South Park Rally Review

"We're going down to South Park gona have our selves a good time, friendly faces every where, humble folks without temptation etc etc etc". Well I guess you all know the tune so sing along! Erm well anyway, South Park Rally if you hadn't guessed, is up for the close scrutinization today. South Park is just one of those cartoons/fad's/whatever you like to call it, that just seems to capture the imagination of every youth/young adult alike. Who couldn't help but be amazed by the brash, and outlandish piss taking that goes on in every kickass episode. South Park (SP) for me is held even dearer to me than most of it's fans, as the year that I discovered SP was my first year at Uni. Only the gods themselves could have thought up a better year (that is if they count having, hash, booze, and of course cartoons that only the misspent youth of the MTV generation could full appreciate, (Bungholio! Bungholio!, huh! huh huh huh! shut it bevis!)). It was from these festering minds that spawned SP......Oh yeah! Then Acclaim nicked all the stuff from the series and shoved it into a racing game.

As you could probably guess, SPRally is a driving game, not exactly anything close to the Colin McRay type stuff, more like Mario Kart with a hypodermic full of style shoved right up where the sun don't shine. Oh yeah, and if your wondering why Len isn't reviewing this one (as he usually does the driving games), well he is just tooooo lame to appreciate anything SP, unlike DAPsycho or me, and DAPsycho is too busy. (yeah right!) : )

Anyway, enough of the intro/bolox/usual crap in every f*cking review I seem to do, how about the game then?

First thing to say about the game is that this game is just too damn funny for words, there is are so many cool power ups, even some that hinder more than help, (Saddam, we're looking in your general direction). I would have to say that any game where you can shoot a hooker out the front end of your car and hear it say "10 dollars a lay five dolers a ****", has to be a winner. There are three modes of play; South Park Championship, Arcade, and Multiplayer. The aim of each of the SP Championship races is different, each seems to have a theme or other, some are the usual race around the track (boring!). Other races have some are things like grab an item and finish the race with it, or grab the antidote for Mad Cows Disease and be the first to keep it for two minutes to win etc etc. I only managed to get to the fourth level of this game (Big Gay Al's level - Valentines Day), but the game is just so hard, how I even managed to get to the second level in the Farm is beyond me. The Arcade mode is a bit limited until you unlock tracks by completing them in SP Champ mode, although you can race using any of the themes you have unlocked with any track you have unlocked. So, for example, you can do a race in the Farm where you have to collect the Cup and win the race with it. Multiplayer is probably good, I seem to be lacking with any friends who have the two properties that are needed to even think of playing this game, liking South Park, and liking computer games. (Oh well, there has to be a few of us sad muppets about, less acclaim are going to be having slim pickings from this title).

The sound from this game, got a very respectable 9. It is a great testament to the fact that you can never have too much farting in a game. All the sounds are cool in this game, there are so many you just have to play it to believe it.

If you like South Park, and I mean a lot then you will like this game. I wouldn't go as far as to say you would love it, as Acclaim have managed to take a great way of cashing in on current fads, (and I'm not one to say I don't indulge in a fad (yeah and I did say fad not fag)..just checking) or two), and turned it in to nothing too special. The only real reason why the game was rated in the high 70's was because anything that has Eric Cartman in it gets bonus points in my book, and well, we are rating this from my "book" so live with it. Although 'Chef's Love Shack' beware, I will only be pushed so far. Also as they added stuff from the first ever SP(in UK anyway, I think), the one where Cartman gets the Anal Probe. It has that funky alien thing where Cartman starts singing like a 1950's female singer. Well they added that as a weapon to slow your opponents with. Whilst being a great idea, the game is just too hard, and you would have to be a driving game guru to be able to have a chance of completing it, I am on the lookout for some cheats to free up the other levels so I can try them out, but nothing yet.The game looks as if it is BIG, the locked races are too many to count and also the new possible driver seem to be the same, it's just a pity that you have to be a super human to unlock them.

I could talk forever about all the things I liked and didn't like about this game, but really whether the game is good or not, just isn't the point here its South Park and that is all that matters.

If You don't really give a toss about South Park and thought you would get a driving/go-carting game stay the hell away from this, as a game it just isn't very good, plain and simple. Also if your easily offended by anything more extreme then Mary Poppins this isn't the game for you. Otherwise buy everything South Park related, if Eric Cartman was real he would be a god.