Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

South Park throws players into the heart of the titular town in a first-person shooter format that balances straightforward shooting with the series’ trademark humor. You cycle between Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and Stan simply by switching weapons, each wielding a unique primary and secondary fire—ranging from endless yellow snowballs to a bovine-blasting cow launcher and toxic Terrance & Phillip dolls. The shared life bar means you’ll want to manage your character swaps strategically, as all four kids share the same health pool.

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The single-player “Story” mode is divided into five episodes and fifteen linear levels, each introducing new minion types inspired by early show villains—cows, aliens, clones—and occasional sub-bosses who flee toward town if you don’t stop them in time. This structure keeps each mission feeling fresh, culminating in a unique boss fight to wrap up every episode. Along the way, the kids’ dynamic chatter—complete with bleeps over heavier profanity—keeps the pace lively and often hilarious as their mood sours with low health.

Beyond the campaign, South Park’s multiplayer offers deathmatch arenas where unlocked characters and weapons carry over from Story mode. The PlayStation supports two-player splitscreen, the N64 ups the count to four, and the PC version plugs into GameSpy matchmaking for online duels. Standard options like knockouts or timed matches are available, and voice taunts ensure you’re never short of insults when you score a hit or take one.

Graphics

The game uses 3D rendering that faithfully captures the cutout-style look of the TV show, right down to flat textures and bold outlines. While the aesthetic is instantly recognizable and charming, the implementation leans heavily on distance fog to mask draw-distance limitations. The severity of this fog varies by platform—most noticeable on the N64, slightly improved on PlayStation, and farthest on PC.

Environmental detail is minimal—walls, buildings, and streets are largely static backdrops that never react to player fire, reserving visual feedback for enemies alone. Weapon effects, like splatting cows or gooey doll blasts, provide the bulk of the action’s visual flair. On the N64, performance benefits from the Expansion Pak, though resolution remains lower compared to the crisp textures and smoother frame rates of the PC release.

Character models for Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and Stan are impressively faithful, right down to their simple animations and expressive head-turns when you receive damage. The NPC enemies—whether clones or extraterrestrials—similarly evoke early show seasons, though they recycle a handful of animations. Overall, the graphics succeed as a stylized recreation of South Park but don’t push the boundaries of contemporary FPS engines.

Story

The premise is pure South Park: a mysterious comet hurtles toward town, reanimating foes from the show’s early days—cows, aliens, clones—and unleashing them on unsuspecting residents. You and the other three boys must rally through the streets, armed with any bizarre weapon you can find, to stop the impending apocalypse. Original voice actors lend fresh dialogue throughout, so it feels like an interactive extended episode.

Story progression is broken into five distinct episodes, each with its own setting, enemy types, and mini-narrative threads. Between levels, brief cutscenes deliver the trademark crude humor and witty banter, punctuated by bleeps when the four protagonists get carried away. As their health dwindles, their remarks grow more frantic—and foul—until they eventually throw in the towel if you’re not careful.

Though the plot is linear and fairly light, it succeeds by leaning into fan service and comedic timing. Side references to early-season gags and cameo appearances from show staples reward longtime viewers, while the simple objective structure means newcomers won’t get lost. It’s not a deep, branching narrative, but it captures South Park’s irreverent spirit in every mission.

Overall Experience

South Park stands out among licensed titles by merging a recognizable FPS framework with the show’s distinctive humor and style. The pacing is brisk, thanks to the mix of unique weapons, character-switching mechanics, and episodic level design. Fans of the series will appreciate the authentic voice work, censored profanity bleeps, and callbacks to classic episodes.

However, the game’s technical limitations—foggy draw distances, static environments, and recycled animations—can feel dated, especially when compared to genre contemporaries. Multiplayer adds replay value, though match types are basic and platform capabilities vary: two players on PlayStation, four on N64, and online battles on PC. Still, taunting voice samples in deathmatches keep the sessions lively.

In the end, South Park delivers an experience that’s more about comedy and nostalgia than cutting-edge graphics or complex storytelling. If you enjoy light-hearted shooters, crave more South Park antics, or want a party-friendly multiplayer romp, this title hits the mark. Just be prepared for some repetition and a thin plot—because the real draw here is blasting cloned cows while listening to Cartman swear under his breath.

Retro Replay Score

5.7/10