South Park: The Fractured But Whole

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.

83%Game Brain Score

story, humor

stability, grinding

83% User Score Based on 15,475 reviews

Critic Score 82%Based on 12 reviews

Platforms

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About

In South Park: The Fractured But Whole, players step back into the shoes of the New Kid, joining South Park's iconic characters in a new superhero-themed RPG adventure. Forming a crime-fighting team with Coon and Friends, players delve into the criminal underbelly of South Park to combat evil forces and earn the town's adoration under Cartman's raccoon-inspired alter-ego, The Coon. The Gold Edition includes the base game and the season pass.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

South Park: The Fractured But Whole screenshot

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 15,475 reviews

story1.1k positive mentions

stability467 negative mentions

story
3,388 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
62%
6%
The story of "South Park: The Fractured But Whole" is a continuation of the narrative from "The Stick of Truth," transitioning from a fantasy setting to a superhero theme, which has received mixed reviews from players. While many appreciate the humor and character interactions, some feel the story lacks the depth and cohesion of its predecessor, with a tendency towards repetitive fetch quests and a less engaging plot. Overall, the game is seen as entertaining for fans of the series, but it may not meet the expectations set by the first installment in terms of storytelling quality.
- “The story is engaging and full of unexpected twists and turns, keeping players on their toes throughout the game.”
- “The story is great, and so is the PvP.”
- “The story is completely forgettable, loot for the sake of loot.”
- “The story pacing is very bad toward the end.”
- “The story is both hilarious and well crafted, staying close to the show.”
humor
3,125 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "South Park: The Fractured But Whole" is a continuation of the series' trademark irreverence, featuring a mix of crude jokes, social commentary, and absurd scenarios that fans have come to expect. While many players found it consistently funny and engaging, some noted that it doesn't quite reach the comedic heights of its predecessor, "The Stick of Truth," with a heavier reliance on toilet humor and less impactful jokes. Overall, the game is praised for its humor, though opinions vary on its effectiveness compared to the first installment.
- “The humor is peak South Park, the story is all over the place, the characters are fun, and every matchup kind of works!”
- “South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a hilarious and fun RPG that perfectly captures the show’s humor.”
- “This game is a must-play for fans of the show and anyone who enjoys irreverent humor and engaging gameplay.”
- “Garbage game, very boring and jokes are unfunny.”
- “It's just not funny and that should be the selling point for a South Park game.”
- “I genuinely loved Stick of Truth, but this one is just a mess of unfunny jokes and uninspiring gameplay.”
gameplay
1,591 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
60%
6%
The gameplay of "South Park: The Fractured But Whole" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting improvements over its predecessor, "The Stick of Truth," particularly in combat mechanics and strategic depth. While some appreciate the new grid-based turn-based combat and the variety of character classes, others find the gameplay repetitive and less engaging, with some mechanics feeling tedious or overly complicated. Overall, fans of the series may enjoy the humor and gameplay, but those seeking a more refined RPG experience might find it lacking.
- “The animation is fantastic, cutscenes are exactly how the show is portrayed and it blends into real gameplay perfectly.”
- “The gameplay mechanics represent a significant upgrade from 'The Stick of Truth', particularly in terms of combat.”
- “The turn-based combat system has been upgraded with more tactical depth, featuring a grid-based movement system and various character classes that allow for more strategic gameplay.”
- “Gameplay was completely ruined and simplified down to a point and click with nearly no freedom or choices, unlike 'Stick of Truth' which had amazing gameplay and story; this one was just sad.”
- “The turn-based gameplay, lackluster abilities of which you're limited by 4 abilities across three classes (12 abilities to pick from at a time) you can multi-class as, and mutations are downright terrible with the only interesting thing being the animations that play for each ability.”
- “The gameplay is solid enough, but it’s hard to ignore Ubisoft lurking in the background.”
stability
481 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a constant stream of glitches, freezes, and game-breaking bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users experienced issues such as combat freezes, softlocks, and crashes, often requiring restarts to progress. While some players managed to enjoy the game despite these problems, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by stability issues that detract from the experience.
- “It also runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “Unlike others, I've had no glitches, bugs, crashes, etc. during the entire playthrough.”
- “I have a top-of-the-line setup (1080 Ti + 7700K) and have had absolutely no glitches.”
- “Absolutely garbage game considering it doesn't even allow you to begin playing without a ton of buggy torture.”
- “The game is plagued by bugs and glitches that range from minor graphical hiccups to more severe problems like crashes and save file corruption.”
- “This game is a buggy mess.”
graphics
338 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
70%
3%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their faithful representation of the South Park aesthetic, effectively capturing the look and feel of the television series. While many reviewers note improvements in clarity and detail compared to its predecessor, "The Stick of Truth," some express disappointment over performance issues and graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are considered vibrant and engaging, though opinions vary on their optimization and execution.
- “The graphics are vibrant and true to the South Park style, immersing players in the town of South Park like never before.”
- “The game flawlessly captures the essence of the South Park universe, from the irreverent humor to the distinct art style.”
- “It's like playing an actual South Park episode with the graphics staying loyal to the show's art style and humor.”
- “The graphics are worse than South Park: Stick of Truth and have less elements to explore.”
- “I loved how the original was ripped straight out of the show, but unfortunately for this game, while the graphical/art style of this game is exactly as South Park, the movement in gameplay is a smooth 60fps, then the usual low fps the original game had which perfectly matched the show's animation style.”
- “My first issue is that this has got to be the most poorly optimized piece of software I've ever seen; it's a South Park game, there's no excuse for it to run at 12 fps on some screens that don't even have any fancy visual effects happening.”
music
230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
60%
2%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and fitting for the South Park theme, featuring both original compositions and familiar tunes from the show. However, some players feel it falls short compared to the previous game, citing issues with repetitive tracks and sound glitches that disrupt the experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, it is noted that it lacks the memorable quality of its predecessor.
- “The soundtrack is full of bangers too, surprisingly.”
- “The music, just like in the prequel, is awesome.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic; it has the big sweeping instruments and quintessential South Park choir chants.”
- “Music is worse than in the first game, and background pop music inside some buildings is just terribly annoying.”
- “The original’s music was unbeatable, and unfortunately, this game’s soundtrack doesn’t quite measure up.”
- “The music is weaker than the previous game and is not memorable.”
grinding
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
8%
90%
The aspect of "grinding" in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding the combat and exploration tedious and repetitive. Players noted that the game often requires excessive backtracking and grinding for collectibles or experience points, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciated the humor and story, the overwhelming sentiment is that the gameplay becomes a slog, necessitating a significant time investment to complete.
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Not tedious enough to be a negative, but it was definitely a downer.”
- “A bit grindy.”
- “The battle is long and tedious.”
- “However, towards the end of the game, the combat can start to feel repetitive and tedious, which may dampen the overall experience for some players.”
- “The majority of the game is just a collect-a-thon of random fetch quests locked behind so-called puzzles that require specific buddy powers that you unlock throughout the game - and you are forced to watch a 15-second clip every single time you use these powers, which becomes very tedious.”
replayability
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
57%
18%
The reviews for "replayability" in the game are mixed, with many players noting a lack of significant replay value due to the linear progression and the ability to unlock all classes in a single playthrough. While some appreciate the tactical combat and humor that encourage multiple runs, others feel that the game becomes stale after a few attempts, making it more suited for a one-time experience rather than repeated playthroughs. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there are elements that could enhance replayability, they are overshadowed by the game's limitations.
- “Amazing gameplay, can always play this, good replayability.”
- “There's also a lot of replay value too, every playthrough feels like something new every single time, and that's hard to achieve.”
- “The replayability and emphasis on tactics really bring this game together.”
- “There's not much in the way of replayability, but it's not too short and easy to make that shortcoming feel like you're losing anything.”
- “The game has absolutely no replay value.”
- “The biggest complaint I would have to make is that there is pretty much no replay value.”
optimization
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
48%
31%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, long loading times, and bugs that hinder gameplay. While some users experienced smooth performance on high-end systems, others found it poorly optimized for keyboard and mouse controls, suggesting it is better suited for console play. Overall, the consensus indicates that the game suffers from a lack of polish and optimization, particularly for PC users.
- “Issues/optimization: well optimized with good performance on modern hardware.”
- “The combat system has majorly been improved and the entire game is just a major improvement in performance as well.”
- “It was well optimized so there are no frame rate issues or glitches.”
- “There is no optimization, nor progression, nor any sense of accomplishment.”
- “Poor optimization, constant bugs; when battles begin, it takes about 5-30 seconds for them to actually start, visual bugs, slow loading times, and sometimes even soft locks.”
- “I am once again tricked into buying a buggy, unoptimized mess of a PC port to what is otherwise a good game.”
monetization
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
55%
42%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as a cash grab due to the presence of unskippable ads, day-one DLC, and a push towards Ubisoft's microtransaction system. While some users argue that there are no significant microtransactions affecting gameplay, others feel that the integration of Ubisoft's promotional content detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the sentiment leans towards disappointment with the monetization practices, suggesting a lack of transparency and a focus on profit over player experience.
- “There are no microtransactions in this game in spite of what people are saying.”
- “Please understand that there are no microtransactions in this game; you can earn everything in the game just by playing it alone.”
- “Microtransactions aren't apparent, and I didn't have to pay to advance in rank.”
- “This game had so much potential, but it's just a cash grab.”
- “The game also throws marketing popups for premium services or items at you from the start, making the whole thing feel like a cheap cash grab.”
- “Immediatly upon launching into the game I'm hit with ads for some Uplay club.”
emotional
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
11%
The emotional aspect of the game is a mix of crude humor and surprisingly heartfelt moments, exploring themes of friendship, acceptance, and personal identity. While some players found the story boring and gameplay repetitive, many were touched by the character arcs and emotional depth, leading to genuine laughter and tears. Overall, it balances absurdity with poignant storytelling, making it a memorable experience for fans of the series.
- “Underneath all the fart jokes and crude humor, there's a surprisingly touching story about friendship, acceptance, and the power of being true to yourself.”
- “This game made me cry every 30 minutes. 10/10.”
- “There are moments where the story gets dark, from the parents emotionally abusing each other, to your eventual choice of having to pick which one to save, but with the ending everything is fixed.”
- “A boring story with agonizingly slow gameplay, completely unbalanced difficulty, and the Ubisoft launcher straight from the depths of hell.”
- “But this game is a forgettable boring story that's also far too easy on the hardest setting, so it just drags.”
- “Repetitive puzzles, uninteresting combat, and a boring story.”
atmosphere
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
52%
10%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its strong connection to the South Park series, with many reviewers noting that it captures the show's humor and style effectively. While some feel it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor, "Stick of Truth," the overall ambiance, music, and sound design contribute to an engaging experience that resonates with fans. However, a few critiques mention a shift towards a darker tone that may detract from the classic South Park vibe.
- “The atmosphere is great; if you love the show and enjoyed the previous game, you'll love this one as well.”
- “Ubisoft managed to nail the atmosphere and dark humor of South Park with an amazingly fun and addictive RPG system.”
- “The gameplay and soundtrack are great, the atmosphere is exactly South Park, the characters and dialogues are funny, and the story is a parody of your average Marvel movie.”
- “Story & atmosphere: feels like the leftover ideas of Stick of Truth were gathered, and some story were added so it can be sold as a new game.”
- “The quality of the story and atmosphere of The Fractured But Whole, compared to its predecessor, has been a very divisive topic among players.”
- “I really don't know how to put this in writing - but when you walk around the town, the atmosphere feels wrong.”
character development
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
55%
14%
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and engagement, offering players a rich narrative experience that enhances both the main and minor characters. While some reviews note a lack of complexity in character progression mechanics, others highlight the meaningful growth and diverse options available, particularly in relation to player identity. Overall, the character development is seen as a significant strength, contributing to the game's storytelling and enjoyment.
- “There is so much to do, and so much character development that really draws the player in.”
- “The story was a bit slower compared to the previous game, but there's a lot more content with a lot more depth and character development for your character.”
- “Great expansion on storyline and character development.”
- “Game has almost no character development.”
- “Each has little screen time, and hardly any character development.”
- “Although you get some character development for Tweek and Craig, as well as Wendy, and a little bit of Butters and Stan, all other characters rely on your prior knowledge of South Park as a show.”