South Park: The Stick of Truth

[WestofHouse]

First impressions, anyone?

 

I only got to play it for about thirty minutes last night (I don't want to play it while my eight year-old daughter is in the room, for obvious reasons.), but so far I love it. I didn't notice any technical glitches while roaming the town. I certainly didn't have any "major stutters" like the Kotaku reviewer complained of. As many reviewers have said, it looks exactly like an episode of the show. They really nailed the graphics.

 

The combat system is interesting, and more difficult than I expected. I'm having trouble with the timing of the attacks and blocks. One of the special attacks I have requires moving the left thumb stick around in a circle and then hitting X at the right time. I always mess it up. They don't give you much room for error, and it doesn't help that I'm laughing out loud while trying to hit the buttons properly. There is also some strategy involved, so you can't just spam your default attack. I like that.

 

I've already seen a lot of little touches that are simply brilliant, many of which lampoon traditional RPG tropes. Some examples:

 

 

-- One of the first quests you get is Kenny asking you to find a flower for him. The flower is literally like 15 feet away from him. What a hilarious spoof of the annoying and all-too-common fetch quests.

-- I was taking my time exploring Cartman's back yard before doing the next task he gave me. Finally in his sarcastic tone he said something like "Ohhh, he's exploring everywhere. Hardcore gamer, here."

-- I love the fact that no matter what you type when you're asked to enter your name, Cartman just calls you "Douchebag."

-- At the class selection screen, when I hovered over "Thief," Cartman says "A white thief, huh? Don't think I've ever seen one of those." Classic. I actually selected the Jew class (I mean, how can you resist?), and Cartman said "Jew, huh? I guess we can never truly be friends."

-- I'm seeing objects that look like presents semi-hidden in the scenery but I can't get to them. I wonder if you'll be able to go back with a different skill and pick them up later?

-- There's nothing like being called a motherf&%#$r during an RPG battle.

 

[Bill Loguidice]

First impressions, anyone?

My impressions are the same as yours and I got as far as you did last night. It installed and so far is running flawlessly via Steam on my Surface Pro 2. No stutters, no nothing. I'm using an Xbox 360 controller, since it seems to be optimized for console controls. One thing I don't like is that when I went to save it, it warned me it will only save to the last checkpoint. Another console-like holdover I guess. Frustrating, but I guess not a major deal.

 

I definitely laughed out loud a few times. The game is certainly an unusual mix of RPG and adventure game, and it clearly has Paper Mario-like real-time controls. One thing I couldn't was poop in the bathroom at the very beginning because the speed with which you have to press the A button was too quick for my reflexes... I get caught at times in the combat too because I don't quite have the timing down. Of course I'm playing seated in bed, so that may have something to do with it.

[WestofHouse]

One thing I don't like is that when I went to save it, it warned me it will only save to the last checkpoint.

 

Yeah, I don't like that either. I guess the save icon indicates the checkpoints, so I just watched for one of those and saved immediately after it.

 

One thing I couldn't was poop in the bathroom at the very beginning because the speed with which you have to press the A button was too quick for my reflexes...

 

Ha! I tried that, too! I failed the first time but got it the second. I had to take my hand off the controller and use my index finger.

[Bill Loguidice]

Yeah, I don't like that either. I guess the save icon indicates the checkpoints, so I just watched for one of those and saved immediately after it.

 

Ha! I tried that, too! I failed the first time but got it the second. I had to take my hand off the controller and use my index finger.

Hmm, I didn't notice any save icons. I'll have to keep an eye out.

 

I tried everything to get my speed up to poop, but it didn't work. Is it anything other than a gag, i.e., do I have to bother doing it (I'm trying to be as completist as possible with the game)?

[WestofHouse]

Hmm, I didn't notice any save icons. I'll have to keep an eye out.

 

 

 

 

I tried everything to get my speed up to poop, but it didn't work. Is it anything other than a gag, i.e., do I have to bother doing it (I'm trying to be as completist as possible with the game)?

 

Think Track and Field with the Atari joystick. Heh.

 

 

You actually get a piece of poop as "treasure." Not sure if it's worth anything, but I read somewhere that one of the attacks you can learn is throwing poop at people, so maybe that's your ammo. If it is actually needed there will probably be a specific quest instructing you to poop. Just typing that last sentence affirms my love for this game so far.

 

Edited March 5, 2014 by WestofHouse

[WestofHouse]

I just discovered the answer to the poop question.

 

 

When you successfully poop in the toilet and get a piece of poop as treasure, you can select it during combat and throw it at someone, making them sick.

 

[Hydro Thunder]

I really don't like buying new games at $60, but this may be the last new game I get for quite some time as I'm not interested in the PS4 or Xbone. So as a treat for myself I did go out and get it, wound up going with the 360 version since you can install it (I'm a new PS3 owner, and surprised that most games don't let you install them so far, weird).

 

I love it for all of the reasons that Bill L. and WestOfHouse mention. It has been ages since I played an RPG truth told, and I really enjoy the combat system. I'm not a pro and my timing completely sucks, but it's still fun and as said above it forces you to use different attack strategies. Defending some of those kids' multiple arrow attacks is really tough, and I hate bleeding. I do like that you've a chance to perform a pre-attack action each turn.

 

And I love all the sound effects and animations, it's a joy to play all things considered a couple of hours in. It's strange in that it is crass humor on the one hand. And for me (perhaps I'm completely weird lately, wouldn't be a surprise, lot of stuff going on in my life) I'm actually kind of getting into the role of a kid playing a real life RPG, the game within a game of sorts. It's ridiculous, but I like the quest, the "threat" of the dark elves, the difference between the imaginary stick of truth in the prologue and the real stick. And frankly, it's _really satisfying_ to successfully time a multiple hit attack and kick some a-hole kid's butt.

 

No glitches at all, no idea what that guy was talking about thus far. *shrug* Edit - Just watched the video the guy was mentioning from Kotaku, where he shows you the "stuttering". I think he's out of his mind; I think that's how the backgrounds are animated when you're walking. I don't think it's a technical glitch at all; the characters are moving just as they ought to be, just as the show animates them. The backgrounds kind of bump along but needing a Dramamine because it's making him so crazy? Maybe if you played for 10 hours straight (as reviewers are often required to, I suppose). But for those of us with stuff to do, who'll put in an hour or two here and there, it's basically not even worthy of note.

 

Oh, and I was excited that though I didn't pre-order it, I had a code in my case for the Fellowship Ultimate whatever it is pre-order pack. Thank you K-Mart.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Curious Sofa

[goldenegg]

No glitches at all, no idea what that guy was talking about thus far. *shrug* Edit - Just watched the video the guy was mentioning from Kotaku, where he shows you the "stuttering". I think he's out of his mind; I think that's how the backgrounds are animated when you're walking. I don't think it's a technical glitch at all; the characters are moving just as they ought to be, just as the show animates them. The backgrounds kind of bump along but needing a Dramamine because it's making him so crazy? Maybe if you played for 10 hours straight (as reviewers are often required to, I suppose). But for those of us with stuff to do, who'll put in an hour or two here and there, it's basically not even worthy of note.

 

 

There's a ton of stuttering and frame rate drops throughout the game on the PS3. The video shown on Kotaku is a terrible example of the issue. If you haven't noticed it yet, you simply haven't played far enough in to the game. I'm about 11 hours in at this point and it's definitely worse during the back half.

[WestofHouse]

I found my first annoying bug in the game yesterday. [Trying to keep my description vague so as to be spoiler-free] I was doing a quest for which you have to find and rescue someone. I found them, fought the baddies, then the character thanks me for saving him and leaves. The save indicator popped up and I was ready to quit, so I so saved my game and quit.

 

When I loaded the game the next day the baddies were gone but the character I saved was back, saying "Help me!" There was no one to fight, and talking to him did nothing, so there was no way to get him to leave again to complete the rescue quest. I had to load an earlier save, return to that spot, then fight the bad guys again to get him to say "Thanks" and leave again. Not game-breaking but annoying. I'm just glad I had a recent save point.

 

And for those who say this game is too easy, it took me about ten tries to beat one of the bosses.

[cybercylon]

I'll pick it up when it is half the cost… maybe a bit cheaper. Looks good for any South Park fan, but not worth $60.

 

No matter when I get it.. it has to sit in the obligatory to play pile for at least 6 months to year….

[jmetal88]

 

There's a ton of stuttering and frame rate drops throughout the game on the PS3. The video shown on Kotaku is a terrible example of the issue. If you haven't noticed it yet, you simply haven't played far enough in to the game. I'm about 11 hours in at this point and it's definitely worse during the back half.

 

I had no stuttering at all on my PC, and while it does have a fairly fast CPU, the graphics card is old at this point. Maybe it's just not as optimized on consoles.

 

Anyway, I beat the main quest line a day or two ago, and I thought the game was thoroughly enjoyable. I think I'll have a couple of extra hours of play if I go back and finish the side quests I largely ignored. The game was kind of short just following the main quest, but it wasn't short enough to make me dissatisfied with the purchase price.

[WestofHouse]

I finished the story line last night. I enjoyed every minute of the game, but I can't argue with those waiting for a price drop. It was relatively short as far as RPGs go, and the replay value is minimal in my opinion. Even though I missed a few Chinpokomon I feel like I've seen everything the game has to offer.

 

Best Buy are offering $40 for this on a trade-in right now, so I'm probably going to take advantage of it. Considering I got $10 for pre-ordering, that puts it at a $10 rental for me. I definitely got $10 worth out of it.