Summary
After being absent from the AAA gaming space since 2017,South Parkis making its grand return in 2024 withSouth Park: Snow Day. This new game will see THQ Nordic take the helm and will take the franchise to the 3D world for a new four-player co-op experience. Not much is known about the specifics quite yet, but it should be a treat for fans of the series. However, there is also something off about the waySouth Park: Snow Daylooks.
THQ Nordic will be bringing theSouth Parkseries ina whole new direction withSouth Park: Snow Day, but that may not be as cool as it sounds. While this game could be a hit, THQ Nordic seems to have forgotten what made Ubisoft’s entries so special. Ubisoft was able to capture the essence ofSouth Parkthrough a unique 2.5D art style and engaging gameplay, and it currently looks likeSouth Park: Snow Daywill fail to deliver on that. While it is too early to deliver a final verdict, the first reveal trailer leaves much to be desired.
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South Park Snow Day Lacks the 2.5D Charm
Ubisoft surprised everyone when it launchedSouth Park: The Stick of Truthback in 2014. Bringing theSouth Parkseries to a turn-based RPG game seemed like a strange choice, but it delivered almost everything that fans of the series could want. The 2.5D third-person perspective felt ripped straight from the show, the game was filled to the brim with the series' iconic brand of comedy, and the story was a hilarious ride from start to finish. While it may not have been the most challenging game out there, it truly felt like a playable episode of the show and fans flocked to it.
After the success ofSouth Park: The Stick of Truth, Ubisoft quickly got to work on a sequel.South Park: The Fractured But Wholetook the series to the superhero genre for another hilarious RPG adventure. The studio was able to capture the essence of the show once again, the 2.5D art style was as charming as ever, and the new grid-based combat system proved a bit more challenging than its predecessor. While it may not have been received as well asSouth Park: The Stick of Truth,The Fractured but Wholestill delivered almost everything that fans of the series could want.
Ubisoft would end up not developing a sequel for some reason, and now it seems like THQ Nordic has gottentheSouth Parklicense. Instead of following in the footsteps of Ubisoft’s games, THQ Nordic will be bringingSouth Parkto the 3D world with a new four-player co-op adventure. The turn-based combat will be replaced by a real-time combat system, players will take control of characters from the show, and the game will be taking on a winter theme. While Cartman may be wearing hisStick of Truthoutfit in the trailer, the game looks nothing like those 2.5D RPGs.
WhileSouth Park: Snow Daycould be a fantastic game, the art style will be polarizing.South Parkis known for being a 2D-animated show, but THQ Nordic chose to take the series to the 3D space. The characters do not seem to translate very well to this style, and it makes the game look drastically different from the show. This seems like a strange decision after two games replicated the feel of the series almost flawlessly, and that sudden change could push some fans away from this new adventure.
South Park: Snow Dayis coming to PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.
MORE:South Park: Snow Day’s Move to 3D is a Double-Edged Sword
