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South Park: The Stick of Truth |OT| Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (In select regions)

Rich!

Member
Haha well I've only been really into gaming for the past 5-7 years. Maybe that has something to do with it. Plus that's really not the kind of game I like. The fact that it's South Park is the reason I'm interested in this - it's gameplay doesn't appeal to me. Which is why I was hoping for a ton of exploration and many side quests.

You're looking for the wrong thing then. South Park is a turn based RPG like Paper Mario and Chrono Trigger, both of which have few side quests and instead rely on following the main story.

Don't go in expecting something like Fallout or Skyrim as you'll be very disappointed. This is basically a JRPG in design.
 
A shorter RPG won't bother me if the starting classes all play differently from one another.

it sucks we won't get any details until the game is already out.
 

ZoddGutts

Member
That's fine with this game being short. It's going to be a snack bite for me until the full course meal Divinity: Original Sin comes out.
 
Odd, I can't cancel it now but I haven't been charged yet. I guess I'll contact them later, I wonder if the change in expiration dates could've sunk the whole thing anyway.

It IS a crowded month, and some may not be able to just go getting whatever. In January this would be a pretty easy call, but whether you want niche RPGs or blockbusters this month doesn't fail to deliver.

Guaranteed you will have more fun with this game than any other release coming out in March if you are a South Park fan. This game is seriously awesome.

Its so strange to hear that value proposition.

I would much prefer a tightly controlled and solid experience over an artificially lengthened one.

Yep, and what is here is 100% greatness. I'm playing right now and I'll let you guys know my final playthrough time on PS3 when I finish.

Nope. Nobody has said anything about that. I'm sure its only 720p. Very few games on PS3 run 1080p.

It's 720p according to my tv output.

Do the dialogues change if you play as a jew? Then I would complete it two times.

Dialogue changes for the different classes and also how you create your character. I'd say you would need atleast 2 playthroughs. This game doesn't force you to do a bunch of grinding like normal rpgs and I love that about it. Any of you guys interested in the game will love what you get here. Don't be put off because it doesn't have some ridiculously long play time.
 

jschreier

Member
this is what I hate about embargos

there are possible performance issues with a game and the 'journalists' are gagged by the corporate overlords until after the game is out and the pre orders have been fulfilled
If by "gagged by the corporate overlords" you mean "decide it serves readers more to accept early copies of games under embargo than it would to not have access to those early games at all."

Launch day embargoes suck, yes, but the alternative is not being able to tell readers about a game's issues at all.
 

theytookourjobz

Junior Member
If you don't like turn based RPGs then this probably isn't the game for you because of that reason. It being longer would only exacerbate the problem.
 

Rich!

Member
If you don't like turn based RPGs then this probably isn't the game for you because of that reason. It being longer would only exacerbate the problem.

Exactly. 12-15 hours is how long it would take me to finish Chrono Trigger, Mother 3, Mario and Luigi, Secret of Mana and Earthbound.

It's completely fine for a turn based RPG.
 

Stoze

Member
Jesus, end the length wars already. There's like 10 people making game length arguments and comparing it to Chrono Trigger for every 1 person that is slightly disappointed it's not longer. I'm probably exaggerating a bit there, but if people are disappointed in the length, that's fine, let them be. People know how to make their own decisions on whether they still want to buy/rent/play based on length, graphics, writing, gameplay, etc.

I'm just glad someone made another game in the vein of Paper Mario. I really love turn-based battle systems with timing and interactivity i.e. Mario RPGs, Mother 3.
 

Milennia

Member
I have seen people get upset over there not being an ADS option in shooters.
I guess you can relate that here as well.
Some people are disappointed that this isn't a long RPG.


Or thats an awful analogy.
Probably is.
Or not an analogy at all.
 
If you don't like turn based RPGs then this probably isn't the game for you because of that reason. It being longer would only exacerbate the problem.

Right, but the disappointment for me was in hearing that there isn't nearly as much exploration or side quests as I was expecting - that's also what would have drastically increased the length of the game.

I know I'll love the cut scenes, humor, South Park characters, and exploration. So, I was hoping the game was packed with exploration. I'm sure there will be some good exploration and I'll enjoy the humor of the game.
 

DukeBobby

Member
Well, clearly Slasher was not disappointed with the length:

Sitting at 11 hours now and the last 3 hours have been ridiculously hilarious. I don't care if this game ends in the next hour or 2, I'd be super happy with it.)

In fact, judging from the few impressions we have, length doesn't seem to be an issue at all. You can't say whether a game is 'too long' or 'too short' until you've actually played it.
 
Haha well I've only been really into gaming for the past 5-7 years. Maybe that has something to do with it. Plus that's really not the kind of game I like. The fact that it's South Park is the reason I'm interested in this - it's gameplay doesn't appeal to me. Which is why I was hoping for a ton of exploration and many side quests.

There will probably exploration and side quests, but nothing a la scale of Skyrim. Wich is fine given that this is a comedy game at the end of the day.
 

Grief.exe

Member
Paper mario the thousand year door is exactly the same type of game and it has no bloat at all.

Why does this argument keep popping up? Good RPGs are decently long without bloat.

Thousand Year Door is actually famously bloated in some parts. Several chapters feature massive backtracking segments.
 

Rich!

Member
There will probably exploration and side quests, but nothing a la scale of Skyrim. Wich is fine given that this is a comedy game at the end of the day.

Expecting anything on the same scale of Skyrim would only end in disappointment anyway considering South Park is clearly modelled after tight story and gameplay based JRPGs such as Paper Mario.

Just because it's by Obsidian does not mean, and never did mean that it will be on the same scale as Fallout New Vegas.
 
If by "gagged by the corporate overlords" you mean "decide it serves readers more to accept early copies of games under embargo than it would to not have access to those early games at all."

Launch day embargoes suck, yes, but the alternative is not being able to tell readers about a game's issues at all.

by accepting them you play along, you are a huge part of their pre launch pr but since none of you have any balls everything goes by their rules

nothing but a bunch of enablers that always come up with excuses why nothing is their fault

at the end of the day people are possibly (probably) being sold yet another broken or faulty product and once again the gaming press is not telling the consumer about it until it is too late, while still being a part of the hype machine through the previews and interviews

I know you want to defend yourself and your colleagues but just... don't, it makes me cringe
 

Rich!

Member
I'm glad the game sounds fun, but 13 hours is a lousy length for a $60 RPG.

Earthbound is the same length and that's $150 (cart). Chrono Trigger is the same length and that was $60 at launch too, and is now even more than that dependent on condition.

If its a brilliant 13 hours it will be worth the money.
 

Dario ff

Banned
Thousand Year Door is actually famously bloated in some parts. Several chapters feature massive backtracking segments.
I wouldn't call it massive, it's just one particular chapter that is quite annoying with it.
Doopliss' chapter has fun writing, but screw that forest
:p There's two other sections where it's required as well, but it's not that much time. It does stretch a bit too much towards the end in consistent quality tho.
 
Thousand Year Door is actually famously bloated in some parts. Several chapters feature massive backtracking segments.

I played through The Thousand Year Door about 2 weeks ago. It is very much bloated like you say. The whole fighting arena chapter. Just keep fighting until something happens, also your example of backtracking. There was lot and lots of backtracking.

Thousand Year Door was a great game, but it definitely felt bloated to me.
 

theytookourjobz

Junior Member
by accepting them you play along, you are a huge part of their pre launch pr but since none of you have any balls everything goes by their rules

nothing but a bunch of enablers that always come up with excuses why nothing is their fault

at the end of the day people are possibly (probably) being sold yet another broken or faulty product and once again the gaming press is not telling the consumer about it until it is too late, while still being a part of the hype machine through the previews and interviews

I know you want to defend yourself and your colleagues but just... don't, it makes me cringe

We've seen multiple people breaking embargo and streaming the game. It's obviously not "broken or faulty". Also no reason to be a dick to one of the good guys.
 
by accepting them you play along, you are a huge part of their pre launch pr but since none of you have any balls everything goes by their rules

nothing but a bunch of enablers that always come up with excuses why nothing is their fault

at the end of the day people are possibly (probably) being sold yet another broken or faulty product and once again the gaming press is not telling the consumer about it until it is too late, while still being a part of the hype machine through the previews and interviews

I know you want to defend yourself and your colleagues but just... don't, it makes me cringe

The tone of this post makes it sound like they are drug dealers or something.
 

Eusis

Member
I'm more concerned about if the game really IS a great "short yet sweet" game, and if I really want it more than other games. I'll still take it over Titanfall or inFAMOUS, but I sure as hell wouldn't take it over Dark Souls II and I'm waffling on Atelier Escha & Logy. That'll be longer, but I also haven't finished Ayesha. But then I haven't watched South Park too often lately either.
 

DukeBobby

Member
I played through The Thousand Year Door about 2 weeks ago. It is very much bloated like you say. The whole fighting arena chapter.Just keep fighting until something happens, also your example of backtracking. There was lot and lots of backtracking.

Thousand Year Door was a great game, but it definitely felt bloated to me.

What? What? WHAT?

The Glitzville chapter is the best part of the game. I fucking love that arena.
 

RPGCrazied

Member
Yes and yes. You can check out some of the early cutscenes in the PewDiePie videos, if you'd like to see it.

Nah, that's okay, but thanks for answering. :) I've only seen like 2 trailers for this game, the E3 ones. Going to not look at anything more.
 

Xaero Gravity

NEXT LEVEL lame™
Wow, 13.5 hours to do everything in an RPG is massively disappointing. I know I'm probably going to get shunned and crucified for saying this, but the game just became a rental for me. Maybe sleeping on it will cause me to change my mind. :(
 
What? What? WHAT?

The Glitzville chapter is the best part of the game. I fucking love that arena.

I didn't like it so much. I like fighting in Paper Mario, but Glitzville is just fight after fight. Then they give you some weird extra thing to do. Like "win with Mario attacking only," or "appeal to the crowd 3 times before winning." I didn't like that.

The chapter had the best story, but the worst way to progress.

Seriously, it's the second chapter with the punies that sucked ass.

Worst part of the game, I hated that more then Blitzville. If a puny falls off an edge, you have to go get it. If a puny doesn't go through a pipe, you have to go back and get it. When I decided to replay this, the puny chapter was the only thing holding me back.
 

Eusis

Member
I didn't like it so much. I like fighting in Paper Mario, but Glitzville is just fight after fight. Then they give you some weird extra thing to do. Like "win with Mario attacking only," or "appeal to the crowd 3 times before winning." I didn't like that.

The chapter had the best story, but the worst way to progress.
Yeah, I'm more fond of being able to run around and adventure... which I guess taken to its extreme gets Sticker Star. Ah well, PM2 was mostly a good sweet spot.
 

theytookourjobz

Junior Member
If it's just a South Park game : "13 hours!! Woooo!!!"

Add an arbitrary "RPG" distinction: "13 hours? Are you fucking kidding me? What a ripoff!"
 

jschreier

Member
by accepting them you play along, you are a huge part of their pre launch pr but since none of you have any balls everything goes by their rules

nothing but a bunch of enablers that always come up with excuses why nothing is their fault

at the end of the day people are possibly (probably) being sold yet another broken or faulty product and once again the gaming press is not telling the consumer about it until it is too late, while still being a part of the hype machine through the previews and interviews

I know you want to defend yourself and your colleagues but just... don't, it makes me cringe
I realize it's more fun to get angry at game journalists on the Internet than it is to try to have some empathy and see things from other people's perspectives, but let me break this down for you.

Here are the options:

A) Reviewer turns down early copy of game from publisher and is therefore unable to inform readers about a game either before or when it comes out.

B) Reviewer accepts early copy of game from publisher under embargo, and is able to inform readers about a game either on or before release date.

The only people who might actually suggest that option A is better for readers are the people who spend their spare time getting mad at the nebulous concept of "game journalism" because... I don't know. Do you get your thrills out of berating people on the Internet? Did a game journalist murder your parents? Do you think game journalists should pirate games or find some other way to magick up embargo-free review copies so they can report technical flaws without the restrictions attached when a publisher does the courtesy of sending out early copies of their game?

And, yes, it is a courtesy. We are not entitled to early copies of any video game, just like you are not obligated to spend your money on them. If you're worried about technical issues, wait for games to come out. Don't pre-order blindly. Have some patience. Wait a few days before purchasing anything. You say "the gaming press is not telling the consumer about it until it is too late," as if you can't muster up the self-control to not buy a product until you know more about it. Sometimes you won't see reviews until release day. Deal with it. There are many things worth complaining about in the world of cold, corporate game publishers; review embargoes are not one of them.

If game journalists don't sufficiently cover a game's issues after it comes out, then sure, by all means, bitch all you want. Except - wait - game websites have extensively reported every recent video game disaster I can remember, from Diablo 3 to SimCity to that ridiculous game War Z. Yet you're complaining that the press isn't telling you enough? Because you'll find out about South Park at 3am on Tuesday instead of the day before? Because you believe that the press are participating in "the hype machine" by agreeing to the conditions set by publishers who give us access to games that they certainly are under no obligation to give us access to?

I've seen you bitch about game journalism non-stop for a long time now on this website, SneakyStephan, and I think you're out of your mind. There are a whole lot of problems with this field - and the media world in general - but you just continue to miss the forest for the distracting little trees. Get a grip. Get some perspective. Find a better hobby than bitching about game journalism 24/7 on NeoGAF. And for god's sake, if you're going to complain, at least pick the right targets.

I guess what I'm trying to say is... kindly shut the fuck up.
 

Jeels

Member
This is weird I admit, but as someone whose had less and less time since they've started working, I'm actually relived its only 12 hours. I play slowly so it'll probably take me 15. It's actually making me want to buy the game (I am waiting it out in case of a next gen announcement).
 
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