5 out of 5 stars.

South Park: the Stick of Truth is what happens when Final Fantasy starts making fart jokes.

Seriously though, South Park: the Stick of Truth (TSOT) is a role playing game centered around the raunchy TV show South Park. TSOT incorporates numerous gaming classics from titles like the aforementioned Final Fantasy series, as well as bits and pieces of the gameplay and lore of games like Skyrim and even Paper Mario.

Taking the role of a ‘new kid’ at South Park, you are a literal silent protagonist participating in a town-wide LARP (Live Action Role Playing) contest between two sides.

The story and side quests are littered with jokes and references to the show itself, so players who aren’t savvy with the show’s offensive nature and offhand jokes may find themselves confused or even disgusted.

However, the game still retains a level of acceptance by not forcing too many jokes and instead leaving them open for interpretation. In fact, TSOT is the closest thing to an interactive South Park movie yet. While this is normally a turn off for most gamers, the game focuses on actual gameplay much more than cut scenes and storytelling. TSOT understands that if people wanted to watch South Park, they would simply watch it and not buy a game about watching it.

The show’s signature paper design is done perfectly and creates a unique mood to the game. Away from the action, you can make plans and travel through ‘Facebook.’ Yes, a dumbed-down version of Facebook serves as the menu for the game. From here you can manage quests from your “friends” or choose your equipment. The Facebook element is honestly pulled off very well and is a cute alternative to a generic menu.

Of course, at the end of the day, South Park: The Stick of Truth is still a very gross and offensive game that will likely be ignored or pushed away by people who aren’t fans of the show. Still, it is a solid game with rewarding punch lines and a certain level of acceptance to all comers despite its offensive exterior.

South Park: The Stick of Truth shows that you don’t need to stick to the norm to make an entertaining and enjoyable RPG game.