I dunno. I'm enjoying. It's fun and zany like 3. I haven't sunk very many hours in yet.

I will say this though, it doesn't have 3's polish. Everything about the game is pretty B quality (voice acting, captions, graphics, etc). It's not awful, it's just not AAA. 3 was a way tighter game from a game polish and mechanics point of view. I don't know what happened to Volition but they don't seem to be able to pull off a 3 scale game anymore.

It's silly fun though. I'm probably in the minority when I say I think it's an A on the humor.

This comment was edited on Sep 2, 2022, 01:55.

eRe4s3r wrote on Aug 24, 2022, 03:54:
Well I looked a lengthy lets' play of this, and I am baffled, the city is nearly completely empty, devoid of action, ENTIRELY devoid of emergent behavior previous game had (gang war, roaming vehicles of other gangs etc.) it's like they only made half a game to be honest. If someone finds this enjoyable more power to them. But previously Saints Row games were VASTLY better.

There were times in the game where player I watched stopped and looked around in the city and there was no car nor people anywhere. It was like playing in the post apocalypse.

Not sure who you watched, but my experience is for the most part different. Early into the game most rival interaction isn't bold-faced, but as you progress, interaction with the various gangs, as well as Marshall, ramps up starting with the latter. Speaking on Marshall directly, they do create a lot of the aforementioned emergent behavior as I've come across a lot of various checkpoints and random patrols. I've also run into various random gang interactions, but they are nowhere near as prevalent as prior entries, and they are far less constant aggression-based interactions.

I honestly don't want the overly abundant situations that appeared in 4 and I only miss how it was in 2, as it makes no sense in the story here because instead of just a standard police force there's a PMC-esque group on top policing the area. It should also be said that it appears that the gang interaction, prior to the arrival of The Saints, seems to have fallen into a routine between them all and they stick to their own areas without too much outright fighting between them.

I understand the criticisms and expectations here, but I've learned to temper them when they are rebooting a series and wanting to pull back from the more outlandish things they did in the prior entries, so I give them a bit more leeway.

eRe4s3r wrote on Aug 24, 2022, 03:54:
Well I looked a lengthy lets' play of this, and I am baffled, the city is nearly completely empty, devoid of action, ENTIRELY devoid of emergent behavior previous game had (gang war, roaming vehicles of other gangs etc.) it's like they only made half a game to be honest. If someone finds this enjoyable more power to them. But previously Saints Row games were VASTLY better.

There were times in the game where player I watched stopped and looked around in the city and there was no car nor people anywhere. It was like playing in the post apocalypse.

Now that sounds like a real and valid piece of criticism. The SR cities have always felt "alive" with the opposing gangs (even if they kept to their specific territories outside scripted events).

Well I looked a lengthy lets' play of this, and I am baffled, the city is nearly completely empty, devoid of action, ENTIRELY devoid of emergent behavior previous game had (gang war, roaming vehicles of other gangs etc.) it's like they only made half a game to be honest. If someone finds this enjoyable more power to them. But previously Saints Row games were VASTLY better.

There were times in the game where player I watched stopped and looked around in the city and there was no car nor people anywhere. It was like playing in the post apocalypse.

https://www.youtube.com/c/AngryCentaurGaming/videos
ACG made 3 videos on the subject. lol

It's not a review, or clickbait, it's an opinion piece about a specific aspect of Saints Row.

Forbes' review is here if you want their in-depth thoughts.

I never had huge expectations for a Saints Row game, other than being a more tongue-in-cheek GTA that doesn't take itself seriously...

I will say that I find this game entertaining, even if it looks just as dated as SR4. I have had the same experience in this game as I have with the ones prior to 4 (see: non-superhero), even with the same jank animations.

I'm a few hours in and even the story feels a lot like 3's, both good and bad.

Maybe as I've gotten older I care less and less about things as long as I am entertained...who knows?

Verno wrote on Aug 23, 2022, 13:48:
There has never really been a Saints Row identity or vision, it was always a budget GTA clone. SR2 leaned into that and it worked due to the story structure and various ways you could break the game. SR3 was an over the top mess that tries to make people channel their inner teen again, for some people this works but for me it did not. Shame that they didn't seem to have any real artistic goal or vision here, outside of rebooting the franchise. Instead this will likely be the last game for a long time.

SR2 was ok but still basically just a GTA3 clone with a bit of added humour. SR3 had an actual vision for something that wasn't just a clone.

The core identity of SR3, 4 & Gat out of Hell was "Do silly stuff in an open world city." Which is why I rate all 3 of those way higher than any of the GTA titles.

RedEye9 wrote on Aug 23, 2022, 12:53:
Your problem is you didn’t read this Forbes clickbait. It would totes change your mind.
‘Saints Row’ Is Actually Better Than You’ve Heard, For Saints Row Fans
So see, you’re not a fan.

I know you're teasing and all but I don't really care what that guy has to say even after reading the handful of paragraphs he managed to squeeze in between his Destiny lovefests. His "review" has all the weight and depth of cotton candy. He doesn't dive in to really anything about the game except for a LARPing mission.

Setting aside all the broken graphics and mechanics, the thing he fails to mention that is probably the most damning is that the characters are at best milquetoast. Your character, your gang's characters, and your enemies' characters. They're like a sandwich made out of store brand white bread and generic mayo that has been dipped in reconstituted milk. No one is going to top Gat in the SR universe so let's set him aside. Shaundi was memorable. Zimos was memorable. Dexter, Troy, Merril, the DeWynter sisters, all of them memorable and having a place in the universe.

From everything I have read and watched, this Saints Row is so unremarkable that it might as well have been developed and released by Ubisoft.

Edit to add:

After thinking about it for a couple of moments, this Saints Row has the same problem that Watch Dogs: Legion had. All of the characters are utterly forgettable and it's an open world a mile wide and an inch deep.

There has never really been a Saints Row identity or vision, it was always a budget GTA clone. SR2 leaned into that and it worked due to the story structure and various ways you could break the game. SR3 was an over the top mess that tries to make people channel their inner teen again, for some people this works but for me it did not. Shame that they didn't seem to have any real artistic goal or vision here, outside of rebooting the franchise. Instead this will likely be the last game for a long time.

Was on my and my friends co-op list, and after watching some Twitch Streams, all the reviews were right. It's like Saints Row started getting into meth and dissapeared only to pass by years later homeless, with track mark, no teeth and scabs all over.

WAAAYYY hard pass, and will probably pass again when it's on deep sale.

EDIT:
Glad all that Epic Exclusive Money was spent wisely.

RedEye9 wrote on Aug 23, 2022, 12:53:

Burrito of Peace wrote on Aug 23, 2022, 12:34:
"... the Saints are really about one thing..."

A poorly made dud whose developers completely failed to understand even the slightest bit of what made Saints Row popular in the first place? Developers who apparently don't understand that an open world still needs cohesiveness so it all ties together? Physics that are so wonky that they make Goat Simulator seem almost realistic? Graphical glitches so jarring that even Johnny Silverhand sits back and says "Damn, son. People can see you"? Systems and mechanics so broken that Fallout 76 suddenly feels a huge boost of self-esteem about?

Every review I have read or watched highlights just how much of a clusterfuck this is and how absolutely tone deaf the developers behind it are.

Your problem is you didn’t read this Forbes clickbait. It would totes change your mind.
‘Saints Row’ Is Actually Better Than You’ve Heard, For Saints Row Fans
So see, you’re not a fan.

Interesting.

Honestly, I think he's right about maybe what kind of fan you are. A lot of people here think SR2 was the peak. I think SR2 was when it started finding its voice, which it refined and polished for SR3. SR4 went off the rails, but in an insane and memorable way.

I may like this. Sounds like it may fit well for people that preferred SR3. But also, maybe it steers into the wackier stuff that was a bit try-hard at times, and the lack of a Gat is a problem as Gat was the series' highlight. I'd consider it if it comes to $4.99 and runs well on the Steam Deck, haha.

Generally, though, to your secret text, not sure I often agree with that author.

Burrito of Peace wrote on Aug 23, 2022, 12:34:
"... the Saints are really about one thing..."

A poorly made dud whose developers completely failed to understand even the slightest bit of what made Saints Row popular in the first place? Developers who apparently don't understand that an open world still needs cohesiveness so it all ties together? Physics that are so wonky that they make Goat Simulator seem almost realistic? Graphical glitches so jarring that even Johnny Silverhand sits back and says "Damn, son. People can see you"? Systems and mechanics so broken that Fallout 76 suddenly feels a huge boost of self-esteem about?

Every review I have read or watched highlights just how much of a clusterfuck this is and how absolutely tone deaf the developers behind it are.

Your problem is you didn’t read this Forbes clickbait. It would totes change your mind.
‘Saints Row’ Is Actually Better Than You’ve Heard, For Saints Row Fans
So see, you’re not a fan.

"... the Saints are really about one thing..."

A poorly made dud whose developers completely failed to understand even the slightest bit of what made Saints Row popular in the first place? Developers who apparently don't understand that an open world still needs cohesiveness so it all ties together? Physics that are so wonky that they make Goat Simulator seem almost realistic? Graphical glitches so jarring that even Johnny Silverhand sits back and says "Damn, son. People can see you"? Systems and mechanics so broken that Fallout 76 suddenly feels a huge boost of self-esteem about?

Every review I have read or watched highlights just how much of a clusterfuck this is and how absolutely tone deaf the developers behind it are.