Saints Row 2 Reviews

not bad - dont think its anywhere near as good as GTA and JC2

I distinctly remember playing the first "Saints Row," finishing it then immediately selling it. I remember thinking of it as a somewhat memorable, if rather unremarkable "GTA" clone that’s only real selling point was its controversial subject matter (the player character being the member of a powerful street gang, trying to take down even more powerful street gangs) as opposed to its admittedly formulaic, been-there-done-that game play.

This brings me right into "Saints Row 2." Now, just because the first "Saints Row" was a "GTA" clone doesn't necessarily make it one of those forgettable retreads (here's looking at you "True Crime: Streets of L.A."). If anything, it was one of the few clones that actually capitalized on "GTA's" open-world game play instead of confining you to it, as well as offering up vast improvements on its structure. For example, if you failed a mission, no longer would the player have to drive all the way back to the mission start from a hospital/checkpoint; the game would simply ask if you wanted to retry the mission.

Granted, much of the first "Saints Row" borrows quite a bit (what seems to be purposely) from the extremely successful "GTA: San Andreas," what with its character customization, ability to buy clothes and jewelry, and "San Andreas'" innate trademark of pimping cars. "Saints Row's" customizability was just much richer, deeper, and expansive, however.

This sequel is a game that I REALLY was not looking forward to. As I said, the first is solid, if lacking originality, and being released during the holiday shopping season - when big titles like "Far Cry 2," the excellent "Fallout 3," "Call of Duty: World at War," "Mirror's Edge," and the long-awaited "Gears of War 2" are hitting shelves - "Saints Row 2" just didn't have the urgency and importance of those heavy-hitters. On the contrary, even if the first "Saints Row" was more challenging, this second trip to the Saints' 'hood is more outrageous and three times as satisfying.

Of course, when a "Grand Theft Auto" sequel is released the same year as any other open-world crime sim, the development team(s) should already be well aware of the stiff competition and immediate comparisons that will be made. Technically, "GTA IV" is leaps & bounds ahead of the "Saints Row 2" tech. As a matter of fact, "Saints Row 2" lacks the graphical improvements you would expect and probably hope for from a sequel three years in the making. Quite frankly, this sequel looks no different than its predecessor. Maybe a higher polygon count, some better shading and a realistic real-time shadow system, but everything else is perfectly last-gen. That speaks volumes considering the original was a 360 launch title and looks dreadfully similar to this title.

The game is so fast-paced and so harried, though, that the poor graphics quickly become an afterthought. After playing "GTA IV" for months on end, I became quite accustomed to vehicles that felt "heavier" and had some semblance of physics. At first, "Saints Row 2's" car controls feel a bit clunky. You can't help but think that they feel far too loose. But as you progress throughout the single-player mode, you'll notice that pulling off hairpin turns and squeezing through gridlocked traffic is not the problem it was in Rockstar's recent masterpiece. There's also the ability to toggle cruise control which works brilliantly in sections where you must drive and shoot simultaneously.

As a whole, there is a much bigger difference between the "Saints Row" series than there is just about any other open-world franchise now that this sequel has tried to successfully move these games away from "GTA" territory and into something far more original. Developers Volition Inc. must have worn a smug little grin on their faces throughout the entire creative process as this is easily one of the most demented sandbox games I have ever played. Over the course of a 25-35 hour game, you will play through missions under the influence of narcotics, toss the homeless into drug shacks, and spray feces onto government buildings and much, much more. "Saints Row 2" aims to hit below the belt and it could care less what the rules are for this particular subgenre. Humor is omnipresent and is one of the game's most appealing facets.

Although those looking for a challenge certainly won't find one. On the easiest difficulty, one could breeze through this in about a week or two of casual play, higher difficulties would probably warrant a few more days. But it’s really all of the variety that is impressive. Where "GTA" was happy enough to give you a bunch of assassination missions and a couple of chases, "Saints Row 2" isn't afraid to throw in everything along WITH the kitchen sink. Some of it is incredibly ridiculous and many of the tasks your character sets out to accomplish are not particularly ones I can imagine hardened street thugs doing (like tracking down nuclear waste and filling a rival gang leader's tattoo needle with it), but these missions are fun nonetheless. They are varied and each section quite extensive; no two missions play the same.

Character customization has been ported over from the previous "Saints Row" as well, only heavily expanded and much more in-depth (your character, which is the same character you create from the first, can now be given one of six voices, for example). Other customization options include crib customization (a fantastic addition), gang customization, and of course, the ability to collect currency and spend it on better clothing and higher quality jewelry to "decorate" your avatar. There are always side-tasks for you to accomplish and, yes, there is still the pesky annoyance of having to fill up your respect meter before you go through the game's main missions, but minor gripes aside, Volition have made a whole lot of something out of a whole lot of nothing.

Criticizing "Saint's Row 2" is fruitless. The developers, I'm sure, are aware of its shortcomings as the game seems to celebrate them. You could very easily call its engine "out of date" and "lacking polish" or say that its core content is crude and offensive, but this franchise was never about superior graphical representation. It has always placed firm emphasis on the game play, no matter if its ideas and ideals are directly stolen from the "GTA" series. "Saints Row 2" continues that trend, minus the overt "GTA" references. By no means is it as rewarding and as downright fun to play as this year's "Grand Theft Auto" sequel, but it fixes, adds, deletes, and completely reworks the original title's game play into a must-play sequel that no one really cared about. A superb soundtrack and fantastic locales don't hurt, either. Its ridiculousness is all part of its charm and, although you don't normally see hardened thugs duking it out with Japanese samurai or painting the town brown, this over-the-top sandbox game makes no concessions to the politically correct crowd.

Bottom line, if you enjoyed the first, you'll love the second. This is by all means a true sequel in every sense of the word. Everything that made the first "Saints Row" enjoyable is back and improved ten-fold. The changes and additions are remarkable and make this the full, complete game that the first should have been.