Beat The Stick of Truth with help from Prima’s eGuide!
After spending quite a bit of time in development (it was originally supposed to release March 2013), South Park: The Stick of Truth is finally here – and for fans of the series, it’s a dream come true.
The game utilizes a role-playing system, as you battle against strange enemies around the city while trying to reacquire the powerful Stick of Truth. You’ll encounter different characters from the hit show, including Cartman, Kyle, Kenny and even Mr. Hankey.
With a hilarious plot and addictive battles, you’ll get sucked in for hours. With this in mind, these tips will help you choose the best class and defeat swarms of enemies.
Experiment with the Different ClassesÂ
After creating your character using the customization system (which is a lot of fun), you’ll choose between four classes – Fighter, Mage, Thief or Jew. The Jew class – which Cartman loathes – is along the lines of a Paladin or Monk class.
The class you choose depends on your play style. If you rely on magic spells, the Jew or Mage classes are ideal. If you enjoy fighting enemies directly or prefer a more aggressive style, the Fighter or Thief is your best bet. In addition, the Fighter is probably the strongest of the four offered, though the Thief will provide more rewards.
If you’re a newcomer, you can’t go wrong with the Fighter.
Always Prepare for BattleÂ
You’ll learn tactics early in the game, as Cartman pits you against one of his allies to teach you the basics. Essentially, it’s turn-based, like a role-playing game, and the moves you make will determine how well you maintain your health and power bars.
General attacks don’t take power away from you, and deliver a good amount of damage if you time them just right. The more powerful techniques, however, will drain your energy, based on the number of units required to pull them off. The baseball bat swing, for instance, requires six power units, so save these attacks for some of the stronger enemies in the game.
In addition, others will join your battle party as you go along, each with their own individual classes and techniques. Butters, for example, has healing capabilities, but can also strike up close using his hammer.
Mix up characters that have different elements to work with. It never hurts to have a good ranged fighter, as well as someone who can assault up front and a healer to keep everyone from succumbing on the battlefield. At first, you won’t have much to choose from, but as the game goes on, more friends will become available.
Check Out the MapÂ
As the “new kid,” you’ll receive tasks that you need to complete around the city, such as making a delivery or finding certain items. To locate your next quest, simply press Up on the directional pad, and you’ll see an entire overview of the town. Quests are clearly marked, and it’s easy to get around, moving up and down through different lanes in the town.
Some areas will be blocked off by rats until later on in the game. Don’t worry about these until they unlock. For the time being, focus on quests in the immediate area and get those done, and soon enough, you’ll have new room to roam.
In addition, keep an eye on your friends list. Buddies can be helpful later on in the game, as some join you in battle.
Timing is Everything
Going back to the timing in battles, crucial hits play a huge part. With the baseball swing, for example, wait until the ball you throw into the air comes flying down at the right time to deliver the most critical hit. Likewise, for Butters, you’ll want to avoid swinging the hammer until you see the light flash at the very last minute – or you get used to the timing. Doing this will save you a lot of stress during the fight, as you’ll quickly subdue your enemies.
In addition, learn how to deflect attacks. By pressing the button at the right time, you’ll take minimal damage from hits. These include up-close strikes, as well as projectiles that come from a distance. Failing to block these attacks will result in your hero bleeding, and eventually losing enough energy that he passes out, forcing you to either fight without these characters or revive them.
On top of that, be sure to take advantage of counters. By successfully blocking a character a couple of times, they’ll be open to a counter-attack. Use this to your advantage and set up a couple of quick hits to send them running back to their side of the battlefield, then plan your next strategy.
Keep Plenty of Potions on HandÂ
Finally, it helps to have a good stock of items available. If you’re low on energy or want to boost your attack speed, be sure to have a can of soda or some of Tweek’s coffee around. For good measure, have at least one revival item so you can help revive a fallen teammate. It pays to have a good squad on hand, especially against tougher enemies, like hobos and drugged-up hippies.
We’ll have more in-depth strategies for Stick of Truth tomorrow. In the meantime, fight the good fight on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
