Summary
A trailer forSouth Park: Snow Day, the newest title set in theSouth Parkuniverse, has the internet abuzz with speculation. Featuring a style straight out of the N64 days ofSouth Parkgames and a genre tease of four-player co-op, reactions are ranging from intrigued to concerned. Whether the game ends up being an ARPG, co-op action platformer, or something entirely different, its strength will ultimately hinge on the unique style and fun factor of each playable character.
WhenSouth Park: The Stick of Truthwas released in 2014, few could have guessed how competent of a game it was in its own right, not merely a vehicle for an established IP. With fidelity having reached parity with the show,fans felt truly immersed in the world ofSouth Park, living an episode of the show. The 2017 follow-upSouth Park: The Fractured but Wholeiterated on its predecessor in several meaningful ways, with surprising depth to its combat and exploration, as well as a hilarious story up to the high standard of the decades-spanning show. Six years from its release, the nextSouth Parkgame has been unveiled, and its massive departure from the two Ubisoft-published outings has many wondering why they would mess with success.
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Adding Another Dimension Should Not Remove What Made South Park Games Great
South Park: Snow Dayis being published by THQ Nordic, which may answer the question of its shift in genre and visual design, with the publisher looking to leave its own mark on the cherished franchise.The change to 3D evokes memories of the olderSouth ParkgameslikeSouth Park RallyandChef’s Love Shack,which leaves some excited about the prospect of a nostalgic romp through the Colorado mountain town, while others are scrutinizing a visual design that might have been better left as a relic of the past. Of course, all the speculation on fidelity is secondary to what matters most: the gameplay.
A co-op game in this day and age is a near-assurance of some gameplay design decisions. As groups of up to four look to conquer the challenges inSouth Park: Snow Day, they will be facing encounters developed around coordinated teamwork and scaled difficulty, and as a hallmark of solid co-op design, will have each player filling a defined role within the group.
The holy trinity of tank, heals, and damage designed for MMORPGs informs much of the modern co-op experience, and that means thatSouth Park: Snow Daywill have to design distinct classes that each contain their own flavor while supplementing the others.The last twoSouth Parkgameshad players create their own characters, with the caveat of being the new kid in school, but a co-op game in the IP might require more rigidly-defined roles, which means it is likely that players will be filling the shoes of the show’s primary cast of characters.
South Park: Snow Day Should Take the Right Lessons From the Recent Pitfalls of Co-Op
The prospect of a frontline Cartman tanking damage while Kyle and Stan dish out damage from the rear, with Kenny giving support and heals to the rest of the squad is an interesting prospect, but many remain hesitant following thetrailer forSouth Park: Snow Day. THQ Nordic has to consider the co-op trends in gaming that are falling out of favor, as well as the class diversity that is so crucial. IfSouth Park: Snow Dayhas a cribbed version ofDestiny’sloot-based progression system, fans might start hammering the panic button.
The bottom line is that it is still too early to levy any serious judgments againstSouth Park: Snow Day. The visual style in the trailer might be initially off-putting, but those reservations could be upended if the gameplay loop is fun, its character classes are varied, and the storyhits the hilarious highs of its IP.
South Park: Snow Dayis coming to PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.
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