park. The game will be available for the PC, as well as for the Xbox One and the PS4.
