Why I was unimpressed by South Park: The Stick of Truth

[PureSophistry]

I have watched every episode, have 13 pairs of boxers clad with Cartmans face. 

Yet I was severly let down by the E3 showcase of South Park: The Stick of Truth.

Whatcha all think? Am I way off base?

 

 

[C2B]

Yes?

 

Or for a better way to say it. That article reads extremly subjective.

 

I get the distinct impression you already went with a certain mindset into the presentation on how the game *should* be. Which is never a good thing while reading a preview (IMO).

 

Worst offender you made though is this

 

 

Unfortunately, at least from the short amount of time I spent with the game, this isn’t the case with The Stick of Truth. Also, considering the lofty heights this titles hopes to reach, my initial observations indicate that it’s certainly fallen short.

 

 

 

In context to each other these are just two terrible sentences and they spew bias. At least lose the *certainly* if you admit to the short time.

Edited July 18, 2013 by C2B

[Flouride]

I was unimpressed by this thread.

[agris]

The repetitious vocal elements (swearing, outbursts, etc), if true, would bother me also. I hope that if this really is an issue, OE will add more variety to it. That appears to the biggest gripe by PS, who coincidentally has a nice voice for radio / dubs.

 

It's the small things that matter, and I agree that if I heard the same several lines over and over again (feels like I'm commenting on a Bethesda game..), I would be quite annoyed. Hopefully there is time to add more variety.

[C2B]

The repetitious vocal elements (swearing, outbursts, etc), if true, would bother me also. I hope that if this really is an issue, OE will add more variety to it. That appears to the biggest gripe by PS, who coincidentally has a nice voice for radio / dubs.

 

It's the small things that matter, and I agree that if I heard the same several lines over and over again (feels like I'm commenting on a Bethesda game..), I would be quite annoyed. Hopefully there is time to add more variety.

 

Its a short part of the game and its South Park. I wouldn't take it too seriously and alas its the thing in the interview I'm most sceptical about. PS clearly focused way too much on it, even counting the amount of time it was said. That doesn't help your perception at all.

 

If you go into it with a mindset like that, of course you're going to see things this way.

 

(Not saying it couldn't be that its overused, but I wouldn't let myself be influenced too much by it)

Edited July 19, 2013 by C2B

[GamerQC]

I almost stopped reading when you wrote that Obsidian makes the best RPGs on the planet.

[Faerunner]

Not trying to be rude, but this article reeks of elitism and bias. I understand it's opinion-based, but opinion =/= fact, and this article seems to fail to notice the difference. You seem to believe there is a scientific, quantifiable measurement of what makes a "true South Park fan" (a term that always makes my blood run cold), what makes the series truly enjoyable (as though the reasons listed are the reasons everyone should love it), what South Park is "really about" (more than the creators, apparently), and they're all based on your personal opinion. Parker and Stone are the creators of South Park, they've been wanting to create a game that's just like the show for years, and this game is their baby, yet it fails as a South Park game because it doesn't have all the elements that love in the way you want them?

 

I'd also like to point out that video games are a completely different media from television episodes. I've seen a few interviews by Trey and Matt about this game, and they mentioned how unprepared they were by how different it is to write a video game than a tv episode. They had to figure out where everything is in South Park, where is the player's location at any given point, how much time it would take to walk from Point A to Point B in any given quest, what sorts of obstacles you'll run into on the way, etc. (As they said, in the show, if they wanted Stan to go to Kyle's house, they could just cut to Kyle's house. Here, they had to ask, "Where IS Kyle's house? Where does Stan live?!") They also found that it's way different writing enough material to sustain 20+ hours of gameplay versus a 20-minute episode, and revealed they gained a whole new level of respect for video game writers after this experience.

 

Basically, the video game is meant to feel like your favorite episode of South Park, but it's still a video game and it isn't really your favorite episode of South Park. It'll probably have some flaws and failings, but that doesn't mean it fails as a South Park video game.

[septembervirgin]

I'm not at all a South Park fan and would be enthused if the television series were cancelled soon.  However, I am looking forward to this video game.  I like Obsidian Entertainment and I think the game sounds intriguing.

[PureSophistry]

Yes?

 

Or for a better way to say it. That article reads extremly subjective.

 

I get the distinct impression you already went with a certain mindset into the presentation on how the game *should* be. Which is never a good thing while reading a preview (IMO).

 

Worst offender you made though is this

 

 

Unfortunately, at least from the short amount of time I spent with the game, this isn’t the case with The Stick of Truth. Also, considering the lofty heights this titles hopes to reach, my initial observations indicate that it’s certainly fallen short.

 

 

 

In context to each other these are just two terrible sentences and they spew bias. At least lose the *certainly* if you admit to the short time.

 

Damn editor! Indeed I agree, certainly was his retardism after the fact. 

 

I will say that the only possible bias I had going in was my incredible anticipation and hope that it would be a fantastic game. 

 

I still believe that hardcore fans of SP will be fall out of love with the game, unless they make some changes.