South Park: The Fractured But Whole Reviews
Ubisoft's follow-up to the Stick of Truth shines with a rewarding combat system wrapped around South Park's distinct brand of humor.
A surprisingly deep and customisable role-player, wrapped in an enjoyable but unremarkable episode of South Park.
Ubisoft tightens up the systems but can't quite replicate the sparkle for this fun but flawed RPG sequel.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is South Park at its best backed up by gameplay that would stand on its own in any other game.
The new combat mechanics add tons of depth and strategy to the experience, and new exploration abilities really give Fractured But Whole an overall deeper RPG feel. The game is also absolutely hysterical; if you love the humor of South Park in general, then Fractured But Whole is a must have.
South Park: The Fractured but Whole builds upon the success of The Stick of Truth, delivering an equally hilarious look at superheroes while upturning many video game tropes.
In the end, I'm struggling to find negative things to say about this game. From start to finish, South Park: The Fractured But Whole had me in stitches. It's the perfect of blend of smart and silly. It is magnificent and absurdly ridiculous in a way that only South Park can pull off. It's the best possible excuse to laugh about everything and everyone you know you're not supposed to.
Despite some noticeable issues, South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a must-play for fans of South Park. There's no experience like playing through a massive episode of South Park where the hero of the story is you. The superhero angle really lands, and is an excellent wrapping for the story this time around.
South Park balances ample fan service with gameplay that stands on its own merits and an engaging story. It won't make you a fan if you weren't one already, but it's hard to imagine a better-realized adaptation.
All in all, South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a solid follow-up to the original game. It doesn't change too much, but the new combat system is an improvement over the original, and it retains the same sense of irreverent humor and love for the franchise as the first game. TFBW is a solid RPG on its own merits, and fans of South Park will find a ton to love here. The only thing that drags it down is feeling a bit too similar to the first game despite the differences, and some of the humor can fall dangerously flat. It's a fun, solid, and well-made licensed title that captured the good and bad of South Park while managing to craft an enjoyable gaming experience. What more can fans ask for?
The social commentary in this game is pretty spot on and I got more than my own fair share of laughs, even at my own expense at times as some jokes hit close to home. The fact that this is an RPG that plays really well and has a solid and surprisingly deep battle system is just the icing on the cake.
South Park is back. The Fractured but Whole becomes the perfect experience if we are fans of the TV show and, at the same time, we want to explore the city and fight in hard (but accesible) fights. With a new turn-based combat system, the game becomes closer to the Fire Emblem style, which makes it deeper.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
All in all, South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a fantastic game. While there are some minor flaws, I couldn't put my controller down. Aside from being one of my personal favorite games of this year, it also holds a special place in my heart as one of the best Ubisoft games I have ever played. If you are a fan of the TV series, as well as The Stick of Truth, I highly recommend purchasing this game; it is well worth your time, and it is worth every penny of its purchase price.
For fans, there are plenty of surprises to uncover and tons of references to even the most obscure episodes of the show. Thanks to a strong level of personalization coupled with South Park's distinct atmosphere, The Fractured But Whole makes wandering around the faithfully recreated and detailed map of the town a constant delight.
South Park returns to our consoles not as a whole different game from The Stick of Truth, but rather as a new season within it's gaming universe, with the style and satire of the best South Park seasons, and plenty of jokes to acompany you through all the adventure.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Fractured But Whole is a worthy follow-up to one of the best video game adaptations of a TV show ever made. It has consistent humor, a story with a satisfying pay-off, and a fun new combat system
At the beginning of this review, I outed myself as someone who's not a huge South Park fan, but I've watched enough of the show to understand that this is its modus operandi. It foregrounds loud, over-the-top, “edgy” humor, and it backgrounds surprisingly thoughtful character arcs. South Park: The Fractured But Whole matches the show's strange mix of intentions; it is totally aligned in that way. And in that way, it provided the perfect reminder for why the show (and, to a lesser extent, this game) aren't for me.
Minor technical issues aside, the stellar combat, engaging narrative, and quirky humour make this 30 hour romp through the quiet mountain town of South Park, Colorado, worth checking out. Particularly if the TV show's brand of humour gels with you. It's a marked improvement over South Park: The Stick of Truth in almost every way. [OpenCritic note: Rishi Alwani separately reviewed the XB1 (9) and Switch (8) versions. The scores have been averaged.]
Much like a shart, The Fractured but Whole continues to surprise as the game of superheroes goes darker and cruder than anything else the kids of South Park have experienced.
With 21 years of being on the air, South Park: The Stick of Truth was the first game that truly captured the spirit of the series and that is continued with near perfection in South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Even if you never got around to playing The Stick of Truth, South Park: The Fractured But Whole is the very epitome of South Park at the very top of its game.