South Park has had an interesting relationship with video games since its inception, fluctuating between unimpressive cash-ins and inspired adaptations. South Park: Snow Day! is the latest game based on the iconic adult cartoon, and is set after South Park: The Fractured but Whole. Developed by indie-ish studio Question and published by THQ Nordic, Snow Day leads players on a third-person adventure that’s playable with friends, but is it any good? Recent South Park games like The Stick of Truth were both hilarious and fun to play, does Snow Day afford the same level of entertainment?
A Cold Day in South Park
Kicking off with an excellent animated cutscene in the style of the South Park cartoon, Snow Day offers a simple premise. Overnight, the quaint mountain town has been demolished by a massive blizzard, causing severe property damage and general panic. Of course, that means school is closed, leading the familiar neighborhood kids to start up another fantasy-like adventure as they play outside in the snow. Just like in South Park: The Stick of Truth and Fractured But Whole, you enter the fray as the “New Kid”, a customizable youngster who is eager to enjoy some playtime.
For those who have played the previous two South Park RPGs, it’s important to note that you are, canonically, the same “New Kid” from the first two games. Is Snow Day a sequel to Fractured but Whole? Technically, yes, but it doesn’t really feel like it. Vague references and callbacks are made to those adventures, firmly planting them in the same narrative timeline, but that’s about it. Across the game’s five chapters, you’ll encounter plenty of fan-favorite characters besides the four iconic boys, such as Butters, Jimmy, Mr. Hankey, Randy, and more. As usual, characters spout off zinger one-liners and risque jokes, which are often chuckle-worthy or flat-out hilarious.
Unfortunately, the story of South Park: Snow Day doesn’t have much going for it. Each character gets a bit of time in the spotlight, as each chapter focuses on a mini battle between Cartman and other members of the main cast, but there’s barely a driving plot. Apart from a few funny moments and quick character cameos, Snow Day fails to be interesting beyond its premise. It also doesn’t help that 80% of the story is spent in samey-looking snow dunes, with only a few instances of inspired environmental design.
If South Park: Snow Day was an episode of the show, it would feel like C-rate filler that meanders without much to say. It’s not remarkably bad, as the voice-acting is solid and jokes are often effective (if you’re into that kind of humor), but it’s entirely forgettable otherwise. Worse yet, there are only two cutscenes in the game that are similar to the original South Park animation style (the intro and ending). The rest of the cutscenes are often static conversations between two characters, with minimal camera movement or engaging action. Overall, it’s a disappointment in terms of storytelling, especially when you consider how strong South Park‘s reputation is in that department.
Playing in the Snow
Although you can play South Park: Snow Day solo without many issues, the game was designed as a four-player cooperative online multiplayer adventure. Blending RPG stylings with a third-person hack ‘n slash gameplay loop, Snow Day sees you and your pals (or AI companions) exploring a series of mostly linear levels, slashing through waves of enemies whenever they crop up. Melee weapons include a pair of daggers, a sword and shield, and a two-handed axe, while the ranged arsenal consists of a bow, magic staff, and flame-spewing wand.
Additionally, there are eight unique special abilities to try out, including healing buffs, a noxious fart cloud, a gravity bomb, and more. When playing solo, you’ll likely find what you enjoy and stick to it, but in multiplayer, it’s cool to experiment with different builds and discover powerful synergies.
A lot of Snow Day feels like mindless hack ‘n slash gameplay, which can be enjoyably cathartic or mind-numbingly boring, depending on your mood and group of players. However, it does shake up the experience with a card-based upgrade system, which helps keep things interesting throughout each level. After most battles, you can pick an upgrade card that enhances or alters your attacks and abilities, which can be further upgraded by discovering hidden foil packs.
Upgrade cards only last for one chapter, but you can permanently power up your character by investing in a standard skill tree, making subsequent runs a bit easier. That said, as long as you keep reviving your teammates (luckily, the AI is good about this), South Park: Snow Day shouldn’t pose much of a challenge on the standard difficulty. Playing solo, it only took me about four hours to finish the entire campaign, which consists of five chapters.
Generally speaking, I vibed with the combat of Snow Day, as the steady trickle of unlockable weapons and upgrades kept me interested during the brief runtime. Unfortunately, I did not vibe with the repetitive level and environmental design, which is almost entirely “South Park, but there’s a lot of snow”. A few iconic locations from the cartoon are represented in-game, like Stark’s Pond and South Park Elementary, but the endless piles of snow make everything feel the same.
That said, there are some standout boss fights that provide visual flair, but otherwise, it’s a four-hour-long trek through knee-high snow. Other parts of the game’s visuals feel samey or half-baked as well, including the in-game HUD, menus, and various icons.
The Bottom Line on South Park: Snow Day!
South Park: Snow Day is billed as a successor to Stick of Truth and Fractured but Whole, but it pales in comparison to its RPG predecessors. It’s short, forgettable, and feels unpolished, but the game is still somewhat enjoyable in small doses. Although the story is unremarkable, there’s still an air of South Park‘s distinct humor, leading to frequent chuckles. Overall, Snow Day can be enjoyable (even more so when playing with friends), but the $30 price tag is indicative of its half-baked quality. If you decide to grab this game, I suggest you play it with low expectations.
