South Park: The Stick of Truth

'The Stick of Truth' probably isn't the game to show off as being a graphical powerhouse. There are plenty of others out there that can fill those shoes. However, it's hard not to appreciate the attention to detail the developers at Obsidian Entertainment put into this title. I've played more than my share of licensed video games over the years. Some have been quite good in their ability to bring a movie to the video game medium, while others have failed miserably, making it even more difficult for gamers to take licensed video games seriously. I'm happy to say that 'The Stick of Truth' is the real deal.

As an open world (or as open as the town of South Park can accommodate for), 'The Stick of Truth' is sure to satisfy even the most faithful and die-hard fans of the show. The places, the characters, and the creator's imagination are all lovingly rendered to present an experience that goes well beyond paying homage to the television show. It's likely you'll forget that you're actually playing a video game and not watching an extended version of any one of your favorite episodes.

Although Obsidian Entertainment may have acquired a reputation for developing games plagued with bugs and problems, I only experienced an occasional frame rate slowdown while traversing the streets of South Park. I was bracing myself for the worst and was surprised by a generally pleasant and solidly performing game. However, I may very well be in the minority as there have been numerous reports across the social media landscape of much more significant bugs and even game ending problems.

Much like my impressions on the video, the audio of 'The Stick of Truth' doesn't stand out, at least not from a technical perspective. Everything is evenly balanced and nicely represented. The frequent battles tend to re-use the same sound effects, but it won't be difficult to overlook this the further you get into the story.

The script and voice-over work continues to be the real highlight of the game, and a determining factor with how well the title transitioned from television show to video game. While some of the music came directly from the series, it was nice to hear an original (and humorous) mix of epic fantasy backed by a choir built from the in-game characters.

While I am admittedly new to the characters and ongoing story of 'South Park', I've seen enough episodes of the television series to prepare myself for the outrageous antics that 'The Stick of Truth' was capable in delivering. For a series that prides itself on gross-out humor, strong language, and inappropriate comedy on a variety of levels, the game delivered a solid RPG experience that was quite enjoyable from start to finish. Although the very mature content forced me to be on the constant lookout for inquisitive eyes (my 8 and 9-year old daughters) while playing the game, the solid game mechanics, hysterical performances, and environmental . . . um . . . variety (if you've played it you'll understand), kept me engaged and interested throughout. Newcomers and loyal fans alike will find plenty of reasons to search for 'The Stick of Truth'.