South Park - The Stick of Truth created by Ubisoft.
Images used for educational purposes only.
Creating Your Kid
After a truly epic opening cut scene, South Park: The Stick of Truth tucks you into the obligatory western RPG practice of creating a custom character. This kid represents your primary protagonist and POV character for the rest of the game. This section is purely aesthetic, so have fun forming your brand-new South Park kiddy into whatever you wish. Fret not - there's more customization to come.
Your House
- Woo! Time to look around. After a cut scene with your lovely parents, you'll start out in your room. Follow the tutorial prompts to move around and check out your surroundings.
- Next to the bed is a Toy Chest where you can store items you're not using. You have precisely zero items right now, so, no problems there.
- Approach the closet. Inside you'll find Cash ($0.50) and a Baseball Card ($0.10). Sweet.
- Out into the hallway. To your right are stairs leading downstairs; to the left are two doors. The first you can't open, while the second leads to the bathroom.
- Bathroom! Approach the toilet to start. Interact with it and play the, er, 'minigame'. If you tap the indicated button as quickly as you can you'll earn a... Nugget. Yeah. (I'm gonna have to censor a lot of the item names. Sigh...) Check the toilet again to pick it up.
- Check the cabinet beneath the mirror. Inside is an Old Sponge ($0.10) and a Rusty Pipe ($0.25).
- Check the cabinet to your left to find Cash ($0.10).
- Aside from the shower, which doesn't seem to serve any special purpose, the bathroom is currently useless. Head back into the hall and go downstairs.
- Your dad is to your right, sitting on the couch. Don't talk to him - if you chatter with him multiple times he'll kick you out of the house. He'll also do this if you linger for too long, so don't waste time. Head into the kitchen to your left first.
- Run for your mom. Check the two cabinets on either side of her for Cash ($0.50), a Fork ($0.10), Eye Black ($0.40) and a Health Potion (Small) ($0.20). There's also a small heap of cash on the table to the far left, but if you grab everything else you probably won't manage to get it before dad boots you out. (Anybody else snag it? I lost time typing.)
South Park
- Wooo! A tiny mountain town. Sweet. You'll receive a new quest, The New Kid in Town, wherein you must make some friends. We'll get to that shortly.
- Check out the garage. Inside is a ladder you can climb to a small attic space. Up here is a chest containing Cash ($1.50) and a Surfer Wig ($0.40).
- As you head right you'll hear a kid crying out in ye olden timeth tongue. Whap the kid with the elf ears and you'll make a new friend: Butters!
- Follow Butters to the left. You'll pass his house and garage, but you'll need keys to get in both. Drat.
- Cut scene follow. Heeeey, it's... the Wizard King. Sure.
Cartman's House
- Check the couchside cabinet upon entering. Inside is an Evil Cartman Goatee ($0.40), Cartman's Garage Key, Cash ($1.00), and an Okama Gamesphere ($2.00).
- Follow Cartman and Butters. They'll lead you to...
Kupa Keep
- (Though before you check this area out, go back inside. You can get a friend request for Mrs. Cartman, and if you check the cabinets of the kitchen you'll find a Speed Potion ($0.40).
- How austere. Start by talking to Clyde (right) and Scott Malkinson (left) to get friend requests.
- Have a look around the yard. There's a Daffodil on your left which will spark the Flower for a Princess quest. Give the Daffodil to Kenny to get his/her friend request.
- Investigate the various 'mystical' obects, and climb the ladder on Kupa Keep to get a look at downtown South Park. Once you're done muddling about, talk to Cartman to spark the next cut scene. You get to name yourself -
- and then choose your class!
Choosing a Class
Yes, this is important. You have your character class for the rest of the game, and it determines your strengths, weaknesses, and general use in combat. You have four choices:
- Fighter, a straightforward, buff, powerful melee class;
- Mage, a mystically-inclined but kinda scrawny magical class;
- Thief, a swift, dextrous melee class with stealing capabilities; orrrr...
- ... Jew. Yep. I, uh, yeah. That's South Park for you. They're kind of a Paladin and Monk hybrid.
If you're new to RPGs, I'd suggest going with Fighter. They're strong and hearty, and will always be useful at least as tanks. If you have more experience, go wild and pick something else. They all have their uses. You'll get companions who can cover the other niches in the game anyway.
- Back to Kupa Keep. Talk to Clyde to buy a weapon. There are first-tier weapons available for each of the classes, all worth $2.34 each. Equip it in the menu to trigger the first fight in the game... against Clyde. Cartman will take you through the basics of combat; most of it consists of carefully timing your shots, as well as minding the shots of your opponents. Get used to this - without proper timing on both you'll get your butt kicked later on.
- After the fight, win or lose (probably win), Cartman will invite you into the tent. You'll see the mighty Stick of Truth - and then the elves will attack! Ye gods! Follow Cartman back outside.
- There are three elves out here beating up your fellows. Engage them each with a smack from your weapon and follow the tutorial prompts to complete the battles. They're scripted to an extent, though you can still take a serious beating if you're not careful with your timing. Be sure to collect loot of these guys once they go down.
- Once all is done, gasp! The sacred Stick of Truth will be gone! Cartman will tell you to fetch his three greatest warriors, and in the process will give you Letters to Craig, Token, and Tweak. Your next step? Track 'em down/ The quest begins!
- Once the quest begins, take Butters' House Key down the street to his home. (You received it automatically after he entered your party.) Pop inside and speak to his mother and father for their friend requests. Check Butters' room and you'll find the Chaos Lair Key, which you'll use later in the game, as well as the Monkay Chinpokomon. It's sitting beside his shelf to the right. Check his parents' room for the Stotch Garage Key, which you can use to pop into their garage and grab Druid Gloves and a Wild Wacky Action Bike from a chest, as well as Bangs from a bag. Oooo.