‘South Park: The Stick Of Truth’ Delayed; New Gameplay Video

Halloween seems like the perfect time to let our excitement for South Park: The Stick of Truth build even higher, as the game itself seeks to turn a group of children into fantastic heroes, and the small town of South Park, Colorado into a vast wilderness that even the makers of Skyrim would envy.

Unfortunately, Ubisoft announced today that The Stick of Truth would not be making its December release date, pushing the launch all the way into March 2014. But according to the publisher, fans will be thankful that they did.

Things seemed to be going surprisingly well for The Stick of Truth after the game was announced, with series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone hand-picking the developers at Obsidian Entertainment to finally do their show justice in digital form. Even after THQ’s collapse put the game into jeopardy, Ubisoft swept in to keep the project afloat.

In an official blog post, Ubisoft claims that they, like many, assumed that acquiring the rights to the game would mean little more than finishing what was already being developed, and providing the marketing the game deserved. But according to Ubisoft North America’s president Laurent Detoc, that wasn’t the case:


“Within three weeks after acquiring the game, we sadly realized we had to turn this thing upside down if we hoped to deliver the experience everybody wanted. It’s been such a major overhaul to get to the point where we are that we couldn’t let it go, even if that meant missing December.”

Those sentiments are echoed by Parker and Stone, claiming that the decision to delay the release in order to make the game meet fan expectations is one that fans should be thrilled, not disappointed by:


“We always wanted the game to feel like you’re actually in an episode of South Park. Getting the game up to the crappy standards of the show has been a real challenge and we’re excited to say it’s taken way longer than we thought it would.”

Besides implying that the game wasn’t going to be what fans hoped it would with THQ publishing, these comments cement the idea that Parker and Stone are through with releasing sub-par video games bearing the South Park name. And development delays or no, that is extremely good news.

To help keep fans happy, the team has released a new 7-minute gameplay video, following Cartman’s clan (including the player-controlled character, ‘Sir Douchebag’) as they seek out the mysterious Bard in the Giggling Donkey Tavern. Enjoy:

The gameplay video provides even more evidence of what the developers mean when they claim their intention is to reproduce the look and feel of the TV show throughout gameplay. We came away from the E3 2013 demo convinced the game was on the right track, and hopefully this look at the exploration and combat systems helps explain why.

Fans will sadly have to add a few extra months before they can see the game for themselves, but it does give even more time to decide if the Grand Wizard Edition of the game will be worth the price tag.

How do you feel about the delay? Does the new information regarding the game’s state under THQ make the decision easier to understand, or are you simply disappointed? Sound off in the comments.

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Trey Parker & Matt Stone Talk ‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’

If one upcoming game qualifies for the ‘better than expected’ award, it has to beSouth Park: The Stick of Truth. After what seemed like years of the show’s immense popularity and satirical humor being reduced to downright pitiful video games, the team at Obsidian Entertainment looked to be making every fan of the show’s dream come true: bring the humor and world of South Park to the game space.

The promise of The Stick of Truth is due in large part to series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone providing the writing themselves. In a recently published interview, Parker and Stone explain why they felt the time was right to take total ownership over a South Park game, and where their gaming passion comes from.

In hindsight, fans went through a wide range of reactions following the announcement of yet another South Park video game; beginning with disappointment given the series’ track record on consoles, and curiosity once Parker and Stone began putting their full weight behind its development. But when the title of the game was changed to The Stick of Truth, and gameplay was described as a sprawling, turn-based role-playing game, most preconceived notions went out the door.

The decision to use the South Park fiction as the backdrop for a classic RPG wasn’t made purely to distinguish this title from previous ones, but according to Parker and Stone, because those are the kinds of games they’ve always respected. Speaking with Game Informer, the creators admit that the series’ forays into gaming haven’t been successful, but by keeping true to the RPG values, they’re intent to “keep it in the awesome category”:

Trey: I really loved RPGs growing up, and even now I really love them. We started kicking around the idea of a South Park RPG even a long time ago when we did an episode about Lord of the Rings. I think since then we’ve talked about how cool a big, real RPG with the kids playing a game within the game could be. We had been kicking around the idea since then.

Matt: We’ve been thinking about this RPG the whole time we’ve seriously thought about a game. I don’t think we’ve ever really considered anything else. It’s the best way to tell the story, we can get some real writing in there.

Trey: The other games, we just kind of found a company and were like, “Go ahead and make a game.” Whatever it was, we just weren’t super involved. The best way for us to be involved and have actual writing in it is to do an RPG.

South Park fans with a taste for gaming don’t need a refresher course in just how many truly terrible games have sullied the series’ name. Despite that, Parker and Stone won over plenty of fans when they announced that The Stick of Truth would be entrusted to the veteran team at Obsidian Entertainment – the studio responsible for the likes of Fallout: New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

It’s hard to say if the children of South Park, Colorado are bound for the same accolades, but it proved the show’s creators were done slumming it when it came to games.

While the series may have first been viewed as crass and juvenile, years of biting commentary and topical plots – Parker and Stone write each episode a week before it airs – the pair’s writing skills have been more than proven. It’s no surprise then that one of the most pleasant surprises with The Stick of Truth is the story being used to shape the experience.

With the player set as the ‘new kid’ in town, they’re immediately thrown into a massive live-action role-playing game spread out across some of the show’s most well-known locations, with kids imagining themselves as wizards, elves, or warriors. It’s as logical a premise for an RPG as any, but writing a three-act structure for every episode isn’t the same as writing an extensive role-playing experience. But being serious gamers themselves, that’s a challenge Parker and Stone are willing to tackle:


Matt: We’re used to telling stories like, “this happens, and then this happens.” Not, “this happens, and then a person can go do this or this.” That’s a whole different thing, you know. So far, it’s pretty cool.

Trey: It has that same thing, just like with the musical where you can say, “Okay, we’re gonna do a Broadway show for the first time!” You can go, “Okay, here’s what I love about Broadway shows.” And when we make a movie, it’s like “Okay, here’s what we know we love about movies.” That’s always what we try to stick to. With this game, we’re really trying to stick to that and go, “Okay, here’s what we really love about games, and here’s what really drives us nuts about games. Let’s really try to focus on one and not the other.”

With a lifetime of gaming experience, fans have always hoped that when it came to a South Park video game, Parker and Stone would be allowed to make the exact experience they wished to. Some feared that might not be the case when THQ went bankrupt and publishing rights went to Ubisoft. However, having seen the game ourselves at E3 2013, it still seems to be as crude and clever as the source material (if they’re being reined in, it doesn’t show).

The most surprising part of the demo we saw was the surprising-yet-obvious decision by Obsidian to shape their RPG not around a 3D open world (morphing the environments and characters of the show into a third dimension), but move players through the show’s environments, screen by screen. The overall effect is that players are watching a normal episode of the show, with the ability to move and interact with it as they please. That choice results in what Parker and Stone feel the fans are most hungry for: letting players step into the same South Parkworld they already know and love.

Still, the creators’ foray into actual game design can’t help but be influenced by the video games and RPGs that they’ve most admired. So what games most stand out to Parker and Stone as their personal favorites?

Trey: I just remember playing Oblivion and being like, “This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for my entire life.” There was no online thing, it was just the greatest RPG ever. That’s probably the best time I’ve ever had playing a game.

Matt: …I sound like a broken record, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say FIFA. Since FIFA 06 maybe, every time it comes out in October, I get it. I get the off-year World Cup versions and all that.

Trey: Rest assured, the South Park game will be a brilliant cross between Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and FIFA.

Matt: Finally.

Trey: You gotta go kill a bunch of monsters and **** but you can only use your feet.

We’re confident that if anyone could make it work, it’s them. What are your hopes or concerns for South Park: The Stick of Truth? Does this really seem like theSouth Park game you’ve always dreamed might one day be made? Sound off in the comments.

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‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Screenshots from Gamescom

Before all these new-fangled computer games were invented, kids had to get their fix of exposure to violent imagery by using their own precious imaginations and by flinging rocks at each other’s heads. In these sophisticated times, however, the world of make-believe has collided with the world of fantasy RPGs to create Obsidian Entertainment’s 2.5D epic South Park: The Stick of Truth. Of course, since the game will most likely end up being rated M by the ESRB, young kids will have to carry on throwing rocks at each other for now.

As Game Rant learned during our E3 preview of South Park: The Stick of Truth, the player takes on the role of the new kid in town, and is caught up in an elaborate and out-of-control LARP starring many of the characters from the show, with Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s voices (and humor) providing the spirit of the show.

The set-up for South Park: The Stick of Truth seems fairly simple, like many of the best fantasy tales. There is an item known as the Stick of Truth, which the humans (led by Cartman the Grand Wizard) and the elves (led by High Jew Elf Kyle) both wish to own, and New Kid must help to obtain. Along the way lies danger, magic and a naked Mr. Slave. These new images released by Ubisoft at Gamescom show off at least two of those:

As evidenced by the fact that the New Kid is shown with both Eric and Kyle, and in a variety of outfits, you can choose to play as a certain “race” and it seems you can even decide which of the factions to join, though the trailer originally showed the New Kid starting out on Cartman’s team. Though obviously the whole thing is a tongue-in-cheek parody of the genre, South Park: The Stick of Truth looks like it could actually be a deep and very polished RPG in its own right.

The game was originally announced back in 2011 and underwent some delaysbefore finally obtaining an as-yet unspecified holiday release. It’s one of Game Rant’s most anticipated games of the year, and also made it onto a list of the top 20 most pre-ordered games of 2013. Everything that’s been revealed so far looks pretty great, and this game is likely to be unmissable for fans of both South Park and the fantasy RPG genre.

Are you on Team Cartman or Team Kyle? Tell us how badly you want the Stick of Truth in the comments.

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‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Preview

It’s taken a long time for South Park: The Stick of Truth to be extensively shown, but now that Obsidian has descended on E3 2013 with a playable demo, fans of the TV series have reason to be excited. The game has changed publishers (from THQ to Ubisoft), but maintain that the game hasn’t changed, and will be keeping to the course set out by the show’s creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

The early showing granted at E3 backs up those claims, building off of the strong writing seen at last year’s Comic-Con. Featuring artwork, action, and a story that fits right in with the show’s fiction – with plenty of crude humor and vulgar content – it’s looking more and more like The Stick of Truth may be the South Park game fans have always hoped would become a reality.

The trailers released so far confirmed that Parker and Stone wouldn’t be cleaning up their writing for a video game, but building actual RPG gameplay around a notoriously absurd TV series is a bit harder to imagine. Obsidian has tackled the challenge by doing everything in their power to make the game experience appear as close to an episode of the show as possible.

The game world is viewed from the same 2.5D angle, calling on familiar locations throughout South Park and the surrounding forests (and nods to past episodes as well). As the ‘New Kid,’ the player navigates through these screens, freely able to move and explore from left to right, and up and down. That freedom to explore will be much needed, given the role-playing mechanics shaping the experience – you can’t have an RPG without loot, as any gamer knows.

Of course, in this universe ‘loot’ is less likely to be enchanted swords and magical gemstones, and more likely to be bean burritos and erotic paraphernalia. Yet the need to search through garbage cans, lockers, and the pockets of the vanquished is every bit as important in leveling up the player’s character, and customizing their arsenal and wardrobe.

It may have already been evident to fans of the show that The Stick of Truthwould be inspired heavily by the role-playing episodes from the original series, turning the town of South Park into a vast imaginary kingdom of elves, dwarves and orcs. So as Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Butters once again engage in some seriously destructive LARPing (Live Action Role Play), it falls to the newest kid in town to emerge as the hero.

Aided by Butters in the demo, the barricaded and half-destroyed South Park Elementary School acted as the backdrop to a number of battle instances, as well as a few short glimpses at the exploration and interactivity that will be required to progress through the campaign. When running up against a barricade, for instance, the only solution to circumvent it was the use of ‘Underpants Gnome’ magic to shrink in size and travel through a nearby airduct.

The player’s character also possessed a slingshot – used not to wound enemies, but impact the environment to either remove obstacles or vanquish them indirectly (spilled water, an electrical current, etc.). Constant barks from both friendly NPCs and enemies constantly remind observers that Parker and Stone’s humor is present at every beat, lending their voices to most of the characters once again.

Of course, the turn-based combat is what will be drawing the attention of many RPG fans, and looks to provide some of the biggest laughs for fans of the TV show who may have no experience with JRPGs whatsoever. Equipped with both offensive attacks and spells, and defensive buffs, the player – using a Mage character class in this demoe – can unleash fire, ice, and steel, all with a uniqueSouth Park slant.

The use of a fire extinguisher (‘funnel of cold’) and a Roman Candle firework (‘dragon’s breath’) keep up the idea of violent children putting their imagination to work with everyday objects, and the lines of dialogue that accompany each attack help blur the lines between Stick of Truth gameplay and an actual episode of the show. Especially when Butters helps heal his comrade – with a short back rub and an encouraging word.

Defeating enemies not only advances the story (which we still can’t begin to guess at after this showing), but grants new weapons and armor. The most impressively-named items may be held together with scotch tape and paste, but that doesn’t make them any less impressive when worn into battle. The extensive system of items, skills and quests is accessed not by a dusty journal, but a parody of Facebook.

It is in this social media interface – likened to the popular ‘South Park Avatar Creation’ apps found online – that inventory and character stats are managed, and the player’s power grows. With each new friend request the new kid solidifies power, and is given even more initiative to seek out ways to aid other schoolchildren and townspeople.

Exactly how the story will be shaped, how long the campaign will last, and how far from Colorado the children may stray wasn’t mentioned. But given the similarities to the show, while also infusing well-developed mechanics and combat, there’s no reason to think that a fan of the series wouldn’t love The Stick of Truth. The cut-scenes were indistinguishable from an episode of the show, so on that basis alone it warrants attention from gamers who happen to enjoy Parker and Stone’s unique take on childhood mischief.

South Park: The Stick of Truth is still scheduled for a 2013 release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

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‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Still on Track for 2013 Release

After THQ declared bankruptcy and was subsequently forced to auction of all of their relevant IPs, in-development titles, and studios, talk instantly jumped to delays. With a changing of the guard taking place across the board, most figured many of the games that were on track for 2013 would slip to 2014.

Luckily, one by one the publishers now in control of these titles – like Saints Row 4 and Metro: Last Light for example – have come out to assuage fan fears. Now throwing it’s soothing touch into the air is Ubisoft, who have today confirmedSouth Park: The Stick of Truth is still targeting a 2013 release.

First teased at last year’s E3, South Park: The Stick of Truth is developer Obsidian Entertainment’s take on Comedy Central’s popular animated TV series. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Obsidian game without some RPG trappings – hence the classic turn-based action.

South Park: Stick of Truth was actually in development at Obsidian well before THQ came on as a publisher. At first, some assumed South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone could simply find a new publisher after THQ went under, but apparently the situation was a little more complicated.

Luckily, the game has found a home, and should hopefully hit store shelves later this year. It’s been an interesting couple of months since the THQ auction – seeing how various properties and developers have found new homes – and it seems most of those developers are picking up right where they left off.

While we have no clear indication as to when the game might release, we suspect based on the fact this is a current-gen game, that Ubisoft is targeting sometime before the PS4 and the next Xbox hit.

Are you happy to hear that South Park: Stick of Truth is still on track for a 2013 release? How does this game rank among the other triple-A titles releasing this Fall?

South Park: The Stick of Truth is still scheduled for a 2013 release on the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

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The New ‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Trailer is Loaded With F-Bombs

South Park fans rejoice! The 2012 Spike VGAs show debuted an exclusive trailer of Obsidian Entertainment’s twice-delayed RPG, South Park: The Stick of Truth.Nominated by the Spike VGA 2012 Advisory Panel for the category of “The Most Anticipated Game” and for Game Rant’s Best RPG of E3, gamers get an extended (and profanity-laden) glimpse of a title that may finally be deserving of the South Park brand.

Over the last year, publisher THQ has showed off colorful screenshots, and an impressive E3 trailer, which only encouraged our need to kill Vampire Kids, Crab People, and possibly Mecha Streisand. And just as Spike VGA producer, Mark Burnett, said, this newest trailer further stokes our desire to visit the locals of South Park:

While the newest trailer has that appropriate South Park trademark humor and a showcase of the game’s character classes, including Kyle as the High Jew Elf, a firm release date would have been nice. At least South Park’s prominent role in this year’s VGAs would seem to indicate that the game is still in the pipe line for the (relative) near future. Let’s just hope that THQ’s financial woes don’t cause the release date to slip any further because I really want to explore an 8-bit version of Canada.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone appear to be delivering on their promise of a faithful and proper South Park video game adaptation that literally looks (and plays) like an uncensored season of episodes.

What do you think of the latest trailer?

South Park: The Stick of Truth releases for PlayStation 3, Windows PC, and Xbox 360 and its arrival is targeted for some time during THQ’s 2014 Fiscal Year (April 2013 to March 2014).

Follow Game Rant on Twitter and watch all of the Spike Video Game Awardstrailers and unveilings here.

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New ‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Screenshots Introduce The Kingdom

Despite an ugly track record of franchise releases, the next video game to bear theSouth Park name had the Game Rant staff so excited that it easily made our list ofmost anticipated games of 2012. Like several other titles on that list however,South Park: The Stick of Truth was delayed by THQ and Obsidian to next spring.

We still don’t know if the delay was due to THQ’s financial woes and layoffs at Obsidian Entertainment, or if it was to avoid a busy fall release season and allocate more time to polishing the game and it’s 2D art style which perfectly replicates theSouth Park television series. If the latest screenshots are of any indication, the game looks in good shape.

When South Park masterminds Trey Parker and Matt Stone met with Obsidian, one of the requirements of them developing an RPG based on the series was that it would have to offer a proper adaptation of the 2D cutout art and animation style from the TV show. Combine that with Parker and Stone offering the story and character voices, with the RPG history of Obsidian, and The Stick of Truth - at least as an idea – was a formula for success.

Earlier South Park: The Stick of Truth screenshots showcased a variety of different environments and enemy types, all faithfully taken from the series. The latest set of four in-game images bring fans into the South Park cemetery (home of the Goths), the schoolyard, Mr. Kim’s City Wok and last but not least, The Kingdom – the hub area/home base where players can access their armory, stables and other funny adaptations of RPG tropes.

We had the chance to preview the game at Comic-Con where we experienced what it was like to be the new kid in town on an adventure with the stars of the TV series, and we can safely say that The Stick of Truth is the game South Park fans have been waiting for.

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‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Comic-Con Preview

Ever since South Park began airing back in 1997, it has pushed boundaries beyond our wildest Imaginationland. Downloadable titles aside, console gamers have not witnessed a full scale South Park game since the year 2000. Now, after capturing multiple Emmy and Tony awards, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are ready to invade the video game industry once more and win our hearts with South Park: The Stick of Truth.

Players finally got a good look at the game in action during a hands-off preview atComic-Con. What was shown more than lives up to expectations. In fact, South Park: The Stick of Truth may turn out to be one of the most entertaining RPGs we’ve ever played.

The South Park: The Stick of Truth demo begins with a quick introduction of the “new kid” (the user) as he and his family move into the lovely town of South Park. Wanting to get a little frisky, mom and dad tell the kid to go make friends while they wrestle upstairs. Locked out of the house, the player is left to roam the streets of South Park. Right from the very beginning, the interactions among the game’s AI cast are hilarious and well thought out. Matt Stone and Trey Parker have written everything and, of course, do most of the voice acting.

Neglected by others, the new kid runs into Butters “The Merciful,” a paladin. Butters takes us to The Kingdom where we must seek out The Wizard King, Eric Cartman. From here users will be able to choose a name, customize their character’s outfit, and pick a class: cleric, fighter, mage, or thief. Now the quest begins. Players must go to City Wok to retrieve some Kung Pao chicken. Armed with the wooden Sword of Sorrows, it is your duty to embark on this quest in order to test your loyalty and gain new friends.

Before the adventure can begin, elves invade the fortress seeking the Stick of Truth — and here is where our first battle takes place. Gamers who are accustomed to RPGs will quickly grasp the basic concepts of fighting, but there is a tutorial that does a great job at mapping out the gameplay for newcomers. The Stick of Truth is highly reliant on timed attacks, which can be very useful for counter-attacks and blocking. Fighting is turn based and can be strategic, based on who’s in your party or who you may be fighting.

Simply put, the battles are a ton of fun. The witty banter between characters is extremely vulgar, incredibly offensive and highly entertaining. Not only do the characters comment when they attack, but also while they are idle.

Skipping ahead, we are taken to a fight between the children and some vampire kids in a local cemetery. This time, the focus is on using special attacks (some of which can be seen in the E3 trailer, like Mr. Slave taking one for the team, literally). As in any other RPG, characters gain experience points and cash after each fight. Throughout the game players will be able to obtain items through treasure chests and completely customize their armor — from classy monocles to scruffy beards.

Like the cartoon, there isn’t much depth in The Stick of Truth’s 3D environment. As a result, the game looks just like the show. The animation is clear and colorful, with great effects during battle and clever environments all around. Plus, the game really takes advantage of South Park’s vast history — references to the show are practically everywhere, giving fans plenty to look out for.

According to one of the production artists on the show, the game is still under development and the guys from South Park are working very hard to make it one of the best experiences possible — not only for gamers, but for fans as well. He also let slip that players will be able to explore Canada in The Stick of Truth, and that the country may (or may not) have an “8-bit” variation.

From what we’ve seen so far, fans of South Park will not be disappointed in The Stick of Truth. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, in collaboration with Obsidian Entertainment, have created something that has a chance of being truly great, and we can’t wait to play the finished game.

Will you embark on the journey, reacquire the Stick of Truth, and save South Park?

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‘South Park: The Stick of Truth’ Trailer & DLC Details [Updated With Screenshots]

Microsoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference showered audiences with trailers and gameplay galore of some of the biggest titles hitting the console soon, along with a few of the peripherals and pieces of media center software the company is trying to promote on its gaming machine.

For those of us who just wanted to get back to the games, Trey Parker and Matt Stone really cleansed the palette and woke up the audience with their jibes at the conference itself, teleprompter free and off-script. We were treated to a new trailer for THQ and Obsidian Entertainment’s RPG South Park: The Stick of Truth, as well as some insight into Trey and Matt’s involvement in the development process (which is a lot). Aside from the game simply including characters and places familiar to fans of the show, the trailer proved that it carried its spirit and humor as well, translating seamlessly from the series.

As the new kid, gamers will embark on a quest to become cool by creating and customizing their own unique South Park avatar and jumping into an adventure with all the bizarre, gross, and hilarious flair of the show. While the game will be available on most major platforms, Xbox proudly toted exclusive content and first dibs on DLC. The “Good Times With Weapons” pack, based off of the episode of the same name, will allow players to wield some of the weapons the kids used, such as Cartman’s Kick-Ass Sai and his alter-ego Bulrog’s Chicken Attack, which turns foes into poultry. Round (or roundhouse) it all off with Samurai costumes and you have a DLC pack that’s pretty kick-ass in itself.

Exclusive to Xbox 360 is the “Mysterion Superhero Pack,” a pre-order pack that is themed after the superhero episodes from the show. In it, gamers will be able to use the powers of Mysterion, don some capes and costumes, and get stabby with the Dagger of Cthulhu. Another perk for Xbox owners is that the first three downloadable episode packs for South Park: The Stick of Truth will be available first on the Xbox 360. Additionally, Kinect capabilities allows players to issue commands and verbally taunt their enemies.

The earlier screenshots were nice on their own, but the trailer added a whole new dimension to what fans are to expect from the upcoming title. All-in-all, the game looks like it’s shaping up to be more than merely jacking fans for money and pandering to them with a mediocre game. The content, the look and feel, and the creators’ involvement puts a lot of those fears to rest.


South Park: The Stick of Truth will be released for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC March 5, 2013.

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‘South Park’ Game Delayed Until 2013

Fans of the upcoming South Park game will be in for more of a wait than expected, with THQ announcing in their fiscal reports that the release date of the game is now resting in the fourth quarter 2013. Granted, in the eyes of investors this is a very good Holiday window to be in, but not everyone will enjoy the extra year’s worth of wait to get their hands the product of such a much beloved – and infamous – franchise.

The South Park game (recently re-titled South Park: The Stick of Truth) was expected to have a late 2012 release, so it isn’t surprising that THQ let the news of a delay roll out quietly in a fiscal report. The game is a proper RPG, where players can choose from playable classes such as Fighter, Magic, Cleric, Thief and Jew (yes, you read that right). Players will play the role of a new kid in town, earning acceptance by joining in on a roleplaying game which quickly turns into a real adventure, where you’ll no doubt run into many characters from the show.

While it hasn’t been announced if some of the actors will reprise their roles and voice their own characters, it wouldn’t be surprising and would add much depth to the production value. Seeing as South Park will look exactly like a regular episode, there isn’t a reason why it shouldn’t sound like one as well.

Given that developer Obsidian Entertainment suffered layoffs a few months ago, compounded with THQ suffering from severe financial woes and dropping out of E3 2012, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that the firings may be related to the delaying of the game. Still, the game is in good hands with Obsidian, the development studio behind such games as Fallout: New Vegas and Neverwinter Nights 2. With the creative guidance and writing of both Trey Parker and Matt Stone, an entertaining title for fans of the show is almost guaranteed, regardless of studio delays.

The game looks like it came straight out of an episode, and it’s clear that the studio wants to make this game a polished and presentable experience (unlike cash grabs like XBLA flop South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge). While a year’s worth of waiting may seem like a terrible thing now, an extra year of production value is sure to make a difference.

What do you think about South Park being delayed a full year? What do you think the reasons were behind it?

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Trey Parker and Matt Stone Picked Obsidian for ‘South Park: The Game’

Trey Parker and Matt Stone must know that the South Park games, thus far, have been pretty bad because they clearly don’t want to screw South Park: The Game. Not only has the creative duo behind the series sought to create a South Park game unlike anything that has come before it, they handpicked the developer (Obsidian) working on the project, and will not let it release until it’s “perfect.”

Parker and Stone, before THQ acquired the publishing rights to the game, approached Obsidian in the hopes that they would develop this RPG set in theSouth Park world. THQ’s Danny Bilson estimates that this relationship had been going on for about a year before THQ was even brought into the mix.

According to Bilson Parker and Stone “were looking for a publisher to get it involved and pick it up and drive it the rest of the way,” and that’s when THQ got involved. THQ might not necessarily have been the ideal choice for South Park, especially given predictions that the studio won’t survive the year, but apparently Obsidian was the right choice.

While it’s unclear based on Bilson’s comments how much control Stone and Parker have over the end product, you’d have to figure they gave themselves final say on any and everything regarding the game. Bilson even went so far as to say they would delay South Park: The Game past its 2012 release date if Parker and Stone were not satisfied with the game – something very rare for today. At the moment THQ and Obsidian are trying to make it work, matching with the schedules of Parker and Stone, but a delay seems pretty likely at this point.

The announcement of this South Park RPG, where the player rises through the ranks of the Colorado town, came as quite a surprise, but the more we hear and see about it the more intriguing it sounds. Still, when a game like Tenorman’s Revenge, a nigh unplayable platformer, releases carrying the South Park moniker it begs the question whether the property is simply used as a cash grab. But if the show’s creators have as much control over the end product, as it seems they do, then fans should have nothing to worry about.

Should Trey Parker and Matt Stone have the ultimate say in South Park: The Gameeven if it delays the title past its 2012 release date? Do you think that Obsidian was the right choice for this game?

South Park: The Game is targeting a 2012 release for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

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‘South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge’ Review

Jacob Siegal of Game Rant reviews South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge

Scott Tenorman is an unhappy redhead. If you are not familiar with the lore of South Park, Eric Cartman once had a young man’s parents killed, turned them into chili, and then fed them to that same young man – after a relatively harmless altercation between the two. The young man was Scott Tenorman, a ginger who was later revealed to be Eric Cartman’s half-brother. Now Scott Tenorman has stolen the Xbox 360 hard drive from our favorite South Park residents, and they must travel through time and sewers to get it back. Yes, it is as ridiculous as it sounds.

South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge is a 2D platformer focusing on collecting countless doodads, combating an army of robot redheads, and most importantly, retrieving that darn stolen Xbox hard drive from Scott Tenorman. The most effective way to describe this game might be by using an apt chili metaphor: the ingredients all seem delicious by themselves, but the end product suffers from lack of attention to some very basic game design principles. See, that metaphor worked flawlessly.

Platforming, which covers everything from bounding on enemy heads to jumping over lakes of urine, is fluid and fun. The characters, Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny, all control the same, with variations coming in the form of special abilities and superhero power-ups. These abilities and power-ups are vital for the collection of Time Cores, the only collectables necessary to continue to the next level.

The opening cutscene and subsequent introduction to familiar vocal performances are terrifically faithful to the series the game is based on. Matt Stone and Trey Parker reprise their roles as, well, basically everything in South Park, and the animation is identical to the show, from the waddle-walk movement of the characters to the expressions on their faces. South Park Digital Studios has something to be proud of in that regard.

That said, the introduction to the controls and story are simple, brief, and entirely misleading. Once the opening level is completed, the game begins to fall apart. As previously stated, each level requires Time Cores to unlock, but many Time Cores are only available by playing through levels either multiple times alone, or with three other players. Any nostalgia or humor in the levels quickly runs thin when you are searching aimlessly through a poorly constructed level trying to reach the one Time Core needed to advance.

The game does have both local and online co-op, welcome additions to any XBLA title, but players that decide to go solo will be seeing environments over and over in an attempt to gather glowing objects – just to reach the next level. All of this might not be quite so painful if not for the fact that every enemy, every laser beam or lava pit, becomes less of a challenge, and more of an unavoidable frustration requiring more luck, time, and patience than skill. Elevators and rising acid are standard fare in 2D platformers – and, as such, players must avoid these obstacles in order to move on unharmed.

Not in Tenorman’s Revenge! Elevators, lifts, and other cycling progression machines litter the stages, but if you take too long to hop on, prepare to be forced to wait for the contraption to slowly work its way back to you. Again, not a terrible problem as an isolated incident, but expect to be impeded by issues like these multiple times in every level. It’s like slamming on the brakes every 30 seconds while trying to finish a race. As a result, the game has no flow whatsoever.

Combat is competent but nothing new. Enemies can be dispatched by either jumping on their noggins or using a variety of weaponry scattered throughout South Park. The weapons serve their purpose – a couple good smacks to the scalp with a crowbar will take out most foes – and the bubble gun and black hole gun are especially fun.

As for the jumping on heads, an action players will resort to very regularly as weapons break after being worn down, the mechanic couldn’t be much worse. Every single robot ginger requires not one, but two head-hops to be taken out. The first destroys the devilish ginger disguise, revealing their true identity as a robot. The second kills them. The problem is, the first jump often sends the player flying off in a random direction – and guiding Cartman back over a robot while trying to stay within the stupidly small hitbox provided by each enemy is the stuff of nightmares.

Overall, despite the occasionally atrocious (and occasionally less atrocious, but still not good) controls and unbelievable disrespect for single player gamers, there were moments of genuine fun to be had. Sitting down and playing with a friend was not quite up to Rayman Origins standards, but we bashed each other with baseball bats and helped each other find Time Cores, all while giggling and shouting at the TV.

While it might not be the worst licensed game on the Xbox Live Marketplace, it’s hard to recommend the title to anyone but die-hard South Park fans who are more interested in seeing their favorite characters in video game form than actually taking-part in competent gameplay. A funny idea quickly becomes an exercise in frustration, tedium, and lack of attention to the details that really matter.

South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge is now available on XBLA for 800 Microsoft Points ($10.00).

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Official ‘South Park: The Game’ Character Art & Screenshots Look Perfect

A month ago, a surprise announcement of new video game based on South Park caught our attention. Previous tie-in games of the show weren’t of the highest quality, but this particular project – titled South Park: The Game - from Obsidian and THQ sounded promising, especially since show creators/writers/voices Matt Stone and Trey Parker had hand-picked the developer and were going to be writing the game themselves.

The promise of the game only existing if it looked and played exactly like the show – controversial humor included – caught our attention and then the first South Park: The Game screenshots blew our mind. Today, we have official screenshots and art renderings of the main characters.

From what we know of the game, South Park is an RPG that draws from Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi for its turn-based combat and Final Fantasy VII for its crafting. It uses the game engine from Dungeon Siege III but maintains the 2D, hand-drawn art style of the series. Players can choose from one of five classes, from the traditional Paladin, Wizard, Rogue, and Adventurer to the fifth, special class coined by Cartman in appropriate South Park fashion: The Jew.

Below are the four character renderings THQ released today:

And our first batch of official South Park: The Game screenshots (for more, check out the previous screenshots):

Developed in collaboration with South Park Digital Studios LLC, the joint venture between South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and Viacom Media Networks and Obsidian Entertainment, Inc., South Park: The Game is an epic role-playing adventure that will allow the user to befriend Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny and explore the quiet little mountain town like never before. South Park: The game is scheduled for release this year (2012).

With what Obsidian has done with the 2D art, the game is literally an interactive version of the TV series. Everything we’ve see so far from South Park: The Game points to the RPG being the ultimate fan service for viewers of the show and as fans of the series ourselves, we couldn’t be more ecstatic that Parker and Stone are continuing their devotion to the South Park in all its forms and doing their best to bring a game for players that will serve the show justice.

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