Saints Row

Saints Row Review

For a game that gives us so much freedom to be exactly who we want to be via its superb customisation options, it’s odd that Saints Row itself struggles to forge its own identity when it comes to the types of wanton criminal activities it makes available to us. There’s definitely no shortage of shallow shoot ‘em up thrills to be had here, but it’s a very familiar and uninspired brand of sandbox fun that’s unlikely to wow anybody who’s played a Saints Row game before, much less a GTA. There are a few spectacular story moments and the city of Santo Ileso serves as a sprawling new playground full of surprisingly antiquated and non-interactive amusements, but the distinct lack of new gameplay ideas – and the frequency with which some of its least interesting ones are reused – means this Saints Row feels more like a repetitive retread than a proper reboot. It’s definitely a new gang of Saints, but they’re guilty of the same old sins. Read full review…

SAINTS ROW REVIEW – The rebooted Saints Row could really do with a dubstep gun.

Saints Row is always at its best when it cuts loose, when it goes full dubstep-gun stupid, and the reboot forgets that for long stretches. When it remembers, you get things like a storyline in which you take part in a citywide LARP, fighting Mad Max roleplayers with foam weapons while dressed in cardboard armour, and that’s the kind of daftness it could do with more of. Read full review…

Saints Row Review – Open-World Nostalgia

Saints Row reins in the absurdity to a fairly significant degree but still manages to indulge in some of the chaotic action and silly hijinks the series is known for. Its story is simple and fairly predictable, yet spending time with its diverse and well-rounded characters makes it worth seeing through to the end. It’s a shame the gameplay isn’t quite as progressive, opting instead for out-of-date mechanics and level design. Combat is decent, and the story missions are enjoyable when at their most over-the-top, but there’s too much bland filler in between. Rebooting the series made sense, yet in many ways, Saints Row is still stuck in the past and struggling to live up to its legacy. Read full review…

Saints Row Review: Stripped-back shooter-focused sandbox feels aimless outside of super set-pieces

There’s a lot to like and a lot to laugh at in Saints Row as you raise hell around Santo Ileso with your unique boss. Collecting clothes and cars as you scale up your network of businesses is compelling as you accumulate wealth and solidify your spot at the top. But outside of the super set-piece main missions, it’s easy to bounce off the more repetitive elements of the open-world. Read full review…

Saints Row Review: A Meandering, Directionless Reboot

It’s sad to admit, but Saints Row has become exactly what it used to mock within the genre and there’s not a single reason to check out this underwhelming reboot. With dull characters and a meandering story, the series once known for great humor has lost its bite. The gameplay hasn’t evolved any and is actually less mechanically interesting than its predecessors due to its tame grounded approach and repetitive mission design that ticks the same old boxes. You can still have a few laughs with friends if you choose to play in co-op, but that isn’t a saving grace as you’d have even more fun replaying Saints Row: The Third together; a comparison that demonstrates how this once-great series has completely lost its way and become a total shell of itself. Read full review…

Saints Row review: A toothless reboot

While Saints Row doesn’t live up to the previous installments, it still provides an enjoyable enough experience if you lower your expectations. Gun combat feels solid, and it’s fun trying out all the different available weapons. The Las Vegas-inspired open-world setting is a decent departure from the dense urban environments of the past. There are also plenty of side missions — even if they can become overly repetitive.

In spite of its merits, it’s still hard for me to fully recommend Saints Row. Since this entry has considerably dialed back the excesses of the past, both in terms of humor and set pieces, the game has lost much of its identity. Even if older Saints Row games were trying to outdo Grand Theft Auto, they were still doing something unique in the pursuit of that goal.

The new Saints Row feels entirely too safe, despite the fact you’re playing as a murderous criminal. I suppose if you want a more (for the lack of a better term) “family-friendly” GTA clone, this game is for you. But if you desire something with more bite, you probably won’t like what the new Saints Row has to offer. Read full review…

Saints Row review: “A new era that’s still somewhat stuck in the past”

My Saints Row experience was enjoyable and more than occasionally frustrating: at times it feels like Volition is on the cusp of a breakthrough in both social commentary and open-world game mechanics, while at other times it feels like it’s upholding the status quo. I love the new cast of characters and what they represent to marginalized community members who will play this game, and the story is compelling enough that I persevered in the face of some irritating bugs. There’s a solid game here, and plenty of fun to be had with the new Saints Row, but I find myself wishing the team had taken the concept and ran with it to the bank – before robbing said bank, of course. Read full review…

Saints Row review – Commitment issues

If you play Saints Row, I guarantee that something about it will make you laugh. It might be a quip from one of the central cast that gets you. Or perhaps you will revel in the childlike joy that only comes from flipping a car full of police officers over with a dumper truck. Despite sometimes seeming ashamed of its own excesses, Volition packs in enough of them to amuse even the most stoic among us. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether that’s worth wearing a neck brace after all the tonal whiplash. Read full review…