South Park: Snow Day! Marks a significant departure from the last two games. The previous titles were solid RPGs with an art style that emulated the TV series. Snow Day’s 3D visuals and gameplay are a stark contrast to what fans are used to. While Snow Day isn’t a perfect game, it’s still fun, provided you’re playing online and aren’t expecting a sequel to Fractured But Whole.
Snow Day isn’t your typical South Park game
South Park Snow Day is a co-op adventure game developed by Question. It’s worth noting that the previous games were made by South Park Digital Studios. In comparison, Question seems to be a smaller studio. The last title they are credited for, Magic Circle, is almost a decade old.
While there are some RPG elements, like permanent stat upgrades, Snow Day is a streamlined affair. You can sail through this game in a single session, and I’d seen most of its offerings within six hours. That said, what I did play was enjoyable, albeit rough around the edges.
The premise of Snow Day is simple. A heavy snowstorm ravages the town. While the adults fight over toilet paper, the kids enjoy a whimsical day off from school, engaged in a fantasy battle complete with Wizards and Elves. The story hits notes similar to those of Stick of Truth, and everything you expect from South Park is here.
There are poop jokes galore and a dedicated fart button. If that isn’t your speed, then at least it’s a joy to interact with the residents of South Park. You play as ‘”The New Kid,” and character customization is pretty decent. There are plenty of outfits, and every locked costume can be bought with in-game currency (called PP, no less).
The humor is noticeably less risque than in previous South Park games. I still laughed out loud on multiple occasions, but it does feel toned down, for better and for worse.
South Park: Snow Day! Offers a simple gameplay loop with plenty of variety
Before you start a Chapter, you pick your weapons and one of several “Bullshit Cards.” These are limited-use overpowered abilities. There’s a respectable selection of Weapons and Powers ranging from Daggers to Snow Turrets and Healing Totems. It’s a decent mix, and while I couldn’t play the game with my friends during the review period, I expect picking loadouts to complement my squad will be fun at launch.
There are also Upgrade Cards that offer bonuses that last until the end of a Chapter. I had so much fun experimenting with these, and there’s a unique selection for every weapon and power-up. I also enjoyed the Dark Matter system. As this is South Park, I’ll let you use your imagination to figure out what “Dark Matter” is, and it ties into meta-progression with a simple skill tree.
It does take a good while to earn Dark Matter for upgrades. I’m a sucker for long-term grinds, but it won’t be for everyone.
Each Chapter follows a set path, but I was surprised to learn that they change in future playthroughs. On my first attempt at Chapter 3, I took part in a hilarious collectathon trying to find Chinpokomon Cards and a Taylor Swift Album before getting flattened by a truck. On my second try, I still had the collectathon, but I had a different secondary objective, which skipped the truck entirely. Dying doesn’t feel great, as I had to replay the entire Chapter, but I appreciate the variety.
There’s also a free Day 1 DLC Horde Mode called “A Danse of Ravenous Shadows.” This wave-based mode lets you fight enemies that get tougher each round. It’s basic, but I thoroughly enjoy Horde modes, and they work great in South Park: Snow Day. There are four different maps, and it gets borderline unfair on the harder difficulties. I spent a lot of time here, as it’s a great place to try out weird weapons and power combinations.
Fumbling on Ice
Unfortunately, combat is a mixed bag. It’s fun when everything goes your way, but I got hit by attacks I never saw coming far too often. Snow Day loves to throw hordes of ranged enemies into the mix, and getting shot by opponents off-screen quickly becomes tiresome. It’s not all bad; smashing through waves of enemies is satisfying, but it never felt as responsive as I wanted. Movement feels oddly floaty, and while precision platforming isn’t required, I’d appreciate snappier controls.
With so many effects on the screen, fights can become difficult to follow. Debuffs like “Pink Eye” impair vision, which may sound good on paper, but it gets a little obnoxious.
Damage also feels wildly inconsistent. There were a few instances where I died and didn’t feel like I’d been hit too much. I could see what happened as I recorded my gameplay, but the lack of feedback I received at the time was frustrating.
Snowball fights are no fun without friends
While my time with Snow Days multiplayer was mostly positive, I must address the single-player mode. It’s clear that the game is balanced for multiplayer, but I can’t recall another title where my experience was so jarringly different depending on my party size.
AI teammates are useless. They aimlessly wander around and occasionally swing at enemies. I counted numerous times when my buddies just walked off to die, and it was a potluck if they used my Healing Totems.
The most baffling part is they don’t seem to use any abilities when the entire combat loop necessitates them. When you’re playing with real people, it’s like an entirely different game.
I don’t want to drum on about this when the game is clearly marketed as a co-op experience, but I also know many players strictly play games solo. If you fall into that group, I cannot recommend South Park: Snow Day.
If you’re looking for a funny, accessible co-op adventure to enjoy with your friends, South Park: Snow Day may scratch that itch. The game has limitations, but I didn’t encounter any game-breaking issues during my playtime. There’s enough meat on the bone for repeat playthroughs, but the inconsistent combat does sully the experience.
