Saints Row review

August 31, 2022

801

Saints Row

The Saints are back in Saints Row and have landed on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC! In the wake of many remakes and games coming out soon, Saints Row promises to be a mayhem filled familiar, yet brand new time. The long running franchise has a tendency for outrageous gameplay and interesting items to use as weapons.

This reboot, though, doesn’t feature Johnny Gat, but does it still feature the same fun and excitement from previous titles? Step in to find out if this game is more of a Saint or a Sinner to the franchise.

Saints Row Details

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC
Reviewed on: Google Stadia
Developer(s): Volition
Publisher(s): Deep Silver
Genre: Action-adventure
Modes: Single player, multiplayer

Welcome to the rich and vibrant city of Santo Ileso

Saints Row games have followed a very familiar game loop. Watch a fun cutscene, go blow up a ton of stuff, drive and blow up stuff, or talk while driving, blowing up stuff and heck, fly too. Volition Games prides themselves on having a fun time.

Another big draw is this game is co-op so you can also have fun with your friends! From the opening mission, you are given a small glimpse of the chaos that awaits. During your first 10-15 minutes with the game, you are walked through the character creator as well as using your weapons and takedowns. So it’s really tough to get overwhelmed.

Guns and weapons are plentiful but missions can get a little repetitive. Without giving away any spoilers about the story, you take on Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall Defense Technologies as you build your empire across the streets of Santo Ileso as you battle for control of the city. While the story isn’t entirely unique, the characters in your group and opposing gangs each have their own unique characteristics and play their parts perfectly in the story.

Saints Row

Become a self-made crime boss and crush it as you take over the city

The unique sprawling world of Santo Ileso is the backdrop for a wild, larger-than-life sandbox of thrilling side hustles, criminal ventures and blockbuster missions, as you shoot, wingsuit and drive your way to the top. The driving in Saints Row matches with the chaos and the arcade feel is nostalgic.

At launch, Saints Row isn’t without its glitches. While a patch has already been released to address some issues at the time of writing this review, there are still some present in the game. While playing co-op with a friend I had the game get stuck on a loading screen. And, another time one of the characters failed to get into a truck to trigger a driving sequence and progress the story.

Saints Row

Bright and refreshing visuals with voice energetic voice acting

Graphically, Saints Row games have never been anything to write home about. Overall, I’d say that Saints Row’s visuals are bright and refreshing. The character models are all diverse and from the opening your character is thrust into the mix. There’s a lot of polish in the character creator, you truly can be whoever you want.

Sounds are fun and character voice work is energetic. The script may be ridiculous but the voice acting matches it perfectly. From the whoopin and hollerin in the desert town to the insides of missions it all sounds great. My only complaint here is that certain sections of the map feel underpopulated. The game has a ton of energy in the right places, but the entire whole world doesn’t feel lived in.

Saints Row fails to innovate but is a ton of fun to play by yourself or with a friend

If you are a Saints Row fan and you are looking for a crude, goofy, and overall enjoyable time, this game is for you. I had a ton of fun playing the game in both single-player and co-op modes. If there is one thing that Saints Row doesn’t do, is innovate. There is really nothing new gameplay wise that sets it apart from other entries in the series. For me, I was perfectly fine with this.

The Saints Row franchise has a tried and true formula and this game sticks to it. As mentioned earlier, the game isn’t without its glitches. Honestly, during my time with the game, I didn’t encounter as many glitches as some others have reported. At the time of writing this review, a patch has been released that addresses some of the glitches found in the game.

It’s nice to see Volition acknowledge this and start to release patches in a timely manner. Additional content will be released for Saints Row and I can’t wait to see where Volition takes us.

+ Crude, goofy, and overall enjoyable time
+ Character customization is extremely detailed
+ Co-op campaign mode is fun to play with a friend

– Gameplay does not innovate, sticks to tried and true formula
– Glitches and bugs still present in the game