Games of 2014 – South Park: The Stick of Truth

South Park: The Stick of Truth is a game that’s been a long time coming. It was initially set for release on March 5th through THQ before that company eventually folded under bankruptcy. Ubisoft then picked up the rights and gave it a December 10th release date, only to delay it at the last minute to 2014. Soon enough, though, we’ll discover the magic March 2014.

In The Stick of Truth, you portray a new kid in the neighborhood that gets involved in an elaborate fantasy game. You’ll join the great wizard Cartman, along with Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Butters and others, as you seek out the Stick of Truth, a mighty weapon that could change the balance of the world forever.

What makes South Park: The Stick of Truth stand out over previously released games in the franchise is the direct involvement of its creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They not only voiced all the characters, but also worked alongside Obsidian Entertainment on the script and battle system. The fact that they have their hands – and who knows what else – all over this game makes it unique.

The gameplay is vintage turn-based role-playing, but in true irreverent South Park fashion. For instance, in the latest gameplay trailer, Cartman introduces the ability to “cup a spell,” i.e. farting in your hand and then throwing it at your opponent. Using an elaborate mixture of analog stick motions, you can mimic this action as well, and leave even the largest opponent dazed by your smelliness.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of South Park characters make their appearance throughout the game, some with super powers that will help you take control of the battle. In one instance, Mr. Slave shows up and “absorbs” an enemy by jumping on top of them, then smuggles them away. A variety of attacks will be available for your character, and the ability to earn additional ones helps prolong the game’s replay value.

As far as production values go, this is a South Park effort through and through. The visuals seem ripped straight out of an episode of the show, complete with jumpy animations, and the audio is raunchy as ever, with plenty of mature-rated dialogue and humor that the show has become known for.

One thing’s for sure – we’ll never look at farting the same way again.

Look for the game March 4th for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.