South Park: Snow Day! thrusts players into the famous town during a colossal snowstorm. Previously, players had gotten to experience the adult-oriented cartoon world of South Park through Ubisoft’s Stick of Truth & Fractured But Whole. Well, THQ Nordic has decided to try immersing players in the world of Cartman, Stan, Kenny, and Kyle as well. Unfortunately, the game does not quite measure up to its predecessors and should have been held back a grade or two in school.
“It feels like being thrust into an episode of the show, immersed in every quip and curse word it had to offer.“
In South Park: Snow Day! a massive snowstorm leaves the entire town of South Park covered in snow. The customizable player character, known as the New Kid from previous titles as well as the iconic gang of Cartman, Kenny, Stan, and Kyle, seize a perfect opportunity. They begin a new roleplaying, fantasy adventure. However, not everything is as it seems, as the player must unravel the mystery of how the snowstorm started.
The game’s narrative is one of its better aspects. It feels like being thrust into an episode of the show, immersed in every quip and curse word it has to offer. It was great being a part of the jokes, with each scene cracking me up, thanks to how silly they could get. Fortunately, the story’s five chapters can be completed in around 6 hours. Still, it begins and wraps up nicely in that time, staying true to feeling like a playable episode of the show without any dragging on. Furthermore, each chapter features a memorable character the player battles in boss fights, like Mr. Hankey.
“While the narrative of South Park: Snow Day! is fun and hilarious; the gameplay feels like the opposite.”
While the narrative of South Park: Snow Day! is fun and hilarious, the gameplay feels like the complete opposite. This is a roguelike experience that can be played online with up to four people. While I couldn’t experience the online component, if you’re playing solo, the game provides three AI pals to help you, which is a fantastic addition. You will need to complete different combat encounters before taking on the final boss of a run. You can choose ability cards to help you, ranging from explosive farts to powerful blows. You’ve also got a “BS” card, which shakes things up a bit, ensuring that every run feels refreshing instead of repetitive.
What felt repetitive was the most critical part of the gameplay: combat. You can choose one melee and one ranged weapon to equip. However, the attacks for both types of weapons are tied to a single button press. Throughout my playthrough, I felt like the square button and the L2 trigger would wear out, especially in a hectic fight. Using the same attacks repeatedly gets old very quickly, even after changing out which weapons I used. Although there was a choice of three melee weapons and ranged weapons, each one felt bland due to their repetitive attack style.
Additionally, when fighting, it feels like the camera is an opponent. Not only could I not lock onto opponents, I also often found myself at odds with the camera controls, leaving me seeing my character from odd angles. Overall, the combat leaves much to be desired in South Park: Snow Day! Furthermore, for a game that emphasizes playing with others, it is a big letdown to see that no local co-op was present. Players must rely on playing online if they wish to play with their friends.
“Additionally, the gorgeous snowy environments were a highlight, and watching as I left a path as I trudged through each one simply never got old.”
Visually, the game looks great. As the series has featured predominantly 2D animation in both TV and video games, the 3D perspective was both refreshing and fantastic. For years we have been so used to the flat animation style, so seeing the world in 3D was a novel and greatly appreciated experience. Additionally, the gorgeous snowy environments were a highlight, and watching as I left a path as I trudged through each one simply never got old. The character dialogue was also synced up perfectly, especially with the change to 3D, which is great to see. Additionally, the HUD doesn’t take up too much of the screen or take away any focus. Overall, the game’s visuals don’t change much from the previous South Park games, but what it does differently elevates the experience.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for South Park: Snow Day!’s audio, which is largely hit-and-miss. The voice acting is fantastic, as it is done by the cast from the show. Each character is absolutely true to themselves. Additionally, the surround sound makes it a far more immersive experience. Hearing characters converse to my left and only hearing them on that side was a great touch. However, a significant negative was the combat banter. During encounters, the different enemies constantly repeat lines and make annoying noises, which quickly become infuriating. Furthermore, the game’s music is drowned out when the characters speak, so it continually fluctuates, making it tedious to listen to.
“Fortunately, despite all its flaws, South Park: Snow Day!’s price is relatively low, making it an easier sell.”
When it comes to accessibility, South Park: Snow Day! offers some good options for all players. However, it is not as stacked as in other games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The game allows players to remap controls, use motion sensors to aim, have subtitles, turn on a color blindness mode, and even auto-escape from enemy pin attacks. Additionally, the game’s tutorial does a good job of introducing newcomers to the series as well as explaining the different aspects of the game, such as how ability cards work, how to use the Dark Matter you collect to give you permanent passive skills, and much more.
Fortunately, despite all its flaws, South Park: Snow Day!’s price is relatively low, making it an easier sell. It doesn’t come with a full $70 price tag; instead, it is being offered for the small price of US$29.99/£24.99/AUD$$54.95. The inclusion of both an online and offline mode means it’s accessible to all, and the ever-changing roguelike mode is fun enough across the 6 hours to keep you engaged. The story will be perfect for fans and a good jumping-on point for those unfamiliar with the series. Similarly, the enhanced visuals offer fans a new perspective from which to view their favorite characters.
Of course, the less-than-perfect combat does drag the experience down, and the inconsistent audio can get annoying. However, considering it’s short length, it’s easy enough to stomach these faults. However, South Park: Snow Day! is definitely a game best played with friends. So, I would recommend either playing with three other friends online or waiting for a sale if you’re thinking of playing alone.
