Summary
TheSouth Parkfranchise has a storied history of video game adaptations of the cartoon, andSouth Park: The Stick of Truthis the game that revitalized the series' presence in the modern gaming era. This title was praised for how well it translated the iconic visuals and humor ofSouth Parkto a video game format while having solid RPG mechanics and gameplay. While the game has spawned its share of successors, the recent reveal ofSouth Park: Snow Dayshows it’s time for a trueSouth Park: The Stick of Truth 2.
Developed by Obsidian and published by Ubisoft,South Park: The Stick of Truthfirst released in 2014 after a series of delays due to the original publisher, THQ, filing for bankruptcy. Despite the delays, the game released to very positive reviews and a follow-up,South Park: The Fractured But Whole, was released in 2017. Although both of these titles made great use of RPG elements to create compelling gameplay and subversive narratives, it seems likeSouth Park: Snow Day, now being published by THQ Nordic, is discarding those elements in favor of a 3D action title.
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Now is the Perfect Time for a South Park: The Stick of Truth 2
Being developed by renowned RPG developer Obsidian Entertainment in collaboration withSouth Parkcreators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, it’s no surprise thatSouth Park: The Stick of Truthended up being a polished RPG that captured the show’s identity nearly perfectly. The game’s premise is a parody of typical fantasy RPG tropes found in franchises likeGame of ThronesandDungeons and Dragonssprinkled with the classic crass humor ofSouth Park.With its solid turn-based RPG gameplay,The Stick of Truthwas able to stand alongside other RPG greats for more than just its ties to a recognizable franchise.
The latest rise inDnDpopularity thanks to the success of a game likeBaldur’s Gate 3has created the perfect opportunity forSouth Park: The Stick of Truthto get the true sequel it deserves. WhileThe Fractured But Wholedirectly follows the events ofThe Stick of Truth, it drops the fantasy aesthetic in favor of a superhero one. However, a new game in the style of these RPGs could easily see the return of Princess Kenny and Paladin Butters alongside the other cast of iconic characters in their fantasy personas to bring a new parody twist on some of the more recent RPG tropes.
There are plenty of recent developments in the world of DnD and fantasy RPGs as a whole thatSouth Park: The Stick of Truth 2could parody. Perhaps the gang could become obsessed with collecting and battling using card-based abilities as a parody ofMagic the Gathering, which would also be a great way to iterate upon the previous titles' turn-based gameplay.Baldur’s Gate 3itself has a lot of material that could be parodied, such as the infamousromance scene for the Druid Halsinwhere he transforms into a bear, which has become somewhat of a meme among players.
The underwhelming reaction many fans had to the reveal ofSouth Park: Snow Dayis understandable given the acclaim forThe Stick of TruthandThe Fractured But Whole, and the revival of classic fantasy RPGs makes it even more apparent that not developing aSouth Park: The Stick of Truth 2is a missed opportunity. It’s still too early to tell howSnow Day’s change to a 3D action game will be received, but initial impressions seem to have fans collectively yearning for the RPG style of its predecessors. Hopefully THQ Nordic and South Park Studios recognize the popularity ofThe Stick of Truthand capitalize on the renewed interest in DnD to deliver a true sequel to the game.
South Park: The Stick of Truthis available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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