South Park: The Fractured But Whole

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 574 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 407 out of 574
  2. Mixed: 112 out of 574
  3. Negative: 55 out of 574
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  1. Goo4you
    Oct 20, 2017
    7
    The game is great, it looks great, the sound is great, it's like you are playing an episode of South Park!

    That is literally the same line people wrote about the stick of truth, it shouldn't be the crowning jewel complement for the fractured but whole (TFBW). Sadly it is. Everything you enjoyed about the first game is back here. For a person that owns a ps4 pro and really nice LG 4k    The game is great, it looks great, the sound is great, it's like you are playing an episode of South Park!

    That is literally the same line people wrote about the stick of truth, it shouldn't be the crowning jewel complement for the fractured but whole (TFBW). Sadly it is.

    Everything you enjoyed about the first game is back here. For a person that owns a ps4 pro and really nice LG 4k screen, it really feels like i'm walking around the town and interacting with everyone. As far as I know there isn't any uprezing or HDR support, but still the palette is so clean and framerate is so crisp, I'd be dammed if there wasn't something going on behind the scenes.

    The voice acting is perfect, just like the first game, but I found the humor a bit more "neanderthal" here than in both the prior game and the show as well. Matt Stone and Trey Parker are thoughtful with their humor. They just know when and where to twist the knife. In the stick of truth they did this, not so much in TFBW. There were just a few too many "on the head" jokes that made me wonder how hard they worked on this title vs the 1st.

    Combat like the first game is serviceable but is used more a plot device than a tangible need to continue the game. You "battle" some random fights here and there, but really the actual ones deal with marquee characters from the series and usually end beyond the player's control due to being scripted to end that way (Kyle's cousin for example). If i'm supposed to feel like a "superhero" then let me power up or something.

    Leveling is kind of a slog. It's not bad, but it's not great. Collecting is the main focus but at the same time also includes a ton of tedious backtracking or remembering certain things so when you finally get the item you needed from the 1st time you were there pops up, you can go back and grab it. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of let down as generic crafting items are the only thing that was awaiting you this whole time. The toilet pooping makes a return, but really, kind of a waste of time.

    It's worth your money, if you enjoy the show or loved the 1st game, just don't expect too much beyond being a good follow up. It doesn't rock the craddle much.    … Expand
  2. Majinvash
    Oct 21, 2017
    7
    Waiting for the funny.
    Really not sure where the super high scores are coming from. Maybe from people who haven't played Stick.
    I am 2hrs into it and its just a bit dull. I am going to keep playing as it must get funny at some point. By this time in the last game I was crying with laughter at almost ever turn. The combat is about the same but somehow slightly less fun. Dunno, its    Waiting for the funny.
    Really not sure where the super high scores are coming from. Maybe from people who haven't played Stick.
    I am 2hrs into it and its just a bit dull.
    I am going to keep playing as it must get funny at some point.
    By this time in the last game I was crying with laughter at almost ever turn.
    The combat is about the same but somehow slightly less fun.
    Dunno, its ok.. Its just not great compared to the first one, of which i was a huge fan and played it through a few times with different classes.    … Expand
  3. gdmatt
    Oct 17, 2017
    7
    Some changes have been made to the combat system when compared to Stick of Truth, which you'll either love or hate. The rest of the game is what you'd expect from South Park. While that's not a bad thing and fans of the series will get their money's worth here, it would have been nice to see some more variety that what we have come to expect.
  4. SaintJames012
    Oct 24, 2017
    7
    To say Fractured but Whole is an improvement to Stick of Truth is somewhat of a mixed statement. In many aspects of the game, FbW indeed improves over its predecessor, but in other aspects the game falls short of the expectations that SoT laid down as a foundation.

    Gameplay: When it comes to combat, the game took away the basic turn based RPG element and replaced it with a tactical    To say Fractured but Whole is an improvement to Stick of Truth is somewhat of a mixed statement. In many aspects of the game, FbW indeed improves over its predecessor, but in other aspects the game falls short of the expectations that SoT laid down as a foundation.

    Gameplay:
    When it comes to combat, the game took away the basic turn based RPG element and replaced it with a tactical turn-based RPG system. This, for the most part is an improvement over SoT, as it now adds a more complex and defined strategic feel to the game. Characters always have been the focal point in both games, but when it came to combat, for the most part party members in SoT more or less blended together, as you could switch any of them out and still maintain any of the basic styles of play. Now, with an actual grid to play on, party members now have a more diverse moveset that allows them to not only interact with the player through dialogue, but also party synergy. That is not to say that they are completely diverse. An issue with the FbW is that many of the classes still feel the same. 2 specific characters (not named for spoilers) are the same type of hero, and so their moveset is more or less identical. These aren't the only party members who have this issue either. While this allows for you the player to play whoever you want in regards to show favorites, it does mean that the difference between one character and another is pretty limited.

    Story (no spoilers):
    The story of FbW takes place a little while after SoT, and the neighborhood children decide to do away with the Tolkien-esque world and enter into the world of superheroes. As the new kid, you were not living in the neighborhood when the main characters of the show created Coon & Friends, so you must put away your crown as the ruler of the fantasy world and dawn the cape of a rookie sidekick in order to regain the power you once had. Dialogue-wise, the game offers just what you would expect from South Park, as cutscenes and narrative points bounce back and forth between hilarity and shock & awe. The only issue with the story really comes from the lack of originality in the sidequests. Most of the side quests that you happen upon in this game are glorified fetch quests, asking you to either find or place something around the town of South Park. This can and will get old very quickly, and offer little in the way of reward worth having.

    Shortcomings:
    One of the major issues that FbW suffers from is the over reliance on what has been established in the past. While it does have alot of original comedy to hold you down, much of the easter eggs, fetch quests, main plot points, and even a sizable portion of jokes are call backs to the show. While this has worked for the first game, the issue is that as a second game, some of the jokes have already been told and are simply being told again. Combat is also very repetitive. While the first chunk of the game offers refreshing fights and interesting boss battles, there comes a point where everything that was going to be shown has been shown. I can't tell you how many times I have gone into combat thinking it to be a boss battle only for it to be a simple fight where the enemies simply re-spawn after defeating the first wave. In addition, once your character becomes overpowered, every fight becomes meaningless, as the loot dropped from the battles offer nothing new or exciting. This in essence, becomes the moment combat becomes a chore rather than a challenge. The enemies outside of bosses are repetitive as well, as every single one, from sixth graders to crab people have the same basic move set. There is no required change of strategy when fighting any enemy that is different from another.

    Conclusion:
    South Park: The Fractured But Whole is not a perfect game. It does not deserve a 10, nor is it really a legitimate competitor for any Game of the Year awards. Much of its luster is simply a rehash of what made Stick of Truth such a fun experience, and while Fractured but Whole is undoubtedly a fun experience, it simply is not different enough, or have a level of depth needed to make it that much better than its predecessor.    … Expand
  5. SuperkenGaming
    Oct 21, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. South Park The Fractures But Whole
    A Step in the wrong direction
    The Fractures but whole takes place the day after the stick of truth ends,
    This time you play once again as the new kid as the children of south park split into a civil war over who’s super hero franchise will make the most money..
    The game starts with letting you choose 1 of 3 classes, though your class isn’t as important as it may seem in the beginning as the story progresses you’ll be able to add more classes and pick and choose your 4 moves to bring into battle…
    The game takes place once again ins south park, this time around south park to me felt less alive, and much more of a video game hub world.. As it along with the story missions themselves are less varied…
    since your character stats are attached to artifacts this time that you plug into your DNA strand... exploration felt less necessary if I wasn’t interested in new cosmetics that added nothing to the battle system…
    Artifacts are obtained from fights and leveling up, and can be crafted from recipes you buy or find in chests…
    Crafting is where exploration comes into play the most as you have to craft consumable items to use in battle, but again I didn’t need consumables too often so this didn’t entice me to explore.. I had plenty by just opening the occasional chest id notice while playing through this 17 hr. story…
    improved over the stick of truth in my opinion are the jokes as they’re much more current and less inside jokey like the stick of truth…
    if you have a twitter you’ll be in on all of this games jokes..
    speaking of social media, doing tasks and leveling up will let you take selfies with characters to gain coonstagram followers, this will also help level you up as will fighting and collecting to open more slots for artifacts…
    I also like level progression more this time as you’re not switching through different modes.. You’re just scanning an item and calling in the right character you help you progress…
    Different this time is while the game is still turn based...
    instead of feeling like Pokémon, there is a grind based combat system that I’m not a fan of
    I like that in the grids there are red zones warning you something is about to happen and you have to try your hardest to move your party out of that zone..
    But when it comes to playing with the grid, things just get overly complicated with the different rules of each characters different move and sometimes larger characters are had to tell which grid they’re on
    every character in south park feels unique. All with their own attacks with different status attacks, but the direct and space they can attack just get confusing which had me canceling, moving and checking, until I positioned them in a spot I could attack my enemy…
    Most of the characters are pretty straight forward, but a few are definitely awkward to deal with…
    Farts are also a part of combat this time as you can use them to skip an opponent’s turn or pause time for some free damage…
    There’s also a meter that fills up as you take damage.. Filled fasted if you can recover some health by pressing x when you’re attacked... and this allows you to pull off a super move that can do massive damage to one character or light damage to all characters but with status effects for example…
    but I felt matches were a little too unpredictable in story as new characters would come into the fight frequently.. Never really letting you know how close to the end you are... so id hold onto these moves a lot of the time never getting to use them…
    The best part of this game is easily in its character… the story is ridiculous and the writing is great…
    the grid based combat is good.. but it’s not great like the turned based combat in the stick of truth…
    the game does sequel bait, and if the game stays turn based, I have in the next one they go back to the style in the stick of truth… both in combat and variety in the delivery of the story…
    I give South Park The Fractured But Whole
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  6. njja02
    May 15, 2018
    7
    The charm and humor from the last game feels a bit lost in this game, but the game-play is overall improved from the last game. Not much else to say.
  7. vgmkyle
    Oct 18, 2017
    7
    Now that they've decided to full price the South Park experience, with an additional $40 season pass and Uplay (yuck) required (yuck!) you would have to be a diehard fan or rich to not have a fractured bank account for a game that is indeed fully-fledged but still looks like an indie.
  8. OwnKarater
    Nov 18, 2017
    7
    Pretty good game. Lot of jokes, you will definitely enjoy it if you like the TV series. I give it 7 because it doesn't bring anything new, city is too small and had some bugs. Overall I feel like I got enough fun to justify buying it new.
  9. SOLIDSNAKEN64
    Jun 11, 2018
    7
    All though I did enjoy the story in South Park fractured but whole, I could help but feel it was more of the same from stick of truth. I'm not a big rts player I prefered the turn based in SoT. The level is exactly the same as SoT and I seemed to get bored because if seen it before. The story i didn't feel was as good or as funny as SoT was. Still a fun game, I just didn't enjoy it asAll though I did enjoy the story in South Park fractured but whole, I could help but feel it was more of the same from stick of truth. I'm not a big rts player I prefered the turn based in SoT. The level is exactly the same as SoT and I seemed to get bored because if seen it before. The story i didn't feel was as good or as funny as SoT was. Still a fun game, I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first game in the series.… Expand
  10. raccoondaddy
    Dec 3, 2017
    7
    Everything that was presented in South Park seems to have been recycled in this game. Like a few others have said, many of the jokes have been done. It seems as though over all of the material they've had for well over twenty years, they'd through more substance into it. Don't get me wrong, there are some pretty funny moments; then there are many parts where it's really just boring.Everything that was presented in South Park seems to have been recycled in this game. Like a few others have said, many of the jokes have been done. It seems as though over all of the material they've had for well over twenty years, they'd through more substance into it. Don't get me wrong, there are some pretty funny moments; then there are many parts where it's really just boring.

    I didn't like the move to a tactical rpg and less focus on stats and equipment. Instead, its just some artifacts that really "set it and forget it" feel to upping your stats. Which really seems like a lazy system, as is the crafting. (Then again, maybe that is a joke in itself)

    Sidequests are mostly boring but add some funny moments, with a few memorable ones. The main story is decent and really just makes up for a long South Park episode. It seems as though they wanted to do more gags on the comics but never really went through with it, probably because of licensing or something. There is a mountain of material to go on...which seemed like a missed opportunity on their part.

    I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous South Park game, but the main quest was still good enough to keep me entertained.    … Expand
  11. KittyWhisky
    Oct 21, 2017
    7
    THE FRACTURED BUT WHOLE - the long-awaited sequel to the best comic games. The game has changed. Unfortunately, something has not gone in her favor.

    The game became more bland. No humor and funny situations like in the first game. You pass the continuation on autopilot. well, that battle system is still good and does not let go of the screen. The joke is, some are funny, but funny    THE FRACTURED BUT WHOLE - the long-awaited sequel to the best comic games. The game has changed. Unfortunately, something has not gone in her favor.

    The game became more bland. No humor and funny situations like in the first game. You pass the continuation on autopilot. well, that battle system is still good and does not let go of the screen. The joke is, some are funny, but funny situations just yet. No dwarves. no aliens, but there are many jokes about farting. The game makes fun of the superhero franchise and does it well. But funny situations not enough.

    Gameplay is turn-based. And it's not bad! You'll get used to it. Pataias more tactics and diversity to battles. For example, you can push the enemy to the object and it will receive additional damage, and can not do. The battle was much harder. Sometimes the battle to be unnecessarily hard.

    The interface has changed, it became less clear. Also removed are the characteristics of the clothing. Now clothing is just appearance, which has no effect. as we no longer have orueta. At all. but pumping is. In the world you find artifacts or create their own. from artifacts depends on your level. The developers have replaced one on another. This is a controversial decision, but I accepted it.

    We also have the ability of your cool, which vary greatly. But fear not, we will be able to choose one class, and in the end we will reveal in General all classes. It is not clear why.

    THE FRACTURED BUT WHOLE ambiguous sequel. Much simplified, the story is not as funny, but there is a deeper battle system and a good irony. Yet I keep feeling that there's a lot I haven't told you. The first game was more varied storyline and more funny.    … Expand
  12. shatnermaster
    Oct 18, 2017
    7
    This game is one of the better games I've played this year, however I believe this game could have been better. When I saw the trailer during E3 like all stick of truth fans I was foaming at the mouth; i was so excited about how we would get a more strategic combat system and just the idea of playing as a super hero was amazing enough. The game developers promised so much and theyThis game is one of the better games I've played this year, however I believe this game could have been better. When I saw the trailer during E3 like all stick of truth fans I was foaming at the mouth; i was so excited about how we would get a more strategic combat system and just the idea of playing as a super hero was amazing enough. The game developers promised so much and they delivered on all accounts. While this game was entertaining I did not feel as engaged as much as i did in the first game.

    The game has many strengths such as the combat. The number one thing I believe the developers focused on was the combat system. Fighting through waves of enemy's felt great and rewarding as you gained experience. In the beginning of my first play through I would find myself screwing myself over due to my poor choices in character placement; but as you progress through the game you learn through punishment which can demolish your team if act naive.

    The main issue I had with this game was that the game itself was too short. I felt as if there was a huge opportunity missed as i watched the end credits go by. The game was enjoyable and witty but being fun and amusing isn't all i was expecting from this game.

    In short, this was worth full price and i would recommend it to a friend.    … Expand
  13. Classikalcase
    Oct 23, 2017
    7
    For South Park Fans, this is a must buy. Many great story lines in this sequel.

    If you are looking for a robust, hard, and depth RPG, look else where.

    This game is more of a rental, as you can grind out the game within a weekend.

    7/10 from a South Park fan.
  14. dash383535
    Nov 30, 2017
    7
    Introduction: The sequel to 2013 hit game "South Park: The Stick of Truth" is out, so the question is, Does this live up to the original? In some ways, it does due to a massive overhaul in the combat system. Gameplay is more diverse and a chance to make great strategies (or very cheap ones.) Sadly, this game does slip in a few areas.
    Story: The story this time around is pretty simple.    Introduction: The sequel to 2013 hit game "South Park: The Stick of Truth" is out, so the question is, Does this live up to the original? In some ways, it does due to a massive overhaul in the combat system. Gameplay is more diverse and a chance to make great strategies (or very cheap ones.) Sadly, this game does slip in a few areas.
    Story: The story this time around is pretty simple. Eric Cartman or "The Coon" goes back in time to tell all the kids (including your custom character) that are still playing their game from the previous installment, that a cat has been stolen and they need to play Superheroes to get the cat back. Normally South Park takes simple premises like this and turns them up to 11 for the sake of comedy. This time around, I feel like the story never hit the 11 I was expecting. Jokes are used way too much and the ending is very anti-climatic and not over the top, unlike the previous South Park game. There is still some funny and crazy moment but there is only so many times you will think that Cartman talking about your Mom getting **** is funny. (He reuses the joke 5 to 6 times over the course of the whole game!) The story is like an average episode of South Park, not amazing but it gets the job done.
    Gameplay: The gameplay has been improved since the last time we played a South Park game. Instead of standard turn-based combat, it's a bit more complicated. In battle, all players stand on a grid and get to choose from a limited amount of spaces, where they will stand and where they can attack. This system allows for much more strategy instead of standing in place and attacking back and forth until someone wins. Before you start a fight, you will get to choose classes every so often. These classes let you get certain attacks and abilities for your character, these attacks can become stronger by raising your might level. The way you level your characters stats have been a little dumb down but I think its fine for what the game is trying to be. Your might level is determined but what items you attach to your character. The higher the level, the stronger you are. Pretty straightforward and works well. Gameplay is great and should be the standard if more South Park games are to come out in the future.
    Technical: The game suffers a little here. The overall presentation is nice and on par with the first game but technical issue get in the way at times. I had the game freeze in battle multiple times causing me to restart a battle. Audio would cut off or would not be sync at times. Other than this stuff that they should have ironed out before launch, the games runs fine when out of battle. Smooth 60fps in cutscenes and gameplay.
    Conclusion: South Park: The Fracture But Whole had all the elements of a good South Park game. It ran with those elements and slip up a bit, but for the most part, they made it to the finish line. If you are a fan of South Park, I would still highly recommend it. There is still enough here to make fans of the TV show happy. If your just a fan of RPG's I would wait for a price drop due to a short and lacking story, and so they can iron out the bugs for the gameplay.    … Expand
  15. CenkAlp
    Mar 23, 2018
    7
    Hikaye = 7
    Oynanış = 7
    Grafikler = 7
    Sesler = 8
    Keyif = 9
    Atmosfer = 7
    Süre = 8
  16. Maarten95
    Jun 14, 2019
    7
    The game isn't as funny compared to the previous game. However there are still a lot funny moments like in the church, Randy keying his car and Towelie. I wished however that Randy was a bit more in the game. I hope with an third installment that they fix this. The battlesystem has improved and the battles now are more dificult. There are also more bosses and they all feel very unique.The game isn't as funny compared to the previous game. However there are still a lot funny moments like in the church, Randy keying his car and Towelie. I wished however that Randy was a bit more in the game. I hope with an third installment that they fix this. The battlesystem has improved and the battles now are more dificult. There are also more bosses and they all feel very unique. Soundtrack isn't something to write home about but the graphics are just as good as in the previous game. Overal its not an bad game.… Expand
  17. tomjoneser
    Jan 26, 2019
    7
    A mixed bag.

    Gameplay wise I certainly think they improved on The Stick Of Truth. it's a better experience during the battles in a lot of ways. Story/humor wise it doesn't live up to TSOT. it's just not as funny. Unfortunately no matter the gameplay improvements, a large part of why people will purchase this game is based on it's ability to make them laugh. There were certainly    A mixed bag.

    Gameplay wise I certainly think they improved on The Stick Of Truth. it's a better experience during the battles in a lot of ways.

    Story/humor wise it doesn't live up to TSOT. it's just not as funny.

    Unfortunately no matter the gameplay improvements, a large part of why people will purchase this game is based on it's ability to make them laugh. There were certainly moments that I thought were genuinely funny but it was much fewer and farther between than the previous installment.

    it's still a good game and my rating reflects that. Just don't expect to enjoy the humor as much as Stick of Truth.    … Expand
  18. JesterTRT
    Jan 6, 2020
    7
    This game was decent, but I missed the simplicity of the stick of truth. I felt too much more was added to this game, making the fights longer than they should have been. They were still fun, and I really enjoyed the powers. Switching between different super powers, and trying each move out was fun. But at times, I missed the stick of truth combat.
    The story was like watching en episode    This game was decent, but I missed the simplicity of the stick of truth. I felt too much more was added to this game, making the fights longer than they should have been. They were still fun, and I really enjoyed the powers. Switching between different super powers, and trying each move out was fun. But at times, I missed the stick of truth combat.
    The story was like watching en episode of south park--that ran a little too long.
    It was funny, and interesting. But I felt they added to much to the game. Towards the end I kept finding myself thinking, is this it? There is more?
    I still enjoyed the game though. And still hope for another one.    … Expand
  19. PS-Nightm4r3z
    Jul 19, 2020
    7
    After playing the stick of truth I couldn't wait to play this! As I was playing it I got easily bored. There was some parts that made me LOL But I was mostly bored with this one and in some cases just couldn't wait for it to end. I'd definitely think a about picking it up if I didn't have it already but only on sale. I got stick of truth and the fractured but whole as a package deal onAfter playing the stick of truth I couldn't wait to play this! As I was playing it I got easily bored. There was some parts that made me LOL But I was mostly bored with this one and in some cases just couldn't wait for it to end. I'd definitely think a about picking it up if I didn't have it already but only on sale. I got stick of truth and the fractured but whole as a package deal on Amazon for £13.99… Expand
  20. Skyfuzzball8312
    Apr 1, 2022
    7
    I have to say that this is the most racist game ever, plus this game disrespects black people when you choose the difficulty.! Skin darker means harder.
  21. Dac_Argyll_03
    Aug 5, 2022
    7
    Muy buen juego de una serie, tiene mucho amor hacia todo lo que es South Park y es un imperdible de los fanaticos del humor adulto, no se contiene en nada y su historia y chistes son excelentes. Lo malo entra en la jugabilidad que a veces cuenta con errores y mucha complejidad de primera, mete como muchas secuelas hacen, todo lo posible para ser mejor que su antecesor pero por meter tantoMuy buen juego de una serie, tiene mucho amor hacia todo lo que es South Park y es un imperdible de los fanaticos del humor adulto, no se contiene en nada y su historia y chistes son excelentes. Lo malo entra en la jugabilidad que a veces cuenta con errores y mucha complejidad de primera, mete como muchas secuelas hacen, todo lo posible para ser mejor que su antecesor pero por meter tanto termina siendo muy buenas cosas no muy pulidas, aun asi tiene personalización lo cual si eres de las personas que solo juega para tener el traje o armas que quieres este es tu juego, tiene estrategia y diversion. Completo pero tal vez al final algo vacío ya que acabás la historia y lo demás se vuelve un poco insignificante, aun así no deja de ser bueno.… Expand
  22. goodgriff33
    Dec 24, 2022
    7
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.
  23. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    A solid and funny turn based RPG that starts to buckle under its own weight about halfway through. Its funny but it gets old faster than I'd like.
  24. GrumpyReviewer
    Mar 13, 2018
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game lost me during "Spontaneous Bootay". Whoever played this knows exactly what I am talking about.

    South Park FBW is catered to its audience, I get it. I am not a super fan, but I can enjoy its humor for sure. But the game is not as good as The Stick of Truth (which I played until the end and enjoyed every second). The first SW RPG was a pretty decent RPG and this new one is not bad, it's just kind of boring.

    And when I realized I was not having that much fun with it I just gave up. Might as well play Stick of Truth, which they give as a bonus download anyway - so there is that.

    South Park FBW is by far not a bad game. It's just not great either. You'll laugh a bit at its crass humor and its charming characters, but don't expect much more.    … Expand
  25. OutlawTX
    Nov 14, 2017
    6
    The first few hours are great but at around 10 hours in the laughs become fewer and far between and the gameplay becomes fairly tedious. By the time I got to the end, the combat is just plain garbage. So many cheap things happen to feign combat difficulty. I would have given it an 8 after the first few hours but by the end it drops itself down to a 6. It just turns into an annoying,The first few hours are great but at around 10 hours in the laughs become fewer and far between and the gameplay becomes fairly tedious. By the time I got to the end, the combat is just plain garbage. So many cheap things happen to feign combat difficulty. I would have given it an 8 after the first few hours but by the end it drops itself down to a 6. It just turns into an annoying, tedious trial that I finished because I spent $60. Stick of Truth was so much better.… Expand
  26. Kai82
    Jun 11, 2021
    6
    In short: It is a weaker sequel compared to “The Stick of Truth” with focus on the superhero genre instead of fantasy. Longer version: The prequel “The Stick of Truth” impressed me and so I bought the sequel naturally. I expected the same respectless, dark and satirical South Park style humour and a solid to good RPG experience. To be fair it is not a bad game but more shallow than theIn short: It is a weaker sequel compared to “The Stick of Truth” with focus on the superhero genre instead of fantasy. Longer version: The prequel “The Stick of Truth” impressed me and so I bought the sequel naturally. I expected the same respectless, dark and satirical South Park style humour and a solid to good RPG experience. To be fair it is not a bad game but more shallow than the prequel and overall less immersive even when it has its moments and some good ideas. Also the humour works less well. Story: It continues a day after the events of “The Stick of Truth”. Sidenote: You mostly don't need to know the story of the prequel to enjoy this but it helps especially at the end of the game. This time the kids play superheroes (and supervillains). Their goal is finding a missing cat and use the reward to start their own superhero media /movie universe. Of cause this is just the beginning of many crazy events and twist that I will avoid because of spoilers. The story is entertaining but weaker than “The Stick of Truth”. Sometimes it feels forced or stretched. Also the villain is pretty weak or even a mayor disappointment and never won me over. In total I say they used weaker ideas (or less creativity / time) and it is less enjoyable because of it. Gameplay: The game focused on the superhero genre. You are again the new kid in town who moved in a few days before (See the events of “The Stick of truth for a set up). Again you create your character and I recommend to chose a female character and switch the difficult setting to get some dark South Park humour ;-). You chose a superhero class for your abilities including a weakness via a character sheet (Weakness: Like Kryptonite for Superman). I recommend vampires as weakness if you don't plan on buying DLC. As you progress through the game more options unlock and you can test multiple builds. The main change in gameplay is switching from turn based RPG to tactical RPG. The battles are on a square with 4 x 4 fields. There you move or position your party of up to 4 characters (= 3 characters of your choice can be added). When it is your characters turn you can move and use actions like attacks, items or special moves. Each special move has a specific range you have to take into consideration. The other party members have special abilities that help in battle and outside of it. Clarification for outside of battle: It has again a Metroidvania style that lets you unlock new areas with the right abilities / companions that are unpassable before. Your player character is special as he can master the art of microaggressions, add DNA boost to improve his stats and has even more farting skills available than before. There is more to it like knock backs, status effects etc. which is self-explanatory enough in the game. Visuals and soundtrack: Again this is one of the best source adaptations in videogames. They nailed the look, feel and characters. Like for the prequel I only say that I thought that the town was bigger and I am not a huge fan of the style (which would be unfair to criticize here). Humour: I expected more after the prequel game. It is entertaining but weaker. I almost say it is a bit tame for South Park standards but refused this statement at the end. Like I already said some parts feel a bit stretched out. South Park humour warning: The humour is not for everyone. For some it can be disgusting, harmful or tasteless. Negatives: The battle system did not win me over completely as I felt sometimes restricted. Except the boss battles the game was too easy and I see myself not as above average player. Some superheroes classes are underpowered. Lastly it is not as good as the prequel with weaker humour (I know I already said this before but it is a quintessential misstep for me). Overall I enjoyed the game but it was not that great. There are however strong moments I liked but it is not enough that I recommend the game.… Expand
  27. AsaZimbabwe
    Jan 24, 2018
    6
    it looks like South Park, it sounds like South Park. the writing is clever & often funny. the South Park universe appears to be well-married to an rpg format. the personal character customization is integrated effectively to the point you genuinely feel a part of it, interacting with the show's main characters. the potty humor that initially turned me off is actually pretty well-done too.it looks like South Park, it sounds like South Park. the writing is clever & often funny. the South Park universe appears to be well-married to an rpg format. the personal character customization is integrated effectively to the point you genuinely feel a part of it, interacting with the show's main characters. the potty humor that initially turned me off is actually pretty well-done too. the satisfaction of farting in people's faces and watching their reaction was admittedly enjoyable over-and-over. Boosting your character's stats by using toilets was also surprisingly well-implemented & gratifying. however, it just isn't that much fun to play. despite a hearty upgrade system, combat is slow & repetitive. navigating the town is slightly awkward & also gets boring fast, even with the unlockable fast-travel system. i was almost immediately digging through settings to boost the dialogue & combat speed to no avail. the game charmed me more than expected, but I was not compelled to work through more than about 10 hours of it before losing all desire to ever play it again. i didn't notice any of the bugs others have noted, perhaps they have been fixed with recent updates.… Expand
  28. xavia91
    Oct 18, 2017
    6
    The SP content is nice and all but as a game it isn't that good. After a short period of time it already feels like you have been playing forever, repeating things over and over again. Fighting is not fun but tedious.
  29. rstad
    Oct 19, 2017
    6
    Let's start with the good in this game: the gags and cut scenes are written and voiced by Trey and Matt. I laughed out loud a few times at the absurd, over the top nonsense on the screen. The problem with this game is that the cut scenes are where all of the enjoyable content is. Everything you do to advance the plot seems more tedious than in SOT. The new puzzle solving system isLet's start with the good in this game: the gags and cut scenes are written and voiced by Trey and Matt. I laughed out loud a few times at the absurd, over the top nonsense on the screen. The problem with this game is that the cut scenes are where all of the enjoyable content is. Everything you do to advance the plot seems more tedious than in SOT. The new puzzle solving system is unnecessarily long and quickly annoying. The new grid based combat system is okay and is used a couple of times in interesting ways but for the most part tends to just be slower than in a JRPG style.

    I think the worst part is the world seems emptier than in SOT. As in, less content than SOT despite repeated production delays. I kept waiting for new areas to open up like with 8 bit Canada or the sewers in SOT but it just doesn't happen (but BTW day one DLC is available for purchase!).

    In conclusion, a slight disappointment. If you're a huge fan than you've probably already bought it. If your not, wait till this thing is $10 in 2 years if you play at all. Maybe someone will piece together the cut scenes into an episode like video. Then just watch that instead. The gameplay here is just not worth $60.    … Expand
  30. LinboCritic
    Oct 19, 2017
    6
    South Park: The Fractured But Whole is definitely a fun experience for South Park fans and casuals alike, but it sorely misses the mark for fans of gaming and its excellent predecessor, The Stick of Truth. If you are expecting a hit, hold on to your money. The gameplay as a whole fails to immerse the user with compelling choices or any sense of meaningful progression. Instead it is filledSouth Park: The Fractured But Whole is definitely a fun experience for South Park fans and casuals alike, but it sorely misses the mark for fans of gaming and its excellent predecessor, The Stick of Truth. If you are expecting a hit, hold on to your money. The gameplay as a whole fails to immerse the user with compelling choices or any sense of meaningful progression. Instead it is filled with absolute clutter and horrifying design decisions that make the world feel barren and monotonous. When comparing this game to the absolute monsters of 2017, there's no way one can justify its price. The Fractured But Whole is woefully dismaying to anybody that expected the sequel to live up to the first.

    In The Stick of Truth, there are only four character classes, However, as you progress, you must make choices between learning and upgrading different skills, acquiring perks, and ultimately making the character your own. Each of the equipment pieces you obtain would have not just statistics, but a set of perks unique to them. This is wildly different in The Fractured But Whole, which eventually allows the player to simply mix and match whatever power from whatever archetype they want. The game gives no incentive for you to immerse yourself in a role, and instead gives the player absolute free license to do whatever they want. You don't feel like a kid playing a super hero, you just feel like a toolbox that is able to pick whatever power and configuration they think is convenient.

    The player is pretty much thrown face first into an open-world setting, pretty much allowing the player to go wherever they want and explore South Park to their heart's content while barring a few passages behind Zelda-esque "puzzle" walls. The problem with this open-world setting compared to a game like say Breath of The Wild or Skyrim, is that the world is small. No matter how you spin it, South Park is a small dinky town, and that is immediately felt as the player tries to push the boundaries and take a dump in every one of their neighbor's toilets. But what did the Stick of Truth do to make the setting of South Park so great? It gave you a more linear path through the various different settings of South Park with plenty of contextual meaning. You journeyed through the sewers to rescue a family of turds and into 8-bit Canada and fought off giant rats behind doors only gnomes may enter through. In contrast, what was the point in letting the player in TFBW enter Tom's Rhinoplasty? Just to buy some wrinkles and open some gold drawers and maybe laugh at a few pictures of David Hasselhoff?

    Finally you have the clutter. Clutter is a poor attempt at flavor, things that make the setting feel alive and interesting. Examples of clutter include the toilet minigames, the numerous Zelda-esque puzzles, Big Gay Al's cats,, and forcing the player to watch the increasingly tiresome animation of hamsters being shoved up butts whenever an exposed live wire demands it. There's about five component items that actually are unique and serve a purpose. The rest of the components are literally just names of the items and a category they fit into. There's no Terrence or Philip doll, there's no nazi armbands, or GSM Buttons. The majority of items you pick up in this game are simply names, until it goes in your pocket when it then ceases to have a name and becomes simply scrap.

    Of course the game has a lot of good points. The visual presentation is excellent and true to the show. The humor is also authentic but definitely toned down in certain departments. There's no shortage of potty humor and sex jokes, but in terms of bigotry and political jokes which I also believe are mainstays of the South Park franchise, there are relatively fewer than in The Stick of Truth. I also enjoyed the combat a bit, but was definitely disappointed that while it did offer more strategic depth, most of the battles were not challenging. It just all became too simple at a point too soon. It makes you wonder why they felt the need to add more strategic depth at all.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best PS4 Game of 2017
38
#38 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
21
#21 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 74 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 74
  3. Negative: 0 out of 74
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 10, 2018
    70
    The Fractured but Whole might be a better game (mainly thanks to significantly improved combat) but The Stick of Truth was a better South Park by a long shot. The Stick was brimming with humor and creativity (remember the 8-bit Canada?), this one is a forced compilation of jokes that are mostly either lazily rehashed (City Wok’s owner mispronouncing words, they took our jobs, poof! It’s gone and many, many more) or shallow. Where’s the show’s brilliant satire!? I’m not just disappointed by the fact that Parker and Stone botched this. As a die-hard fan of the show I’m simply embarrassed. [13/2017, p.46]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 2, 2018
    80
    Return to South Park with an improved combat system and superheroes instead of Elves. It's still entertaining, but the first game (included in the pack) was more hilarious and had better side missions. [Issue#280]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Dec 15, 2017
    70
    Its not the game its forerunner was, but The Fractured But Whole's accessible combat tactics and occasional rib-ticklers ensure most players will have a good time. [Christmas 2017, p.96]
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